Added highway lanes can’t fix congestion | by Eloise Graham What the Transportation Commission is not telling you about widening Highway 1 in Santa Cruz     Highway 1 looking northbound from the North Branciforte overcrossing. If the Merge Lane Project is built as planned, a giant new offramp (not favored by Caltrans, but now part of the project) onto Emeline Avenue would obliterate the greenery on the right. This ramp, estimated to cost several million dollars, was planned to provide emergency access to the County Hospital which is no longer there. In addition there would be an added lane on both northbound and southbound directions replacing the current plantings. What’s your vision of the future in Santa Cruz County? Do you see miles of stop-and-go traffic surrounded by high, concrete block walls on a multi-laned Highway 1? Do you see our communities paved over with parking lots and garages? Or, would you like to see a bike and walking trail along the Union Pacific tracks? How about a unique mass transit system such as a quiet coastal trolley? Would you like to live close to your workplace and shopping so you could just walk along wider, tree-shaded sidewalks? Unfortunately, area transportation choices are being made now which promote one person per automobile usage. Bowing to big business pressures, the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission’s main goal is the widening of Highway 1 from the Fishhook to Larkin Valley Road. Commissioners, most of whom are local elected officials, have chosen to ignore the information gained through months of public hearings and workshops which clearly mandated use of a balanced transportation network rather than increased dependence on automobiles for our area. Right now, a number of important decisions are being made that you should know about. Your awareness and opinions are important. Merge lane project will not relieve congestion The Highway 1/17 Merge Lane Project, slated to begin in February 2004, will take two to three years to construct. Everyone who lives or drives in that area should be aware of the plans for the devastation of trees, bushes and existing bridges from the Fishhook to La Fonda Avenue and the noise, light and pollution impacts on existing residential neighborhoods. According to Gregg Albright, Director, Caltrans District 5, “Everything within the footprint of the project will be clearcut.” You should also know that this project is called a safety project and is not intended to relieve Highway 1 congestion. Widening Highway 1 to Larkin Valley Road will take a 20-30 year sales tax The next stage in widening Highway 1 is more ambitious and involves adding a lane in each direction, making a six-lane highway all the way to Larkin Valley Road. Some Regional Transportation Commissioners would like to add two more lanes in each direction for a total of eight. “Induced traffic immediately consumes 10-50% of new road capacity and 50-100% in four years.” —John Holtzclaw, “Induced Traffic Confirmed.” In order to fund this huge road, Santa Cruz County voters will be asked to approve an additional 1/2 cent sales tax in November 2004. Estimated costs for the widening keep rising, but $300 million is now being discussed. Pouring all our transportation resources into highway widening will leave almost nothing for sustainable transportation projects such as bus improvements, bike/pedestrian bridges, and light rail/fixed guideway. Widened roads quickly fill up, especially when there are no other transportation choices Despite their gigantic expense, widened roads have filled up quickly as numerous studies and experience have shown. Widened roads only encourage people to drive alone and not only increase the number of vehicles on the highway, but also the number of people who cut through neighborhoods to avoid the highway congestion. How long before the six lanes of Highway 1 are backed up at the four-lane Fishhook? How long before there is talk of making Highway 17 through Scotts Valley eight lanes? How long before the newly-widened Mission Street will be viewed as a “bottleneck?” How long before the verdant farms and wetlands between Watsonville and Moss Landing are buried under tons of concrete and asphalt? Work for sustainable transportation Santa Cruz deserves a diverse transportation system instead of putting all its eggs into the highway basket. Many residents prefer sustainable transportation instead of wider, emission-producing highways. Sierra Club is working with the Campaign For Sensible Transportation to protect our quality of life by promoting alternatives to the highway widening. Other involved organizations include The Environmental Council of Santa Cruz County, People Power, Aptos Neighbors Board of Directors, Fishhook Neighbors, Mission: Pedestrian, National Bicycle Greenway, The Coalition for the Environment and Jewish Life, and the [Santa Cruz] Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). Your help is needed too! Will you attend public hearings and meetings, speak out or write letters? Are you interested in fundraising or educational programs? Whatever your talents or interests, there’s a spot and a need for you. Visit www.sensibletransportation.org or contact Jim Danaher, danaher@cruzio. com or 427-2727. See sidebar below for additional information and website for Sierra Club resources. "We literally spend more collecting the road kill off the nation’s highways than we spend on the entire passenger rail system of this country in one year." —Amtrak Chair and Meridian, Mississippi Mayor John Robert Smith, The Associated Press State & Local Wire; August 27, 2002. Sprawl & congestion: long-term answers Increase funding for clean public transportation options such as fuel-efficient buses and light rail electric trains. Reduce funding for road and car-only projects. Increase funding for sidewalks and bike paths. Encourage Transit-Oriented Development to integrate public involvement in the transportation planning process so citizens have an equal voice in their community’s future. Encourage innovative incentive-based programs that encourage walking, biking, or car-pooling. Authorize zoning decisions that encourage mixed-use development. From: “New Roads Are Not the Answer: Avoiding Traffic Congestion Through Transportation Choices,” Sierra Club, Sprawl Hurts Us All Campaign. [ top of page ]

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