Measure would raise more than $6 billion; $24 million for MH to fix roads
Published in the July 6 – 19, 2016 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Perry Woodward
Perry Woodward
The Valley Transportation Authority launched Envision Silicon Valley to engage our community in addressing the growing transportation challenges we all face. Through an extraordinary effort, community leaders and county residents came together in a dynamic visioning process to discuss current and future transportation needs, identify solutions and craft funding priorities.
As the immediate past chair of VTA, I am proud of my work in crafting this community-wide effort. The process helped us prepare for a county-wide sales tax measure to be placed on the November 2016 ballot to enhance transit, highways, expressways and active transportation (such as bicycles, pedestrians and complete streets). I’m proud of the participation of South County community leaders and citizens.
South County is experiencing some of the worst traffic and commute times that I can recall. The booming Silicon Valley economy is creating more traffic on our highways, local roads and our public transit system. Addressing this issue and finding real solutions is a major goal of mine. As a result of the efforts by my colleagues and myself, along with the creative input from all the cities and interest groups in the county, we were able to craft a transportation measure that goes a long way toward addressing transportation issues throughout our area.
The VTA Board unanimously adopted the framework June 2 and funding allocations for a 1/2-cent, 30-year sales tax measure based on public input and careful evaluation of projects. You can read about it by going to this link: vtaorgcontent.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/Site_Content/Envision%20SV%20Board%20Memo%202016%2006%2002.pdf>
This sales tax is anticipated to generate between $6 and $6.5 billion in 2017. If passed in November by a two-thirds vote, tax collections could begin as early as April 2017. This funding will help us deliver the BART extension from Berryessa to the city of Santa Clara. It will provide money to support more service on Caltrain. And critically for many motorists, transit riders and pedestrians, it will provide funding for repairs to our local streets and roads. Some of the projects that will specifically benefit from passage of this measure are:
• The Santa Teresa-Hale Corridor. This major corridor is expected to receive nearly $21.5 million in projects via the County Expressway and Local Streets and Roads categories. Those projects include:
• Widening Santa Teresa Boulevard to four travel lanes and adding a trail between Longmeadow and Fitzgerald Avenue.
• Building a two-lane road connecting the trail on Santa Teresa Boulevard from DeWitt to Main in Morgan Hill.
• Improving intersections along the Santa Teresa/Hale Corridor by adding signals and traffic easing controls.
• Connecting Sunnyside and DeWitt at W. Edmundson and adding a trail near the Santa Teresa/Hale Corridor south of Morgan Hill.
The South County U.S. 101 investments are expected to be:
• $45 Million for improvements to address regional connectivity, including to the Gilroy medical facility. That project has two parts; a new U.S. 101/Buena Vista Interchange, as well as street ramp and intersection improvements at U.S. 101 and Highway 152 at 10th Street.
• $85 million in funding for interchange improvements at U.S. 101 and Highway 25.
During the life of the measure, the city of Gilroy is expected to receive $30 million and Morgan Hill nearly $24 million. This funding will go directly into increasing our investment in street repair, fixing those potholes and smoothing rough spots.
Caltrain provides an important alternative for commuters headed north on U.S. 101 in the morning. This service needs to be more robust. This measure will allow additional options for commuters who would like to take this service.
Our region has succeeded time after time in making these important investments in our future. The approach we’ve taken this time assures improvements throughout the area that will benefit all residents. Whether you are a BART or Caltrain rider, a light rail or bus commuter, a bicyclist or your child walks to school, there is an investment in infrastructure for you.
Approving these measures is never easy, nor should it be. But if we are to address the transportation problems we have before gridlock stalls our economy, we need to take action. I ask you to join me in supporting this critical ballot measure.
Gilroy Mayor Perry Woodward serves since 2010 on the VTA Board of Directors representing Gilroy and Morgan Hill. He wrote this column for this newspaper.
