Back from a week out of town, and lots to catch up on.
First, a headline in the new Franklin Citizen newspaper: "Council approves new subdivision, easement to connect pedestrian trail." This quote attributed to Mayor Tom Taylor caught my eye:
"Franklin is going to be one of the most connected cities in the area."
With all due respect to the mayor, Franklin has a LONG way to go before it ends its current status as comically disconnected - - not a slur against Franklin specifically, mind you, but sprawled suburbs in general.
Franklin, as per typical suburban sprawl growth patterns, consists largely of disconnected pods.
The photo above? That's the view of Victory Creek subdivision - - you can see peaks of houses over the trees - - from the playground at Pleasant View Elementary (which has access problems of its own discussed here). But don't try walking from the school to the subdivision; there is no connection, and you'll have to drive a circuitous TWO MILE route out to 51st street and then Drexel to the home you see mere yards away (.35 miles, to be exact).
Franklin has a long way to go before it's "connected" in any meaningful way.
6/27/07 addition - A reader comment:
That was always my criticism before my children were redistricted to Robinwood Grade School 4 miles away. I live in the High View estates (less than 1 mile as the crow flies) on 47th Street and there was no direct route to Pleasant View.
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