We need these road projects to relieve congestion NOW!

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.

Entry Filed under: General, Home Page Feature, Balance, Widespread support, Road Improvements, Safety