The pubic is invited to attend the City of Tucson Mayor and Council meeting this evening, Tuesday April 19th at 5:30 pm when approval of the The Broadway: Euclid to Country Club Roadway Improvements Project is to be voted on for approval of acquisitions to begin this year. Construction of the roadway is not anticipated until late 2017-2018. There will not be public comments at this meeting, public comments were made at the meeting April 5th.
And the community has had plenty to say. Three people were charged with theft Monday, for stealing political signs in support of the Improvement Project. The individuals participated in a “Broadway Coalition” rally Sunday night to oppose the Broadway project. These people are and have been very involved in efforts of the “Broadway Coalition” for a long time. The names released are: Laura Tabili, 61 (female), Melody Peters, 66 (female), and Jay Vosk, 68 (male). Another individual shown in a security-camera video stealing signs is still unidentified. The 40 signs were removed within hours of being placed with owner's permission on businesses in support of the road widening.
The Broadway Widening Project, a Regional Transportation Authority Plan roadway improvement managed by the City of Tucson, will widen Broadway from Euclid to Country Club to a 6-lane arterial, with bike lanes, sidewalks, and landscape. This stretch of Broadway is also known as the "Sunshine Corridor".
A large majority of voters approved the Project and its half-cent sales tax funding in May 2006 as part of the $2.1 billion dollar Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) plan.
The General Alignment Map approved in October 2014 identified the approximate location of the future alignment, but was not refined enough to be adopted as the Project's baseline alignment.
Based on input received between February and May 7, 2015, the Broadway Citizens Task Force affirmed their design and alignment recommendations unanimously, listed in the "Baseline Alignment Concept Report".
On June 9, 2015, Resolution No. 22410 was adopted, at which time the Mayor and Council approved the Recommended Technical Design Parameters and Baseline Alignment Concept. Upon adoption of said Resolution, the Baseline Alignment was to undergo technical design to reach 30% design. Technical design begins to apply requirements and standards to the concept, such as engineering, hydrology and ADA.
The Technical Design Parameters were to guide the technical design process and provide flexibility to ensure that the street design will meet the Citizens Task Force recommendations and result in a safe, attractive and economically viable street that will meet City requirements and RTA direction.
Obviously, it does reflect poorly on our community to have these delays. The project has been studied over and over again. There has been 30 years pass since the current property owners along Broadway were placed in limbo. The Citizen Task Force made their recommendations and came to unanimous agreement. After much work by City engineers and other traffic experts, the plan was modified to its current six lanes known as the 30% Plan. If not perfect, it is a reasonable compromise and reflects the collaborative process in which shared visions and goals are adequately addressed for all parties. The expansion to the Sunshine Corridor needs to move on to the next phase of the project and allow for the revitalization of this area to begin.
The meeting starts at 5:30 pm, but it is recommended to show up early at The BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HEARING ROOM, PIMA COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, 130 WEST CONGRESS, EST. FLOOR, TUCSON, AZ
To read the appropriate addendum to the agenda for this meeting click here, here and here.
Visit the project’s Design and Construction web site at www.broadwayboulevard.info for the most current information, to find contact emails and phone numbers, and to provide comments. Details about the RTA plan are available at www.RTAmobility.com.