Richard Pombo: “I rise in support of H.R. 848, legislation to increase the authorization ceiling for construction of a by-pass road…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 848, legislation to increase the authorization ceiling for construction of a by-pass road around Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park. In 1890, Congress designated the Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park as the first national military park, in recognition of several important Civil War engagements which occurred there. Like many of the Civil War engagements, the site of this battle occurred along an important transportation corridor, in this case the route leading into Chattanooga, TN. Mr. Speaker, there is still a high degree of conflict along that transportation corridor, U.S. Highway 27, but today the conflict is between commuter traffic using this road, and those persons who have come to the park to understand and appreciate the important events which took place there 133 years ago. In fact, 90 percent of the 17,200 vehicles using this road daily, including about 800 18-wheelers, are nonpark visitors. The heavy use of this road intrudes significantly on the historic scene, and makes it almost impossible for visitors of the park to use the road as part of the autotour route.”