Starting Point: Nashville, TN
Ending Point: New Orleans, LA
Distance Traveled: 550 Miles
This morning, I left Nashville, TN at around 6 AM and immediately started on a 7 hour day of driving. My first stop was Birmingham, AL where I planned on visiting a Civil Rights Museum. Unfortunately, the museum was closed but I was able to visit Railroad Park, a large open park nestled between a railroad, industrial area and the University of Alabama Campus, Regions Park (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regions_Field), and an under-construction museum.
The economic benefits of green space can be clearly seen across the street form Railroad Park where a new mid-rise multi-family development is under-construction (http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf/2013/08/30_million_apartment_retail_pr.html). These green spaces are great examples of green spaces spurring development. Instead of incentivizing developments with tax breaks, cities might be better off improving green spaces which will naturally motivate developers to build new projects without incentives.
After a brief, disappointing stop in Montgomery, AL, I finally arrived in New Orleans, LA. The city’s tight budget is easily noticeable by the worn-out streets and sidewalks, but the culture and soul of the city is irrepressible. The whole town seems to be emerging into a hipster/hippie/up-and-coming neighborhood. The distinct New Orleans architecture is prevalent throughout the city, characterized by plantation-style shutters, intricate iron designs, bright/colorful exterior home colors, large balconies/patios, some of which extend over the sidewalk providing unique city areas.
Perhaps most discomforting is the looming, slow and inevitable destruction of the city. As it stands, the city is currently 40% below sea level and by the end of the century the city is expected to be 90% below sea level. As the sea level rises and weather patterns become more extreme in nature, nature will inevitably take its course and reclaim New Orleans. A thorough article by Business Insider, explains the looming destruction of New Orleans. (http://www.businessinsider.com/climate-change-could-destroy-new-orleans-2015-6)
The destruction is just extra unfortunate, because the culture of New Orleans is very unique and special. I think that city needs to face reality and use money to relocate its citizens to a nearby city rather than just pretending that everything will be OK and distracting themselves from reality. However, this is easier said then done and there’s no good solution in this case. There will obviously be many stubborn people who will never leave the city, and an enormous government bailout and relocation assistance is inevitable when an even greater Hurricane than Katrina occurs.
