TIME: Postcard: Marfa (TX)

[question everything]

Thursday, Feb. 14, 2008
Postcard: Marfa
By Whitney Joiner

This far West Texas town is so isolated that while you can cross the Mexican border in less than an hour for lunch, the nearest shopping mall is 200 miles (about 320 km) away. Those who live around here take immense pride in the desolate landscape that served as the backdrop for the films with the most Academy Award nominations this year, Joel and Ethan Coen's murderous No Country for Old Men and Paul Thomas Anderson's epic There Will Be Blood. But instead of buzzing about their potential golden night at the Oscars, locals are more concerned these days with a very real unfolding drama that has the potential to devastate the views, the unpolluted air and the tranquil lifestyle they hold dear.

The potential villain in this story is La Entrada al Pacifico, a NAFTA trade route signed into law 11 years ago by then governor George W. Bush. It hasn't been built yet, but it may still become a reality, thanks to lobbying from the nearby city of Midland--which would become a distribution and warehousing huband the support of Midland's state representative, who happens to be speaker of the Texas House. If approved and constructed, the route would significantly increase the number of long-haul trucks bringing goods from Mexico through Marfa. In 2006, the average number of trucks crossing the U.S. border at Presidio and being driven the 60 miles (about 100 km) north to Marfa each day was 17. With La Entrada, that number would be anywhere from 300 to 800 trucks a day. To make room, a pair of two-lane roads will be widened to four-lane divided highways. Allison Scott, a 29-year Marfa resident, knows exactly what that will sound like. "Marfa is so peaceful," she says. "When I go out at 5 a.m. and look up at the stars, the silence is just so amazing ... La Entrada would definitely bring the silence to an end."

The idea behind La Entrada al Pacifico (Corridor to the Pacific) is to ease overconcentration of Asian trade in Southern California by diverting goods to a port in western Mexico and transporting them to Midland. Marfans see a plan that could fill Midland's pockets but potentially devastate Marfa's culture, lifestyle and economy, based in large part on tourism thanks to Marfa's proximity to Big Bend National Park and its reputation as an artists' haven (artists and galleries have been a fixture in town since celebrated sculptor Donald Judd relocated here from New York in the '70s).

(snip)

Residents do have hope. The arrival of massive numbers of 18-wheelers depends on Mexico's infrastructure. So far, work on the trans-Mexican highway hasn't broken ground, and the port in western Mexico needs repair. The results of a government-funded study about how well the plan would work for West Texas will be released soon. But for the locals who see this land as a refuge--and, on occasion, a Hollywood backdrop--the decision to build or not to build isn't even a question.



http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1713476,00.html

[Vincardog]

1. The idea behind La Entrada al Pacifico (Corridor to the Pacific) is to breaks of the Teams and

Replace the American truckers with Mexican truckers. All the to carried out on tolls roads made up of Our Highways and bridges leased to a Spanish company with their profits to be guaranteed by our taxes. Just so no to The Corporate Welfare queens.

[mac2]

2. Impeach Bush for failing to protect our borders

and the cmmon good (of our citizens). He designs his own country and Americas Union but no one has even voted or discussed it. His goals are not ours.

[mac2]

6. Those roads paid for by tax payers are being stolen from us

for other countries/people's profits.

Impeach them.

[MilesColtrane]

3. Marfa is already part of an Intergalactic Trade Route.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marfa_lights

[Horse with no Name]

4. I went through Marfa a few years back

Stopped at one of those convenience stores that has everything in it...hot bar...deli...etc.
I was traveling and had driven all night and was pegged to drive all day, so I thought I would get breakfast.
They had these AMAZING looking and smelling burritos that were almost the size of the football.
There was a Spanish girl behind the counter and I asked her if they were "hot"...she assured me several times "no, no, no caliente"
so I was convinced.
Got in the car...started driving and MY GOD! The skin on my throat was on fire, my eyes poured water and my nose started spewing snot.
It was like a cartoon.
Nobody in the car believed ANYTHING could be that hot...so they all took a bite of this killer burrito. We looked like someone had set off tear gas in the car.
All I could think was I bet that girl laughed her ass off when I walked out the door.
I know I would have.:evilgrin:

[JCMach1]

5. the Ft. Davis/Marfa area is beautiful

I have never seen stars as clear as I did in the Davis Mountains and likely never will again (especially if this highway goes through).

That memorable night I saw the stars from the top of a mountain, a mountain lion, and several Havelina!


http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/indian_lodge/


Here is a cool video too: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/multimedia/media/state_park/big_bend_country/davis_mountains/davis_mountains.mp4