Keep our Beltline Beautiful

During his State of the City speech to the Madison Rotary Wednesday, Mayor Dave announced his opposition to a proposed transmission line in the Southwest corridor ("Rockdale to West Middleton").

The American Transmission Company (ATC) says the line is needed to support the growing electric power demands of Dane County and the southern Wisconsin region. ATC reports that Dane County's use of electricity is growing at a rate that's nearly twice the statewide average.

Mayor Dave said he opposes the power line because he has serious doubts that additional lines are needed and he does not want the blight of a power line running along the County's pristine beltline highway.

I heartily support Mayor Dave's opposition to ruining the pristine beltline that is the southwest corridor - with a high voltage transmission line. I've always admired his steadfast refusal to drive that highway, thereby denying the reality of the four and six lane behemoth put through the city years ago to eliminate massive congestion and acknowledge the incredible growth occurring throughout the west side of Madison.

Now ATC wants to obstruct our view of strip malls and Nedrebos, West Towne's parking lot and the Princeton Club with ugly metal transmission poles? Stand tall, Mayor Dave. Keep our beltine beautiful.

I just have one question: Where are you going to get the electricity for those electric mass transit rail cars you proposed running down University Avenue during that very same speech?