Bypass Procedures

Bypass procedures, anatomically speaking, are undertaken to provide a clearer path for blood flow by introducing a new route through which the blood may pass without obstruction. There are no side-effects (that I know of) and the patient is much better off after this procedure.

There is a similar “procedure” used infra-structurally and it refers to the construction of a new piece of highway by-passing a town in the name of more expedient travel from point A to point C by avoiding point B. This procedure does have side-effects and, despite those, may become much more common as Federal money begins to flow through the infrastructure pipeline.

I live between two areas involved with this bypass procedure. One, Sutter Creek/Amador City, had their bypass completed two years ago and the other, Angels Camp, is in the final construction phases of the road that will take folks around the inner, older center of town. Let’s take a look at Sutter Creek, explore the pros and cons, and try to predict the challenges awaiting Angels Camp and any other burg in America contemplating a similar procedure.

Sutter Creek has one main street, Highway 49, and this roadway was used to travel between Jackson (or points south) and Plymouth (or points north). Traffic included everything from mini-Coopers to log trucks and contributed mightily to a rather slow drive through the middle of town. Not coincidentally, the center of town is where various and sundry businesses chose to locate. Everything from food to antiques is available in this five block stretch, or so, and many a driver chose to stop and take a look at what treasures might exist. The bypass, while lowering the drive time between other communities to the north and south, also took the accidental tourist out of the retail mix for the businesses that had come to rely on that revenue source.

No one can argue that Sutter Creek is now a quieter, more user-friendly town. Crossing the main drag is easier than ever before and the community has regained a sense of self. These are good things, to be sure, but the commercial impact is not as clear cut. I spoke with several merchants in Sutter Creek while working on this column and the opinions were interesting and varied. Some said business was up while others contradicted that position. Some thought the bypass was a good thing, overall, while others continue to oppose the project. All agreed, however, that the new roadway was truly a double-edged sword and, while providing some boon, also carried with it a bane.

It became necessary to market the town and create a destination from what was a waypoint. This is not impossible, but it is costly. And it leads to new development in the form of resorts and the like. The thought that Sutter Creek would revert to an unchangeable small town was unrealistic and now new challenges present themselves to the townsfolk. The main challenge is that, while locals like their small town feel, they usually fail to consider patronizing their small town merchants in favor of big box stores lying closer to the bigger cities. So now the business owner has lost the accidental customer and still lacks business from neighbors. This is not a formula for success and sometimes leads to the “dying out” of a town. (Amador City was similarly challenged, but to a lesser degree due to its much smaller scale and associated number of merchants.)

The residents of Angels Camp are soon to experience the same dichotomy that Sutter Creek-ites went through. A quieter main street and less traffic, but also fewer customers, and less money. And, perhaps, fewer viable businesses. Like their neighbors to the north, a concerted effort must be made to reclassify the town as a destination unto itself. It is not an easy task nor is it cheap with a guarantee of success. But it is a very real side effect when traffic arteries are re-routed around commercial centers. And the same considerations apply where such bypasses are contemplated.

So do we say that the infrastructural bypass should be outlawed? That is best left up to those affected by the project. But being forewarned of the unintended consequences is, assuredly, to be forearmed. And should you have the opportunity to drop by Sutter Creek or Angels Camp, please do so. Both are steeped in history, architecture, and commercial enterprises offering unique buying opportunities. A bit more out of the way, but in this fast-paced, instant gratification oriented society, the “road less traveled” may provide the perfect respite.