Anaheim’s Intersection Plan
Measure D and the so-called “critical intersection plan†proposes to spend more than $100 million to widen 33 Anaheim intersections to 10 lanes of traffic in both directions on streets that mostly carry just four lanes. The misguided objective is to increase traffic flow through these intersections and thereby reduce congestion.
However, since much of this traffic comes from the freeways during the rush hour, it will lead only to far more traffic on city streets and even more congestion than before.
The plan is to be funded with 25-year bonds, which will more than double the long-term debt of the city. The cost of servicing this added debt will be charged against operations and will result in less money available for other city operations or in new taxes.
The plan is supposed to save the city, which is on the verge of gridlock. However, it is expected that the plan will take 20 years to implement, which seems like faulty logic at best. A similar plan was put in place in a nearby city in Orange County. It not only did not relieve the intersection congestion but resulted in a higher level of traffic.
It is obvious that there are places in Anaheim where traffic is congested at particular times, and some changes are required. However, with no consideration for alternate plans or specific intersection solutions, the city proposes just one very expensive approach to the city as a whole.
Nearly 1,000 homes and businesses will be destroyed or damaged in the process. That is just not the right way to solve a multifaceted problem.
It is interesting to note that Anaheim is finally modernizing its traffic signals to computer controls. The same people that brought us the “critical intersection plan†are stating that this too will increase traffic flow by the same 21%.
I urge Anaheim voters to defeat Measure D so we can get on with the job of properly analyzing Anaheim traffic problems. Only then can we go about relieving congestion, which will not be accomplished by jumping to the wrong conclusions.
HOWARD SACHAR
President,
Anaheim Committee for
Traffic Solutions
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