A thoughtful message from Solana Beach City Mayor Lesa Heebner
Steven Goetsch
Solana Beach Mayor (and SANDAG Board Member) Lesa Heebner has asked me to pass this message along to Citizens Against
Freeway Expansion. NOTE: I am trying to organize a meeting in early June of leaders of CAFÉ, PLAGUE-I5 and Sierra Club to discuss Senator
Kehoe’s Bill, CalTrans Draft EIR on I-5 and SANDAG’s RTP 2050.
From Lesa Heebner:
Chris (Kehoe) has done an amazing job working this Bill through the process as she agrees with us that the super-widening of I-5 would be devastating to health, environment and our future. There are tremendous forces at work opposing her Bill. Most of them want as wide a freeway as they can get, and many others want the jobs that come with highway construction.
Before I go further into SB 468, please recall that Transnet 2 was passed in 2004 with 2/3 of the population voting for it, and that is a very high threshold to have reached. A vast majority of people voted for this 1/2 cent sales tax, 1/3 of which goes to local roads, 1/3 to freeways and 1/3 to transit. In the ballot language it specifically stated the I-5 Corridor would be improved to 8 General Purpose Lanes + 4 Managed Lanes, plus double tracking on the Corridor. We voted for 8+4. That is law. That will happen. What SANDAG did, putting in 10+4, is not law but comes with a lot of clout and political will and was being shoved down our throats.
Many of us are confused what we have now (it's tough to count while you're driving!) We in Solana Beach currently have 8 General Purpose Lanes + 2 Managed Lanes. (Aux lanes aren't enumerated in the counts but are included in the right-of-way maps I've seen.) We have 1 Aux lane each direction thru most of SB.
What Chris' Bill will do is limit the expansion to 8+4, in the right of way as much as possible). If you recall, this is what the originally proposed letter from SANDAG to Caltrans asked for, but was scuttled at the last minute, which frustrated us all. This was the letter Jerome and I worked toward and at the last minute he voted "no" as he "couldn't get the support for it." This was our first indication that the Board was not just leaning toward 10+4, but pushing for it.
Her Bill also says the 8+ 4 will be with the Buffer, not the Barrier option, so it would be limited to the smallest footprint only, AND to be built in the right of way as much as possible. I don't know the details for other communities, but I've been in touch with Laurie Berman, Arturo Jacobo and Alan Kosup from Caltrans at various times over the past few months. It is a fact that there will be no taking of property in SB with the 8+4+Barrier, which is what is in Chris' Bill. We will see 2 more Managed Lanes (one in each direction), but not for quite some time. Also, SB does not have any "pinch points" where the right of way will have to be expanded. The updated EIR and Public Works Plan (PWP) will show us specifically where those are.
What will start in 2012 per the Bill...the expedited portion.... is extending what we in SB have (the 2 Managed Lanes) from Manchester to Vanderbilt. It won't be for a decade or so that our freeway stretch would be widened by 2 more Managed Lanes.
We should see a Preferred Project from Caltrans in early summer. When I spoke to Laurie Berman in April, she said that although they were hearing that while the Resource agencies wanted 8+4 only, the Federal Highway Administration was not convinced as they didn't think it "fulfilled the purpose and need of the project." This Bill will ensure it's 8+4/Buffer only. Caltrans and SANDAG together will deliver a Public Works Plan (PWP) in early Fall that will state all the details of the phasing of both the freeway and transit projects, what comes when, how it's done, and all this has to be stated clearly and in enough detail for the Coastal Commission. (Another blow to our cause is I just heard Sara Wan was replaced as a Coastal Commissioner.)
The Transit First idea, which I too would have loved, had no hope of passing as Labor was opposed to it too (they apparently don't think expanding transit brings jobs....I don't get it either but they were lined up opposing the pre-amended version of SB 468). That meant it had opponents on the right and on the left. The Bill does help us in that it says that when you do have to go into a lagoon to build/alter any bridge for the freeway widening (which won't be necessary for the first part from Manchester to Vanderbilt), they also have to build the bridge for double tracking the Coaster at the same time. I believe this is a positive for Transit as the search for money now has to be for both types of money, not just a biased highway-only money search.
Let me also give you a sample of what Chris has been up against. SANDAG has a lot and I mean a LOT of clout. The Board voted for the maximum footprint of the I-5.....against the voters' will, mind you, and they were going to get their way! The Executive Committee, which I am on as Jerome's Alternate (meaning I'm there, I sit at the table, can speak, but don't vote unless Jerome is absent), is tasked with taking stands on SANDAG's Legislative Agenda. When Chris' Bill first came to this Committee, I was the lone Board member speaking in favor of it. They were vehemently opposed to Chris' Bill and the voting members unanimously opposed it. A month later, with these amendments, there was a softening to the point where 2 of the 3 Chairs were in favor of it, Gallegos was in favor of it and Caltrans was in favor of it. And the reason they were is because SANDAG and Caltrans had been speaking with all the Resource Agencies (EPA, Fish and Game, Coastal Commission, Army Corp, Water Quality Board, etc....all who must issue Permits for this project) and they were giving indications that 8+4 was all they'd go with. So SB 468 + Amendment points came back to the Exec Committee to change their position from "Oppose" to "Support If Amended". Jerome, who was now in favor, was absent so I was a voting member. Jim Janney, who was in favor, was absent so Ron Morrison, National City was now the voting member from S. County (vehemently opposed). Jerry Sanders, now in favor, was called away on an emergency. The remaining voting members were Bill Horn (vehemently opposed), Jack Dale, 1st Vice Chair (opposed), and Don Higginson, Poway (opposed). Mary Sessom, alternate, started out the conversation saying "Why are we visiting this again? The Board voted 10+4, that should be the end of it and I'm opposed". Horn chimed in in agreement. Issues I won't go into were brought up and ALL WERE ADDRESSED BY SANDAG STAFF AND CALTRANS yet these people still opposed the Bill. The majority sentiment can be summarized by Bill Horn who, after receiving a specific detailed informed answer that should have satisfied his question and turned him into a supporter, said, "Yeah......ok say what you will, I just don't like the Bill and I'm opposed to it no matter what you say. Build the freeway!" Another unfortunate situation for that vote was that Gallegos' grandmother-in-law who lives with him and his wife was rushed to the hospital that morning so he was not at the meeting either, and like him or not, he's very persuasive with this Board. The vote was "Oppose Unless Amended" with me dissenting.
They do not listen, they just want a big fat ol' freeway.
Without this Bill, we will get 10+4+Barrier! We will see construction on freeways completely before any work will be done toward the transit bridges which are necessary for increasing transit service. Without this Bill, we will be up that famous creek without a boat or a paddle. To do anything but support SB 468 may be in concert with your ideal beliefs, but it is only helping the freeway wideners to get their way. If I had my say, I'd say absolutely no more lanes whatsoever as that is my ideal as well. But we will not get our way. Chris has worked her way through the political system and has gained the respect of many in San Diego and Sacramento. She has made a bold and courageous move, pulling in many political chits on our behalf to save us from 10+4. I strongly encourage you to support her. I understand you may need to qualify your statement of support but I encourage you to get on board. It's not the train that's leaving the station......it's a big ol' Hummer!
Warm regards,
Lesa
Lesa Heebner, Mayor
City of Solana Beach
SANDAG Board member, Executive Committee member and Regional Planning Committee member