Friends of Flagstaff’s Future update for Sept. 26 — Candidates Discuss Prop. 420 (Lone Tree Bridge)

Do you support or oppose a sales tax increase for a Lone Tree Railroad Overpass from Butler Avenue to Route 66 as outlined in Proposition 420? Why? 
Austin Aslan: I support Proposition 420 as an important step toward alleviating traffic congestion. HOWEVER, I’m very sympathetic to critics who worry that more roads simply induce more driving which eventually exacerbates the overall problem. I happen to agree and I think new roads should be the last option in an integrated approach to traffic management. I would like more info that actually shows the overpass would not induce more driving, and while on Council I’ll always ask for proof that any development project is solving our quality of life issues and not simply streamlining further growth for growth’s sake.

Mayor Coral Evans: I support Proposition 420. I believe that Flagstaff needs to plan for the future and that includes having the appropriate transportation system/infrastructure for a city of our size.

Regina Salas: Traffic congestion is a daunting issue in our mountain town. More routes over the railroad tracks are needed. Proposition 420 is a new sales tax; if approved a 0.23% sales tax will be collected to generate revenue to construct the Lone Tree Railroad Overpass connecting Butler Avenue to Route 66. The tax will start on July 1, 2019 and end July 1, 2039. Before deciding whether or not to vote for it, I need to know more about the cost to taxpayers and the displacement of residents in the neighborhood affected by this capital project. How about securing state and federal funding?

Alex Martinez: I support the Transportation Tax for the Lone Tree Railroad Overpass. It helps with the traffic congestion problem and is the least disruptive option.

Paul Deasy: I have my concerns. It would be great to have another bridge over the tracks, but with a price tag of nearly $75 million and the number of tax increases on the ballot, we need to set some priorities. I will consider this further in relation to my decisions on the other propositions.

Dennis K Lavin:  I do not support this transportation tax. As one who frequents the area on a routine basis, I do not see the need for this project. In addition there are other tax increases pending with multiple Ballot Initiatives.

Adam Shimoni: As Flagstaff continues to grow, traffic will only get worse. Our infrastructure is struggling to keep up with this growth and is in need of improvement. The Lone Tree Railroad Overpass is a great way to alleviate traffic from Milton and create more routes. I look forward to voting yes on Prop 420 and hope the the community does as well.

The Lone Tree Railroad Overpass is expensive – $131.5 million to build the bridge and its bonding costs. In contrast, a planned bike and pedestrian tunnel under Rte. 66 and the BSNF tracks at Sitgreaves would cost about $5 million and currently has no funding source. All 44 pedestrian and bike projects (bridges and tunnels) to make crossing safer near our high-speed roads would only cost $64 million, less than half the cost of one Lone Tree bridge. Roads are expensive, both in building and in their continued maintenance as heavy cars wear down asphalt significantly faster than bicycles and pedestrians. In shrinking city budgets, our sales tax can go to much better uses than the Lone Tree bridge.

The idea that creating more roads will relieve traffic does not hold up to the data. Creating more roads simply creates more drivers. If our community is hoping that a Lone Tree Bridge will help them zip across town, as was possible when the population was smaller, they will find themselves in a few years disappointed as they are idling on the Lone Tree Bridge with all the other drivers who had the same idea. It will be a very costly lesson to learn for our community.

Automobiles currently contribute 41% of Flagstaff’s greenhouse gases (GHG), our largest factor contributing to climate change. We cannot decrease our GHG if we continue to prioritize roads in transportation planning. However, by properly funding bike and pedestrian projects, we can make those transportation choices more safe and appealing to larger segments of our population. If we continue business as usual and try in vain to engineer our way around vehicle traffic, we will run both out of money and a habitable planet to live on. Voting no on Proposition 420 would be a strong signal to our city that the era of the automobile needs to end and our future lies in alternative forms of transportation. Friends of Flagstaff’s Future hopes that you will join us at the ballot box in November and vote no on Proposition 420.

Sincerely
Mike Caulkins
President, Friends of Flagstaff’s Future