How best to pay for Highway 100 extension?

According to last Monday's article in The Gazette, Mayor Corbett and other supporters are leading the charge to build an eight-mile

extension of Highway 100 west across the Cedar River.

Doing so would put a four-lane divided highway across the Rock Island Preserve, home to 550 different species of plants, as well as rare and threatened animals. Even several species of orchids are located there.

But no matter - the only trouble is finding more than $120 million in taxpayer money to fund it.

This could be a big problem since we don't seem to have the money to fix the potholes in our existing streets.

Here's a modest solution: Find 100 wealthy Highway 100 advocates who can each chip in $1.2 million for this road. Each donor will “purchase” one-tenth of a mile of the highway. In return, we'll erect a sign each one-tenth mile that says, “This chunk of Highway 100 courtesy of (your name here).”

It's a win-win.

The city gets its new highway, and the backers get their well-deserved recognition.

Frank Olsen

Cedar Rapids