http://files.jumpo.gethifi.com/images/17_Bypass_night_CityScenes-Althouse-2008-09--025-process-sc650x261-t1294927468.png
This is a picture of a piece of the Hwy 17/Hwy 24 bypass
that was built in my hometown of Jacksonville North Carolina. I chose this as
my artifact because this road has changed the environment around it greatly since
it was built. Some immediate affects were that people to have to move their driveways,
allows people to avoid driving through town which leads to businesses losing
business, and many trees were cut down in the process of building it. And over
the years it has slowly brought other changes.
Construction can be seen as a show of progress and change. In the short run new construction projects such as this, can be seen as unnecessary and a waste of money. What has to be understood is that the Department of Transportation plans projects such as this with at least a 10 year plan in mind. While it might seem unnecessary now, in the future it can help ease congestion due to growth.
ReplyDeleteThis picture is an example of what governments and big businesses are willing to give up for efficiency. I agree with the above comment that the DOT projects this road to help with population growth and congestion. It is just disheartening that trees needed to be cut down and driveways being moved. It makes you wonder how high of a price the environment will have to pay for progression.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the construction of this road, although may have had a negative impact on the wildlife, helped humans at a minimal cost, these days companies are employing environmental scientists to find the most effective path to build upon and not have to cut through the dense parts of a forest with the greatest biodiversity. So while this may be viewed as a loss for the environment I believe humans are not destroying the environment without cause and are attempting to keep their impact on wildlife at a minimum.
ReplyDeleteHighways are constantly being built and expanded to allow for more convenient travel. As population continues to grow as well as cities and towns expanding land will be continued to be cleared to make way for highways and roads. It is the environmental sacrifice that is made for continuous growth.
ReplyDeleteThis is great at showing how the highway/road system has changed the environment. With our societies view of earth as for the taking, we just cut into the land and not worrying about what we are doing to the environment. In this picture a bypass was created to save just a little in their commutes. I really enjoyed your picture i love this effect and you had an overall successful post.
ReplyDeleteI am curious to know exactly what the construction workers had to cut through to develop this bypass. Nowadays, environmental engineers are employed to help find the most effective paths for roads that result in the most minimal damage to the environment. If this road had to cut through a forest, uprooting vast amounts of trees may lead to issues with erosion and certainly habitat destruction.
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