Archive for April 3rd, 2006
by Frank Alvarez, CEO, Tucson Medical Center
Much like Tucson Medical Center — the world’s largest one story hospital – Tucson has grown by expanding out into the space available. While a feasible growth strategy to a point, being spread out creates transportation and infrastructure challenges. Just as TMC staff work harder to navigate patients through our miles of hallways, Tucsonans navigate congested roadways and intersections every day. Neither situation is ideal.
More than two years ago, Tucson Medical Center began an effort to redevelop its main campus. We have worked hand-in-hand with our neighbors to develop a vision for the hospital campus that would provide state-of-the art medical care and be well integrated into the community.
One question asked repeatedly by our neighbors is “What about traffic?”
And we have part of the answer: TMC HealthCare will invest over $200 million into the development of Tucson’s community hospital, including many infrastructure improvements to our roadways, parking, trail system and more to provide a well-coordinated approach to traffic at TMC.
What we can’t answer is the question about traffic along Grant Road, at the Grant and Craycroft intersection and beyond. This is where you can be a part of the solution – by voting “Yes” on May 16 to approve a comprehensive regional transportation plan and _-cent sales tax.
Congestion is a real problem on the roads that lead to Tucson Medical Center, where more people go for 24-hour emergency care than any other place in Southern Arizona. And, as ambulance drivers can attest, it’s not just Grant Road that needs attention.
That’s why the Regional Transportation Plan includes 35 important road improvement projects throughout the county. The Plan will improve roads from Tangerine Road in the north to the 1-19 frontage road near Green Valley and key intersections and corridors in between.
Five of the most heavily traveled sections of town on Oracle Road, Grant Road, Speedway Boulevard, Broadway Boulevard, and 22nd Street will receive significant improvements to ease the flow of traffic. Added together, up to 283,900 vehicles drive on these sections of roads each day. The improvements will include adding more turn lanes and bus pullouts, widening roads, adding lanes in key areas of congestion, and installing “smart” signal lights that sense the flow of traffic and react accordingly.
Arizona roads are some of the most dangerous in the nation, according to a 2004 report by the Arizona Society of Civil Engineers. Pima County and Tucson got a D+ on Safety from the Society. Fatality rates on roads in Tucson are worse than many similar size and larger cities. While things like alcohol use and speeding are a factor in traffic accident rates, transportation infrastructure plays an important part. Many studies show improving intersections and widening roads reduce traffic fatalities and injuries.
About 58 percent of the proposed plan, or a little more than $1.1 billion, is dedicated to adding more than 200 miles of new lanes to reduce congestion, ease the flow at busy intersections and make roads safer for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists. It can’t happen soon enough.
And it’s not just about convenience – congestion puts lives in danger. According to the United States Fire Administration, for every extra minute it takes to transport someone with a life-threatening condition to the emergency room, his or her chance of survival diminishes by 10 percent.
It doesn’t have to be this way. We’ve waited long enough to deal with our growing transportation problems. Now is the time.
On May 16 let’s come together and vote YES on Questions 1 and 2. It won’t just make it easier to get across town; the improvements are vital to the safety and health of our community.
April 3rd, 2006
We all want to live in a safe, beautiful, healthy community. This comprehensive, regional Transportation Plan will help us build that kind of community, now, and for generations to come.
Improved air quality
This Plan will reduce air pollution because it will give us more viable options besides just driving our cars and trucks and it will help reduce traffic congestion and idling times through better traffic flow.
We need to address our air quality problems before they get worse. Currently Tucsonans drive over 22 million miles a day. Approximately 60 percent of Tucson’s air pollution comes from on-road motor vehicles. Vehicles emit most of the substances that are the major cause of the brown cloud that hovers over Tucson.
With increasing congestion and stringent air quality regulations, the region eventually could face non-compliance issues. In 2003, Tucson was rated as the nation’s most challenging “hot spot” for asthma.
Having real options besides only driving will help us reduce air pollution.
This plan will make it easier to take the bus, use the new modern streetcar, or ride our bikes to get where we’re going. This Plan will revolutionize the Sun Tran bus system by expanding routes and hours and give us the Modern Streetcar in the urban core. This Plan will also give us 550 miles of additional bike lanes and paths, 250 miles of sidewalks, and 80 pedestrian crossings.
The plan also includes several strategies for reducing idling times. An idling car emits 12 times the amount of carbon monoxide pollution than one traveling at 30 mph. There will be 200 bus pullouts, 200 intersection improvements, and 10 improved railroad crossings. All of these improvements will help to reduce idling times and thus the toxins that clog our beautiful skies and our lungs.
Improved bicycle lanes
This plan allows for the addition of 550 miles of new bicycle lanes including 38 miles of shared use paths with pedestrians, inline skaters, runners, etc. Bicycle facilities off main arterial roads will provide safe and pleasurable bicycling experiences for both commuters and recreational riders.
Another major feature of the RTA plan is approximately $50 Million set aside for bicycle development and expansion, which is an unprecedented amount set aside for bicycle development in the history of our county.
In 2006, Bicycling Magazine named Tucson the No. 2 city for riding a bike. Implementing the improvements in the Plan could give us what we need to move toward being the best bicycling city in the United States.
Recycling will save taxpayers money
Many of the materials used for roadway projects in the Plan– asphalt, concrete, etc. – will be recycled from past projects. More than 80 percent of asphalt on road resurfacing and widening projects is reused. This saves taxpayers money and reduces demand on landfills.
More natural landscaping
Landscaping included in the Plan’s improvements would include desert vegetation that requires low water usage. Landscaping would be used in medians. Plants that provide shade would be used near bus shelters. Overall, landscaping would reduce the heat-island effect, a problem in urban areas due to heat retention in asphalt.
Protections for the Sonoran Desert
The Plan works with the values of the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan to help us protect the desert eco-system and decrease sprawl.
The Plan includes $45 million for critical wildlife linkages. The linkages, which would eliminate or reduce barriers to wildlife, would allow wildlife to move safely throughout the region. This will also help to reduce accidents involving cars and animals. This innovative element of the Plan will make our roads less deadly for our native wildlife and for drivers.
The high-capacity modern streetcar will make it easier to get around the urban core of Tucson and make downtown a more attractive place to live. This will help reduce urban sprawl by building up the center of the community. The streetcar system allows the urban core to grow, without having to widen streets. Once the rails are laid, more streetcars can be added to the system to meet demand.
Modern streetcars are also better for the environment than buses because they are electric, don’t wear down roads, hold twice as many people and last about two times longer.
Environmental advocates support this plan, won’t you?
Groups like Families Against Cancer and Toxins, Perimeter Bicycling Association of America, and the Sonoran Institute and other environmental advocates have all officially endorsed this Plan.
This comprehensive Plan will help us take care of the environment and enhance the quality of life for those living in Pima County. Passing the Regional Transportation Plan on May 16 will be an important next step to building the kind of community we all want to live in, now and for generations to come
April 3rd, 2006
To remain a viable and vibrant urban community in the 21st century, the Tucson region must invest in public transit. Not everyone in our community can afford a car. Some can’t drive. And for the sake of the environment, some choose to take public transit.
The freedom for all citizens to travel throughout our cities is vital for a strong community and economy.
The Regional Transportation Plan includes many public transit improvements that will build upon the success of the current transit system.
The Transportation Plan will:
–> Add bus routes
–> Expand transit services for seniors and people with disabilities
–> Add new park-and-ride centers making commuting by bus easier
–> Enhance the urban core by adding a modern streetcar
About 27 percent—or almost $534 million—of the $2.1 billion total plan will go to transit improvements.
IMPROVED BUS SERVICE
Expanded Hours
During the week the expanded hours will benefit workers, students and families who depend on transit for daily commutes, many routes will run until midnight. This makes it possible for people to break the cycle of poverty through night classes and/or working a second shift.
Easier Commutes
The Plan will also make it easier to use the bus for commuting to work or to cultural events in downtown Tucson.
Six new express routes will be added during weekday peak hours along with six new park-and-ride centers located in outlying communities with connecting routes to central Tucson. The new park-and-ride locations will include: Oro Valley, Marana, Green Valley, Valencia Rd/Casino del Sol area, Rita Ranch area, and Houghton/Broadway area.
Benefits for Seniors
During the next 20 years, a projected 54 percent increase in the total population of Pima County will result in a 67 percent increase in transportation needs for seniors and those who face physical challenges.
Within the Transportation Plan there are a number of items that will directly benefit seniors and those who assist them.
More Local Services
Transit services will be added within Oro Valley, Marana, Green Valley, and the community of Ajo. These new services are intended to provide daily connections to local activity centers as well as the regional bus routes.
Volunteer Transit Service
An innovative aspect of the Transportation plan is called the Volunteer Transit Service. This is a creative way to provide support to volunteers who transport seniors and others to doctor’s appointments, shopping and other services. Tucson’s Van Tran, Oro Valley’s Coyote Run, and Pima County’s Pima Transit will all be expanded by about 3.5 percent annually to meet the needs of our community.
High-Capacity Modern Streetcar System
Better than a bus
The high-capacity modern streetcar is far superior to buses, will greatly increase the ease of getting around the urban core of Tucson, and generate tremendous economic growth.
The streetcar system will link the University of Arizona and downtown along a 4-mile corridor in central Tucson between. It’s expected that 100,000 people will use the streetcars in the system each week.
Some of the benefits of modern streetcars:
–> Modern streetcars are more comfortable and quieter than buses.
–> Modern streetcars don’t pollute.
–> One modern streetcar holds twice as many people as a bus.
–> People enter at curb level, so there’s no need for special devices for wheelchairs.
–> The streetcar system allows the urban core to grow, without having to widen streets.
–> Once the rails are laid, we can add more streetcars to the system to meet demand.
–> Half of the costs for the streetcar system will be paid for by federal funds.
–> Modern streetcars last 25 to 30 years before having to be replaced, buses, 10 to 15.
Economic benefits
For every $1 dollar we spend on construction of the modern streetcar system in central Tucson, we can expect $10 of return in economic development. Portland, Oregon, built a similar streetcar system and saw $1.4 billion in new development invested along the streetcar line.
Operating costs are covered in the Transportation Plan along with matching federal funds to pay for maintaining and running the streetcars for the next 20 years.
Transit makes sense
Overall, the public transit improvements in the Regional Transportation Plan will give our citizens more freedom, help preserve our air quality, reduce traffic by making public transit more attractive and convenient, and contribute to our general economy.
April 3rd, 2006
We have a tremendous opportunity on May 16 to address our growing transportation problems and improve our quality of life.
The Regional Transportation Plan will implement $180 million of safety improvements to roads, intersections, sidewalks, railroads, and bus pullouts. These improvements can’t come soon enough.
Arizona roads are some of the most dangerous in the nation according to a 2004 report by the Arizona Society of Engineers. Pima County and Tucson got a D+ on Safety from the Society. Fatality rates on roads in Tucson are worse than for many similar size and even larger cities according to the report.
While transportation infrastructure isn’t the only reason for high fatality rates on Tucson roads, it does play a part.
Safer Intersections
It has been shown that improving intersections and widening roads, which the transportation plan will do, can reduce traffic fatalities and injuries. According to the American Automobile Association, 44 percent of all crashes occur at intersections. Nationally, according to the AAA, low-cost intersection improvements have reduced injuries by 46 percent and crashes by 26 percent over five years.
The RTA plan calls for safety improvements at 200 intersections, which will go along way to addressing the potential for traffic accidents at these high-risk areas.
Safer for Pedestrians
The Plan will also help make it safer for pedestrians. There were 837 pedestrians killed in Arizona from 1999 to 2004. Most victims died on municipal streets of Pima and Maricopa counties—Tucson and Phoenix, according to a December 2005 Arizona Daily Star article.
Police data from early 2005 shows that at least nine pedestrians, including one who died, were struck along little more than a mile of East Grant Road alone. The RTA plan includes significant funding to rebuild Grant to modern safety standards, including the dangerous mile between Country Club and Alvernon. Citywide the Plan will also add 250 miles of sidewalks and 80 new elderly and pedestrian crossing improvements to make walking in Tucson safer.
Safer Routes for Children to Get to School
Another important piece of the Plan is the Safe Routes to School Program. The Plan includes $10 million to fund the Safe Routes Program which will improve many of the direct routes that children use to walk and ride their bikes to school.
Reduced Delays For Ambulances
The Plan will also help emergency vehicles reach accidents faster by reducing congestion and improving intersections. The National Fire Protection Association standard calls for emergency vehicles to respond in four minutes or less 90 percent of the time. In Tucson, ambulances reach this goal only 60 percent of the time and for rural fire districts, the time is even longer. Traffic delays are the number one reason for the delays.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, for every extra minute it takes to transport someone with a life-threatening condition to the emergency room, his or her chance of survival diminishes by 10 percent.
Congestion is a real problem on Grant Road that leads to the Tucson Medical Center where more people go for 24-hour emergency care than any other place in Southern Arizona. The improvements on Grant Road included in the Plan will help to address the breakdown in traffic flow for ambulances on this critical corridor.
Safer Roads
A big chunk of the RTA Plan will go to improving roads and making them safer. About 58 percent of the plan, or a little more than $1.1 billion, is dedicated to adding more than 200 miles of new lanes to reduce congestion, ease the flow at busy intersections and make it easier for ambulances to reach accidents and emergency rooms.
Studies show that improving roads reduces traffic fatalities. Realigning roadways and removing roadside obstacles can reduce traffic fatalities by 66 percent. Building turn lanes at dangerous intersections can lead to a 47 percent reduction in traffic fatalities and injuries. Constructing medians to separate traffic can lead to a 73 percent improvement, while signs and pavement markings can reduce fatalities and injuries up to 39 percent. Widening a lane by two feet can reduce crashes by 32 percent.
Safer Railroad Crossings and More Bus Pull-Outs
The Plan will also provide for 10 new improved railroad crossings and 200 new bus pull-outs—two areas on our roads that can be dangerous and slow down traffic.
National and state surveys prove that currently Tucson’s roads are dangerous places to drive and walk. We have a chance to change that. The safety improvements in the RTA Plan will be vital to the safety, health, and future of our community.
April 3rd, 2006
by Steve Farley, Board Member, Blenman Elm Neighborhood Association
I don’t have to tell you. You already know. Grant Road today is dangerous, ugly, and congested.
Grant isn’t working for motorists who have to wait for two and three signal cycles to pass through intersections. This wastes our time and money and pollutes our air–idling at intersections is the most significant source of pollution in our region.
Grant isn’t working for pedestrians who have to cross five lanes without any median refuge to get to the other side. Kids have been killed trying to cross. In a brief period of time early last year in a one-mile stretch between Alvernon and Country Club, nine pedestrians were injured, and one was killed.
Grant isn’t working for businesses when congestion blocks access to their driveways, there are no sidewalks for customers to reach their front doors, and any rainfall turns the road into a river.
All this is why the Grant Road project is one of the most important reasons to vote YES on Questions 1 and 2 on May 16.
When the plan passes on May 16, we will rebuild Grant Road as a neighborhood-friendly small-business corridor with improved crosstown mobility for motorists and improved safety for pedestrians.
If we don’t fix Grant now, there is no other source of significant revenues for its improvement. We can’t use impact fees, because those can only be spent where they are collected, predominantly in new subdivisions on the edges of town.
I have heard an opponent claim that we could improve Grant for less cost by simply improving intersections. That is simply not true. An intersection-only plan would not rebuild the roadbed to improve major drainage problems, would not build continuous sidewalks, would not build bike lanes, would not build medians for pedestrian safety, would not build pedestrian crossings at mid-block, and would not improve traffic flow as effectively as the proposed project.
If we don’t pass this plan, Grant will continue its decay as a dangerous, clogged roadway. Business activity will continue to decline as customers avoid the congestion to go elsewhere. More pedestrians will be injured and killed trying to cross with no median for refuge.
The Regional Transportation Authority listened to a group of concerned central-city neighbors and small businesses along the Grant corridor and took our advice to require Corridor Area Plans not just for Grant, but also for every other road project in the plan.
This public process guarantees that the neighbors and businesses most directly affected by these projects will sit on the citizen committee that will help to design the improved roadways. We can decide what parts of Grant we want to preserve, and what blighted parts we would like to improve.
We can build a six-lane road that is good for motorists and nearby residents. I live on the south side of Helen Street, so my backyard is literally Speedway Boulevard.
Speedway was widened some years back from five to six lanes, and I am proud to have this improved roadway as my neighbor. It is easy and safe for my daughters and I to cross the street to Himmel Park.
There are vibrant local businesses like Casa Video and many restaurants within walking distance. Continuous sidewalks, bike lanes and landscaping made a great improvement to my neighborhood’s quality of life.
I don’t think anyone would want today’s run-down Grant Road in their back yard. This is a tremendous opportunity to invest in the livability of our central city at the same time as we improve crosstown mobility.
Our newly re-built Grant Road will work for neighborhoods, businesses, pedestrians, AND motorists. Join me along with thousands of other community-minded Tucsonans and vote YES on Questions 1 and 2 on May 16.
April 3rd, 2006
