The notion behind the Legacy Parkway was for it to be kinder and gentler than the average highway.
That’s evident in the noise-dampening asphalt, the 55 mph speed limit, and the bike paths and bridges that run along the road. There are also no billboards. And, perhaps most notable, there is a ban on big rigs.
All of this was done to protect the wetlands and the critters that called those expanses home and to assuage the concerns of environmental groups and resolve costly and time-consuming litigation.
Over the past 15 years, it has worked out pretty well for everyone involved.