Question

Needs to write an essay.

Read
You will read two texts presenting different views on the same topic.
Both writers argue that their position on the issue is the right one.

Plan
Analyze the two texts to determine which writer presents the stronger case.
Develop your own argument in which you explain how one position is better supported than the other.
Include relevant and specific evidence from both sources to support your argument.

Write
Type your response in the box on the right.
Your response should be approximately 4 to 7 paragraphs of 3 to 7 sentences each.
Remember to allow a few minutes to review and edit your response.

You have up to 45 minutes for reading, planning, writing, and editing your response

Should there be an expansion of Highway 17 from a two-lane highway to a four-lane?

Passage A
Press Release from the Office of U.S Representative Melody Walls
United States House of Representatives Washington, DC

Representative Walls Announces Economic Boost for 12th District July 17, 2013

Washington, DC – Representative Melody Walls announced that Congress passed the highway and transit bill today.

“This bill funds the expansion of Highway 17 from a two-lane highway to a four-lane thoroughfare. It will positively affect the town of Oak Falls,” Walls said. As part of the expansion, Highway 17 will move two miles east of the town of Oak Falls. The bill will ease traffic congestion and create job opportunities during and after construction.

Last year, Representative Walls held town hall meetings to gather opinions from her constituents about revitalizing the economy in the 12th District. Two years ago, Turnaround Motors and Bell Camera closed their factory doors. The result has been high unemployment with no immediate prospects for new businesses. Representative Walls heard residents’ concerns for jobs in the district.

Improving the highway means jobs for local construction workers. Once completed, the highway will bring more long-distance travelers into the area. Some officials anticipate a 30% increase in highway traffic due to the ease of traveling on the improved Highway 17. An increase in travelers will attract national motel and restaurant chains along the highway route. These national businesses will mean permanent jobs for residents.

In the future, historical features in Oak Falls and Gaston, such as brick streets built by early settlers and the old wheat mill, will likely become popular tourist attractions. More visitors will increase business for local shops and restaurants.

The improved highway will eliminate eighteen-wheeler traffic through towns, a major source of traffic congestion and noise. A 2001 study in Texas showed that bypasses reduce traffic through towns by as much as 75%. Eliminating eighteen-wheeler traffic will also reduce road maintenance costs.

The improvement of Highway 17, funded by federal tax allocations, is an important investment in the area.

Passage 2
Oak Falls Gazette
Letter to the Editor

I am a small-business owner living in Representative Walls’s congressional district. A bill has been passed to expand Highway 17 from a two-lane highway to a four-lane thoroughfare. This change includes plans to move Highway 17 two miles to the east, which means it will now bypass our town completely. I find this unacceptable.

The Gazette reports that because Highway 17 runs through six states, construction will be paid for with federal road funds. That means some of our federal taxes will pay for a road that I believe will harm our town. I also believe that few residents of Oak Falls will use the road. Our town and district will lose money as a result of this highway bypass paid for by our tax dollars.

The road construction jobs are only a temporary bandage on the wound made by our two manufacturers closing their doors. Once the road construction is finished, only minimum wage jobs will remain.

In fact, the highway will bypass four cities in our district alone. Each of these towns will lose business because fewer travelers will pass through them and eat, stay overnight, or purchase gas. There is no guarantee that tourists will drive an extra two miles into our town if national chain motels and restaurants are built at the highway exits. The 2001 study Representative Walls references does show that bypasses reduce traffic and noise in towns, but the study also shows they have a negative impact on local businesses.

If this project were paid for with state tax money alone, angry voters would have struck it down. Representative Walls held town hall meetings to hear residents’ opinions about the local economy, but obviously she did not listen to the concerns they voiced. Please consider local concerns about this federal project.

Answer 1

The debate over the expansion of Highway 17 from a two-lane highway to a four-lane thoroughfare has raised concerns about its potential impact on the towns it bypasses. Passage A, a press release from the Office of U.S Representative Melody Walls, argues that the expansion will positively impact the economy by creating jobs and attracting national motel and restaurant chains. In contrast, Passage 2, a letter to the editor from a small business owner in Oak Falls, argues that the bypass will harm local businesses and result in only minimum wage jobs once the construction is complete. After analyzing both texts, it is clear that Passage 2 presents the stronger argument.

Passage 2 argues that the expansion of Highway 17 will harm the local economy, rather than positively affect it as claimed by Passage A. The bypass will lead to fewer travelers passing through towns, resulting in a loss of business for local shops and restaurants. Passage 2 cites the 2001 study referenced by Representative Walls, which shows that bypasses reduce traffic and noise in towns but also have a negative impact on local businesses. Moreover, the expansion will only lead to minimum wage jobs once the construction is complete, according to the letter. These jobs are temporary, and the local economy will suffer once the construction is finished.

Furthermore, Passage 2 highlights that the expansion of Highway 17 is being paid for with federal tax allocations. This means that some of the tax dollars paid by residents of Oak Falls will fund a project that will harm their town's economy. The letter argues that if the project were paid for with state tax money alone, angry voters would have struck it down. Therefore, it is unfair for residents to pay for a project that will negatively impact their town's economy.

While Passage A argues that the expansion will create job opportunities and attract national businesses, Passage 2 argues that these benefits are not guaranteed. The letter questions whether tourists will drive an extra two miles into Oak Falls if national chain motels and restaurants are built at the highway exits. Moreover, the bypass will harm local businesses, resulting in a loss of revenue for the town.

In conclusion, Passage 2 presents a stronger argument against the expansion of Highway 17 from a two-lane highway to a four-lane thoroughfare. The letter argues that the expansion will harm the local economy, lead to minimum wage jobs, and be paid for with federal tax allocations. Passage A's argument that the expansion will create job opportunities and attract national businesses is not guaranteed and overlooks the negative impact on local businesses. Therefore, the expansion of Highway 17 should not proceed, as it will harm the local economy and be funded by tax dollars paid by the residents it will harm.