I understand, Jabber.

We live within the city limits - though Galena is pretty much a small town, not really a city IMHO. But we live on Hwy 20, which is a national highway that runs from the East to West Coats, and is full of big trucks and semis. Worse, Galena happens to be located within the less than 100 miles of the entire E-W route in which the highway is only one lane each way -- with no shoulder.

Besides that, it is a very hilly route. So really not safe to bike or walk on the highway.

The State is in the process of creating a bypass which will include a mandatory sidewalk and bike path, which is referred to by antagonists as "the bike path to nowhere."

But I don't know if that will ever go through, as the amount of private land that will have to be ceded to widen the road, as well as create sidewalk and bike path is enormous.

Some people who currently live on the Highway will literally lose their entire front yards -- or enough of it that no one will want to live that close to the highway. This of course, will affect property values...

And right now the State is saying "it's our way or NO highway."

Thankfully we are not in the path of the proposed bypass. But we are on the Highway, so I really have to drive anywhere if I want to be safe. But I knew this when we bought the house...
so I'm not really complaining. Just explaining...