And for the $590 million, hadn't you rather see it come to Swain County , North Carolina and America , than Iraq ? I had.

 The money can better be used to preserve and enhance natural resources.

Why expend such a large amount of money on construction of new facilities when there is a great need within the park to repair and improve the current crumbling infrastructure? How many seasonal rangers, naturalists, interpreters, and other visitor benefits would the construction money provide if used for other park needs?

The cost of building this road at today's inflated cost is equal to three days' cost of the war in Iraq ! Isn't helping these citizens of western North Carolina worth this small fraction of what we are spending to bring “democracy” to the people of Iraq ? Our values get a little distorted at times.

If Roosevelt, our president, had lived and was president, he would have had the road built long ago, probably by the Army Corps of Engineers. Today, that would save a tremendous amount of money. They're part of our people and that's the way they trained is by building roads. Why settle for about twelfth of something, if you are due it? $52 million would be twelfth of the $560 or $600 million, whatever it is.

And even the Taxpayers for Commonsense, as you've heard, have jumped on board when the new price tag of nearly $600 million to build this road was announced. As many have stated, it's a colossal waste of tax dollars to build the Road to Nowhere.

Aside from the initial construction, a sizable support infrastructure would have to be established. Power, water and sewer systems would have to be installed, visitor centers and bathrooms constructed. A continued maintenance and protection function will continue long after the roads are completed. In this time of economic short falls, I don't see this as a wise use of our tax dollars.

Giving more access to the public, there will be new money spent in law enforcement, NC of Hwy 28, etc.