How to make C.R. more attractive

If we want to make Cedar Rapids livable and attractive, let's “walk the walk” instead of audit the talk:

Clean up all the weeds and trash along Interstate 380. Replace the chain links with black link fencing.

Paint all the traffic signals jet black.

Plant shrubs and flowers in more medians, downtown and in NewBo.

Whitewash all the downtown bridges and install lighting in the arches.

Adopt design standards and encourage geometric designs for buildings other than squares.

Paint buildings colors. Brown, tan, white and gray gets depressing.

Clean up and green up the riverbanks.

Cover eyesores with new murals, restore them or tear them down.

Bury more utility lines. Telephone poles are so 19th century.

No more patching roads. It's time to pave like our friends in Iowa City and Waterloo.

It takes money to make money. It's time to move forward into the 22nd century. Let's just skip this one after such a slow start.

Wade Wagner

Cedar Rapids