City Council Ties Off an Artery with Hopes for Recovery

The City Council faced one of its toughest cases Tuesday night.

Would cutting off an artery save an ailing patient, or simply doom the poor soul to a life sitting in endless traffic jams?

The artery, in this case, is Second Avenue SE between 10th and 12th streets. Physicians' Clinic of Iowa wants to close the street to make way for its $36 million medical mall. The project would keep 300-plus jobs in downtown Cedar Rapids, backers contend, with the help of city incentives.

But without a radical street closure-ectomy, the project might jump to Hiawatha.

Somebody dab council members' foreheads. Stat.

They got plenty of public advice and second opinions before a fateful vote.

Professional traffic engineers say the system can absorb a closure. Amateur traffic engineers predicted gridlock. Medical pros said closing a street is necessary to create a “horizontal footprint” critical to care delivery. Amateur podiatrists insisted that footprint is full of bunions. They prescribed tunnels, skywalks and vertical thinking.

Some pleaded for patients. Others pleaded for businesses. One guy vowed to move out of town if the street closed.

After 29 consults, the council scrubbed in.

Mayor Pro Tem Monica Vernon asked for patience, insisting on more time to find an alternative to surgery. “I don't think doctors should design cities,” a frustrated Vernon spat.

Council member Chuck Swore heard Vernon's plea for delay and went for his scalpel. “I think it's just crazy,” Swore spit back. He argued that the council has had more than its recommended allowance of time and data.“I'm full. There's nothing else I can absorb.”

So the surgery commenced. Instruments were assembled.

Anecdotes. Check.

Council member Pat Shey told of a kindly old Rochester doc who said street closures are never fatal. Mayor Ron Corbett spoke emotionally of a flooded-out resident named Brenda, who urged him to “keep trying” to revive the city.

Comic relief. Check.

“One of my disappointments is I don't see the medical marijuana dispensary,” said Council member Tom Podzimek, pointing out a buzz-killing omission in the medical mall plan.

Reality. Check.

“As I listened tonight, I got to thinking, how in the world did we ever get the interstate through Cedar Rapids?” said Council member Justin Shields.

In the end, they voted 6-3 in favor of closure.  And really, despite the risks, they didn't have much choice.

Governing a struggling, recovering city in a flat-lining economy doesn't give you the luxury of turning away investment. Risking the medical mall to save the street was too big a gamble for most of the council members to chance.

They figured saving an artery doesn't do much good in a downtown with an already weak pulse.

Cities all across the country are fighting for jobs. And you have to get your hands dirty just to save what you have, with hopes for better days ahead.

Then you mop up the blood and guts and move on.

And maybe get a pedicure. Go ahead. Treat yourself.