To the Editor:

On behalf of the over 400 registered supporters of the organization, YESeleven, (yeseleven.org), we would like to express our concern at the decision by the St. Lawrence County Legislature in its upcoming budget, to continue using public money to fund the ongoing political lobbying efforts to build a ‘Rooftop’ interstate highway across the North Country.

The notion of building such a highway is contrary to all of the science, engineering and economic study and analysis that has been brought to bear on this question over the course of several decades.

The most recent transportation study, the 175 page, 2002 Northern Tier Transportation Study, (available at www.yeseleven.org), clearly concludes, on pages 159-161, that from a regional, state and national perspective, the best option for our region is the, targeted and evolutionary upgrades to the existing Rt.11 corridor.

An interstate highway would be a 170 mile bypass of our existing economy and would require the massive taking of private lands.

The fact that our elected officials continue to divert many thousands of public dollars to lobbying for something that is nothing more than a concept, with no factual support and is contrary to all documented transportation solutions, is deeply troubling.

Of more concern is that such a funding decision is being made at the same time that many county departments and organizations are being eliminated, reduced or flat-funded in the tentative 2012 budget.

It is unimaginable how public money can be appropriated to pay lobbying and marketing organizations under these circumstances.

Our local highways and bridges are deteriorating at an accelerating rate and Rt.11, its adjacent roadways, water and sewer infrastructure are all in critical need of updating.

Our scarce resources need to be used to maintain, improve and extend that infrastructure in order to support our current business activity and future economic growth.

The public funds being used to fund the ‘Rooftop Highway’, lobbying effort should instead be used to help address these current and existing needs and not be frivolously spent on marketing and promotion for an ideological adventure that, even if ever realized, would require decades to bear fruit.

The Fort Drum Connector Highway took 9 years and 80-plus million dollars to build. It is 4 miles of interstate highway!

The targeted upgrades to Rt.11 would cost a fraction of the “Rooftop Highway” boondoggle, while creating hundreds of local construction jobs, and it would simultaneously support our existing economy and its longterm growth.

John Danis, John Casserly

Co-Spokesmen, YESeleven