Supervisor Mary Piepho sent out the following release Tuesday regarding the Contra Costa Transportation Authority Board Meeting.
She says transportation projects are at risk due to funding the public has an opportunity to speak up at a Wednesday, March 9 CCTA meeting that begins at 6:00 pm located at 2999 Oak Road, Suite 110 in walnut Creek.
Piepho explained that the CCTA is developing a transportation plan that will include funding for projects in Contra Costa County. East County resident voices must be heard or funding for projects like Vasco Road Safety, SR 239, BART, and others will be cut out of the plan.
The following information and bullets may help guide you in your comments:
- East Contra Costa residents have been paying for transportation improvements to I80/I680/SR24/BART/Caldecott Tunnel through their property and sales taxes and its time for more funding for East County projects.
DEMAND THESE PROJECTS BE FUNDED:
- funding for the extension of BART into Far East Contra Costa. A system that taxpayers of East Contra Costa have been paying into since BART opened.
- the 5% for improvements to the East County Corridor. This will help to fund progress on Vasco Road, James Donlon Blvd. and SR 239 project connecting Byron to Tracy.
- SR 239 is a critical corridor that will eliminate the cul-de-sac in East Contra Costa that pushes not only cars but also trucks across one-way bridges in the Delta and forces them down the very congested I-680 to I-580. This connector from Byron to Tracy to Brentwood/Oakley to Tracy is critical.
- SR 239 will improve safety, congestion and attract more jobs to East County. More jobs in East County will allow people to live closer to work and reduce Green House Gases (GHG) due to fewer cars idling on Hwy 4 and reduced fuel use from shorter commutes.
- It is great that what was a very dangerous and congested Highway 4 is getting its due… but that is the beginning, not the end, of what we need in East Contra Costa.
- It is time for East County to get its due.
(Full packet with attachments available at www.ccta.net)
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The feasibility study demonstrates that SR239/TriLink would do the following: http://www.ccta.net/_resources/detail/108/2
- Reduce traffic volumes on I-580, Vasco Road, and Byron Highway by diverting traffic from these existing roadways
- Support local job growth in manufacturing, wholesale, transportation, and related sectors that depend on quality roadways and connections
- Reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT), greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and air pollution in support of state-wide targets
- Provide an effective alternative truck route for trips to eastern Contra Costa County and the northeast portion of the Bay Area, reducing truck volumes on local roads
- Serve as an evacuation and recovery route, facilitating access to and from regional centers of urbanization
- Improve roadway safety by separating high-speed through traffic from local vehicles
Airport Connector
The proposed Airport Connector is a four-lane major arterial facility that is 2.7 miles long, following the existing alignment of Armstrong Road and extending it westward to connect with Vasco Road. The following cross section shows the proposed dimensions. The Airport Connector would improve the connection between Vasco Road and Byron Highway, as well as improve access to Byron Airport.
Trucks
- According to the CCTA website, truck traffic accounts for 23 percent of trips on the Byron Highway today, double the volume of truck traffic normally seen on county highways.
