Guest Opinion - Who likes traffic? Now is the time to invest in choices that free us and keep our climate safe
https://www.elkgrovenews.net/2020/03/guest-opinion-who-likes-traffic-now-is.html
By Mackenzie Wieser |
UPDATED 10 a.m. March 11 |
Back in November 2018, Sacramento and West
Sacramento’s Mayors banded together to form a 20-plus member Climate Commission
dedicated to determining how both cities would reach Carbon Zero by 2045. The
Commission has been focused on creating strategies and tactics that both cities
will implement to achieve this audacious goal. Elk Grove’s Mayor Steve Ly saw
the importance and appointed me as Elk Grove’s commissioner to the Mayors’
Climate Commission offers a regional perspective, beginning in March 2019. As
Commissioners, we have held countless meetings and met with many stakeholders
who have dedicated their time to serving on Technical Advisory Committees in
different categories, yet all focused on the goal of Carbon Zero by 2045.
Elk Grove is now at the ‘Y’ in the road: for
decades our city has been building out low density, car-dependent
neighborhoods, leading to more roads and lanes full of traffic, yet still
claiming that this will help the city’s traffic concerns. Car commuters are now
faced with slow-moving traffic on the I-5 due to HOV construction that will
likely last three to five years and on Hwy. 99 where commuters are not only
faced with doubled commute times but crank out ever more air pollutants and
climate-changing greenhouse gases. 2045 will be here before we know it; which
fork in the road will Elk Grove residents, businesses, and civic leaders
choose? Will we look up or keep staring down at the pavement?
More than 75-percent of the commutes to and from
Elk Grove are to downtown Sacramento and back. Have you had the chance to take
a look at E-Tran buses in the morning? I know that the last bus from West Elk
Grove leaves at 7 a.m. and usually always has riders standing the entire
40-minute commute to downtown. So, Elk Grove, your options are to sit in your
car for double the time or stand for nearly 40 minutes. Both options are not
appealing at all. We need to invest in a transportation system where most
county residents can live and work within walking/biking distance or a transit
stop from everything we need. You can learn more about this vision, proposed by
Sacramento Metro Advocates for Rail and Transit and SacMoves on their Facebook page. It includes Climate Commission
transportation goals.
The Sacramento Transportation Authority (STA) is
considering a 2020 half-cent sales tax measure for transportation. Our county
and cities face many transportation challenges: deferred maintenance, unsafe
roads, traffic congestion, increasing public demand for more transportation
choices, and stringent air quality mandates to protect us from our number one
pollution source – vehicles. So, what should we expect from spending the $200
million per year expected to be raised by the new tax measure? Certainly,
investment in Carbon Zero by 2045. The Mayors’ Climate Commission provides
practical strategies for our transportation sector. However, the STA will miss
the mark if it recklessly ignores state and federal air quality improvement and
greenhouse gas emission mandates for roadway expansion projects at the expense
of bike, pedestrian and transit build-out. Elk Grove should step up as a
regional leader with the Climate Commission and work to bring this vision to
our city and our next generation. Otherwise, we’re just blowing smoke.
It’s my hope that we stop talking about how we
will begin to develop differently in Elk Grove, and instead actually begin to develop
differently. I know I’m tired of sitting in traffic to move about my life in
Elk Grove. I bet many of you would like that time back, as well. We need to ask
our leadership to stand strong in supporting a different vision rather than
more of the same!
1 comment
We need to send a loud message to STA with voting No. Now that might make your blood boil but I do agree with you but in a different way a different approach needs to be taken. Elk Grove has always been left behind or last. We have close to 20,000 commuters that work public/private but we do not have light rail to south end of the city, we don’t have express bus service to offer a cheap enough fair to get these citizens out of their cars an Light Rail parking lots have had issues of crime to the parked cars. Why isn’t the State helping build the South County bypass (Kammerer rd) around the city of Sacramento. It’s only been on the books for 50 plus years. Most big cities have freeways routes away from the heart of the city. Why don’t we have working Pods here instead of state works commuting down town. Have we looked into a Elk Grove city tax so we can manage our tax dollars? Each STA member has an agenda. Why are we part of it an picking up crumbs when others have better options than we do. I will not support being strong armed an told what we need by others. Both 99 an I-5 are done with expansions an their is no shovel ready plan in place to help. Why? When Folsom is getting a second line. Vote no take our future in our own hands an stop drinking the Koolaid. Sacramento doesn’t know what is best or what we need now. Do not support other cities, keep our tax dollars here, managed here!
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