Op-Ed by Amber Smith, Executive Director, Metropolitan Pima Alliance and Vice-Chair, RTA CART Committee
Metropolitan Pima Alliance (MPA) is a land use advocacy organization representing 150 company members involved in both commercial and real estate development. MPA advocates for balanced land use policies that stimulate economic development. MPA staff believes the current 30% plans with the six lane option for the expansion of Broadway Blvd. is a workable compromise. MPA understands the Regional Transportation Authority’s 2006 original language approved by the voters stated that the scope of the project was to widen Broadway Blvd. to six travel lanes with two dedicated bus lanes, bike lanes, and sidewalks for the two-mile segment.
The Task Force’s primary focus was to preserve the greatest number of the existing buildings that are located within the project area. In order to preserve the buildings, the Task Force proposed reducing the right-of-way width by narrowing both the median and the pedestrian sidewalks. In addition to the reductions of the right-of-way, medians and pedestrian sidewalks, the Task Force proposed a significant reduction of the roadside landscape strip. The Task Force also recommended the removal of the grade separated cycle track in favor of 6-foot bike lanes. Moreover, the Task Force’s proposal shifts the right-of-way to be both sides of the road rather than one as an attempt to preserve the existing buildings.
As active participants during the extensive public participation period that created the RTA plan, MPA strongly believes the plan genuinely represents a collaborative mix of roadway improvements that evolved through a tremendous amount of conversation and compromise in which no one ultimately got every change they wanted. The RTA Plan is a model of compromise. To make substantive changes like constructing a road to half the size stated in the RTA Plan ignores the processes and the hard work that went into creating a collaborative Plan approved by thousands of voters. In fact, MPA honored the RTA Plan with the Common Ground Award of Distinction due to the collaborative process that created the first transportation plan to be approved after multiple attempts over 30 years. This in itself is a testament to what it takes to create a successful plan. Any regional plan would have some amount of unhappy stakeholders.
While we appreciate the efforts and diligent work put forth by the Broadway Citizen Task Force, we believe further refinement and reductions to the 30% plan defeats the overarching goals set in the RTA’s original plan. We cannot forgo the opportunity to enhance regional road efficiency for a handful of buildings. MPA’s stance is that common ground has already been achieved in the development of the 30% plans in which both the RTA’s vision and the Task Force’s vision are compromised in such ways that promote development and business in the area, pedestrian safety, and regional collaboration while preserving more existing buildings than originally anticipated.
The layout for Broadway Corridor presented in the RTA plan is indisputably a compromise and reflects a collaborative process in which shared visions and goals are adequately addressed.
We must prepare for the inevitable future growth our community will experience, as well as leverage the revitalization of downtown. We cannot continue to pander to individual residents and sacrifice sound regional planning practices already approved by a majority of voting residents. To ignore the democratic process that achieved the approval of our first regional transportation plan completely jeopardizes our ability as a community to pass a future plan or extend the authorization of the existing plan. As a metropolitan area of nearly one million residents, we cannot wait to expand the gateway to our downtown after it’s over capacity. We must plan ahead and grow reasonably and responsibly. Common ground has been found from the original concept to now. It’s time to move into the next phase of the process and begin revitalizing this area that has been neglected for far too long.
Sincerely,
Amber Smith
Executive Director
Metropolitan Pima Alliance
Vice-Chair
RTA CART Committee