Here is an interesting report from The Surface Transportation Policy Project about traffic construction.
Quote:
"The Surface Transportation Policy Project (STPP) study found that construction delays can be so long, and the time savings from the expanded road so small, that it can take years for commuters to break even."
From http://www.transact.org/Reports/woes/pressrelease.htm

The Full report can be found at www.transact.org/Reports/woes/default.htm

Contacts page.

About
The purpose of this web site it to inform people about the approved proposal to widen Hwy1 to three lanes being pushed by, among others, the Santa Cruz County Business Council, (SCCBC).  The Santa Cruz County Regional
 Transportation Commission voted on Thursday July 1st to approve the proposal.  The vote was 6-4.  The widening is predicted to cost $245 million (a quarter of a Billion dollars!) and is $37 million more then available.  This means that you, a taxpayer, may be asked to tax yourself more to pay for this.

The Commission also voted down alternatives like light rail service, citing costs, noise and other environmental concerns.  If you have ever experienced the light rail in San Jose, you will know it is very quiet.  And if properly planned for convenience and maximum use, light rail service could lower the number of cars being driven, thus lowering pollution. Widening the highway would only encourage more single commuter auto traffic. Which do you think would be worse for the environment?

The Commission did keep a list of other options alive for further discussion, including merge lanes along the highway, metering lights, interchange improvements, buying railroad right of ways for eventual use, selling 10,000 electric bikes at cost, and fixing existing roads.

What the widening will mean
Besides costing a quarter billion dollars (more then is available) the new lanes would take years to build.  More road would have to be carved out, and in doing so trees would have to be cut down.  These trees are acting as a natural sound barrier.  If taken down, they would be replaced with sound barriers like the ones lining the highways in San Jose.  The construction would also make traffic worse for these two years.  Imagine what will happen when they have to close a lane for construction.  You would see city streets get really bogged down, people cutting through neighborhoods, and more pollution being created.

Will it fix the problem?
After the construction is finished, will the traffic problem really be solved?  If you look at what has happened in San Jose, you would see that more lanes just means more cars.  More cars just means more pollution, and more traffic.  Widening the highway will not have the desired effect.

Other negative affects.
More lanes mean more cars.  With more cars you will see traffic get worse on city streets.  You will also see more growth, which will increase the already skyrocketing cost of living.

Other solutions:

• Take the bus.  I know its not the best service, but if more people take the bus, they will be forced to improve it.
• Travel off peak hours.  This is what I do.  I actually am presently working in Sunnyvale, and have found that if I leave home at 9:00 I get there at 10:00.  If I wanted to get to work at 9:00 I would have to leave at 7:15, adding 45 minutes to my commute
• Travel with a friend.
• Work at home, I do twice a week and its great. I get more work done and feel better because I don't have to set in a car on those days.
• Relax and listen to the radio. Getting from Santa Cruz to Aptos or Watsonville (or vice versa) isn't really that bad compared any commute in the Valley.

How the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission Voted
Opposed:
Santa Cruz Mayor Katherine Beiers
Santa Cruz Councilman Tim Fitzmaurice
Supervisor Mardi Wormhouidt
Norton, a Capitola City Council member.

In Favor:
Watsonville Mayor Oscar Rios
Santa Cruz Metro Transit board member Bruce Gabriel
Scotts Valley City Councilman Bart Cavallaro
Santa Cruz County supervisor Walt Symons,
Santa Cruz County supervisor Jeff Almquits
Santa Cruz County supervisor Jan Beautz.

How to reach the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commissioners:
SCCRTC Contacts page.

 

Contact me
shane@hwy1.org