This is an archive of a past election.
See http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/cc/ for current information.
Contra Costa County, CA November 5, 2013 Election
Smart Voter

HOV Ramps

By Harry Sachs

Candidate for Council Member; City of San Ramon

This information is provided by the candidate
I oppose HOV Ramps at Norris Canyon Parkway
As I walk the neighborhoods of San Ramon, I am getting a true sense of what issues matter to our residents. In general, folks are "pretty satisfied customers", however there is a steady consensus that we have grown too fast and need to slow down. I agree. One issue that is on the radar of residents is the proposed HOV, High Occupancy Vehicle (carpool) ramps at Norris Canyon Parkway. This has been a concept supported by regional planning bureaucracies and CalTrans. In the past the City Council supported the proposed project and it has slowly been making its way through the government labyrinth since the voter passage of the Measure J transportation tax extension in 2004. According to the Contra Costa Transit Authority (CCTA), a draft environmental document is scheduled to be released fall of 2014. The final environmental document is scheduled to be released sometime in 2015. If approved, construction would begin in 2017-2018, pending funding availability. (http://www.ccta.net/EN/home/projects/I680HOVDAR.html) The November 2013 election for City Council is important because the councilmembers elected will be commenting on the Final EIR. In addition, CalTrans and CCTA has placed "community acceptance" of the project as a high priority in determining whether or not it gets built. I believe we need to send a clear message: San Ramon residents do not accept the building of HOV ramps in their town. I am highlighting my opposition to the proposed HOV ramps at Norris Canyon. There are several key points that I think are very important to look at; the major one being the balance between "perceived benefits" (the data is built on 2040 traffic assumptions) and real impacts; that is how neighborhoods, businesses, and the residents overall would be impacted by the building of these freeway ramps both today and in the future. The benefits of this project are confined to the "project area" and therein lies the problem. The Traffic Operations Analysis Report (2009) states that for the 680 commute, congestion starts at Sycamore Valley Road (pg. 21). So the benefits derived from this project are limited to a two-mile radius for HOV drivers who make up, on a good day, 15% of all drivers on 680 according to the report (pg. 23). The 680/580 interchange and southbound Sunol Grade create congestion after the two mile radius has passed so the benefits of HOV ramps at Norris Canyon or even Executive Parkway are extremely limited. One benefit cited would be increased speeds for freeway users. The report anticipates a gradual increase of speed for HOV users of 4 mph compared to other drivers (pg. 23). Also, reduced weaving for busses and HOV vehicles is cited as a benefit (pg. 35). However, the current 680 Auxiliary lanes that are currently being built will aid in traffic flow onto the freeway and will reduce weaving issues, especially for busses. Many claim that Bollinger and Crow Canyon will be less congested and that will be true if these are built. But the vague estimates of "potential usage" weighed against the local impacts do not convince me of the benefit which has been estimated to be about 100 seconds of queue time. Remember, these benefits are restricted to the "project area" because of freeway capacity restraints at Sycamore Valley northbound 680 and the southbound 680/580 interchange - Sunol Grade and so that is how they must be measured when comparing the impacts to San Ramon. Are the stated project benefits worth the impacts that San Ramon residents will incur? I say no. Norris Canyon is the main local artery to Iron Horse Middle School, Cal High and eastern San Ramon. Of the 4 main arteries in San Ramon it is the only one without freeway ramps. Emergency vehicles can use Norris Canyon for DIRECT access to San Ramon Regional Center Hospital. Norris Canyon is used by bicyclists and pedestrians especially during the school year. According to the report, Norris Canyon Pkwy, Bishop Ranch Drive and San Ramon Valley Blvd will all be "negatively impacted" (pg. 42). Page 43 of the Traffic Analysis Report notes that signalization will have to "hold local traffic" at these intersections. Clearly San Ramon residents will face increased local traffic congestion due to these ramps. These freeway ramps could be used by buses 24/7 and all other vehicles during off-peak times, (pg. 53). This essentially becomes another full-time freeway on-off ramp in San Ramon. Federal Highway Safety Administration standards require a minimum of 1 mile between two highway on-off ramps; this project violates this standard because it would create 3 highway on-off ramps within 1.6 miles of each other. A waiver from the FHSA is needed in order for the project to move forward. I have spoken to both Congressman George Miller and Congressman Eric Swalwell regarding this issue. It is on their radar. The impacts in terms of noise, new freeway lighting, increased traffic "spillback" and safety issues for all nearby neighborhoods are undeniable. The negative impact on nearby local business could be devastating and that's not potentially, it is very real to folks with whom I have spoken including Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center and the tenants of PS Business Park. When weighed against the seemingly meager benefits that are being cited by the transportation report, one can only conclude that this is a costly boondoggle and there are better and cheaper options which do more to ease traffic congestion in San Ramon. This project was originally estimated at $44 million dollars but has now grown to $120 million and rising. We must work to identify our "return to source" dollars from this proposal and work with Bishop Ranch, CCTA and CalTrans for traffic mitigation opportunities that take cars off the road and provide local roadway improvements that move traffic along. As the North Camino Ramon Plan Area develops over time, future transportation dollars should be earmarked for widening of the overpass, without freeway ramps. I propose that we identify potential sites in San Ramon and create another park and ride lot with Express bus service to BART stations on a regular schedule. More residents are looking for ways to get directly to BART stations. A new 200 space lot would take that many cars off of the road and they would be local drivers. There is a 230 space lot at Sycamore Valley in Danville and San Ramon has 3 smaller lots with 216 spaces in total- one in Dougherty Valley for 56 cars (511.org). Express BART busses were part of the Investment Options Analysis report and deemed insufficient. Taking cars OFF the road for a tenth of the price was "insufficient"? Many local leaders and residents believe CalTrans should look at improving the 680 southbound on-ramps at Bollinger Canyon. Drivers are forced to make U-turns at SRV Blvd to enter the freeway, and traffic during peak times backs up into the intersection. The money spent improving this freeway ramp would alleviate traffic congestion in a considerable and noticeable way. Busses do not need to use the 680 freeway to get to Pleasanton or Dublin Bart. They can utilize SRV Blvd or Dougherty Valley Road into Dublin. Re-routing and adding express buses specifically going to BART takes actual cars off of Crow Canyon and Bollinger. HOV ramps simply shuffle how they get onto the freeway. The ONLY meaningful way that congestion would be eased on 680 is to either add more lanes or get rid of the HOV lane so all users could fill the underutilized lane. But, those are decisions for Sacramento policymakers to tackle. At the local level we CAN exercise local control. CalTrans has made community acceptance of this project a high priority; they will have no problem using the money elsewhere. We must dialogue with transportation agencies to identify more cost efficient options which align to today's traffic realities. They know there are obstacles at many levels to getting this done. Let's make community rejection of this costly boondoggle the nail in its coffin. San Ramon residents need to closely examine whether the candidates for City Council support or oppose the proposed HOV ramps. I believe I do and need your support.

Candidate Page || Feedback to Candidate || This Contest
November 2013 Home (Ballot Lookup) || About Smart Voter

ca/cc Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 13, 2013 21:17
Smart Voter <http://www.smartvoter.org/>
Copyright © League of Women Voters of California Education Fund.
The League of Women Voters neither supports nor opposes candidates for public office or political parties.