Abandoning street violates codes

To the editor:My recent veto of the abandonment of Shawn Drive simply supported and upheld an ordinance that is in place in Jackson. The ordinance says that through development, subdivisions should be interconnected.

City staff recommended that this street extension not be abandoned, because doing so would be a violation of our city codes.

The board of aldermen listened to everyone's point of view at the public hearing, and some good points were made. The bottom line is, until the ordinance is changed, the board has an obligation to always uphold our ordinances.

Soon there will be a new bridge built at the Deerwood Drive and U.S. 61 North intersection. This bridge will be wider, safer and probably have stoplights installed in the near future. This will give citizens from all over that part of town a safer, better way to get on and off of U.S. 61 North. To limit this new bridge's use by abandoning Shawn Drive and limiting traffic flow would be a violation of our current ordinance and not in the best interest of most citizens. There are more than 14,000 citizens in Jackson. I think most of them want as many ways to get in, out and through our already congested city as possible.

PAUL W. SANDER, Mayor, Jackson