Posted on 04/19/2019 11:04:31 AM PDT by hsmomx3
URGENT ALERT: IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DOUBLE YOUR TRIP TIMES AROUND TOWN - AND LIKELY YOUR TAXES - READ THIS AND COME TO COUNCIL NEXT TUES
With zero public notice, the City of Phoenix has put a plan on agenda for next week called "Vision Zero". The major policy focus of this plan is a massive reduction in speed limits across ALL city streets.
Boston adopted this program a few years ago and reduced all City streets to 25MPH. When that didn't work - and by "work" they mean eliminating ALL roadway fatalities - they developed a plan to reduce the speed to 15MPH throughout their City core, and massively increase fines on drivers.
This is a horrifically bad idea for the City of Phoenix. Here's why:
1. First, and foremost, even the short walks to public transit in many East Coast cities are not something most people want to do in 100 degree heat - and a fair lot of people (the elderly, those with disabilities, people with medical conditions, etc.) cannot do here.
2. We lack the density, and are still decades away from achieving it, to make mass transit an effective option for most people on both a cost and infrastructure basis.
3. The infrastructure spending required (a huge number of elevated pedestrian walkways and barriers between the street and sidewalk) to keep even a single City street accessible to vehicle travel above 20MPH is money we don't have.
4. We already have massive, basic needs that we don't have the funding for - like paying off our unfunded pension liabilities, maintaining our current infrastructure, hiring more cops and firefighters, etc. So Vision Zero will come with a massive tax increase.
5. Slowing all traffic to a crawl will result in price increases for just about everything, as the time and resources needed to get products on the shelves and food on plates goes up and is passed along to you.
Proponents of this insane scheme are clear: it can only be passed by filling Council chambers with the victims and family members of accidents, and by lying about the intent of the program. They want to force everyone out of cars. They can't sell their REAL vision to the public, so their goal is to make driving as inefficient and difficult as possible and slowly force people out of their cars.
If you don't think their plan is a good idea, Council needs to hear you, they need to see you. Call your Council rep and let them know you think this is a terrible idea. Come to the meeting and stand up to the handful of "Urbanist" social engineers pushing this mess who think they have a right to dictate how your city operates to everyone. Let Council know they don't speak for you.
THE MEETING WILL BE HELD AT:
200 W. JEFFERSON ST TUES, APRIL 23RD @ 2:30PM
In case you are curious, here are the requirements of this program, from the Vision Zero Website:
Type of infrastructure and traffic - Possible travel speed (km/h)
Locations with possible conflicts between pedestrians and cars 30 km/h (19 mph)
Intersections with possible side impacts between cars 50 km/h (31 mph)
Roads with possible frontal impacts between cars, including rural roads[6] 70 km/h (43 mph)
Roads with no possibility of a side impact or frontal impact (only impact with the infrastructure) 100 km/h (62 mph)+
Since it was just the two of us most of the time, we got to know each other pretty well. Even back then, he was interested local politics and I could tell he'd do well.
Sal is a great guy, a consummate professional and honest. But how he became a politician with these laudable traits, I'll never know. :-)
Sounds like the Left in Phoenix is trying to get rid of autos. Never happen. The metropolitan area is spread over 100 miles. The heat can be deadly in the summer.
The Phoenix metro area is not walking friendly. It's a car city. And anybody who lives there, knows this.
My vehicle insurance in Nevada has gone up over 68% since the Legislature gave the invaders driver’s licenses.
The uninsured motorist portion of my premium went from 28% of the premium total to 49% of the premium total.
Last accident I had was Oct 1966. Last ticket was over 15 years go.....seat belt.
The traffic is horrible now. Average commute time via car is about an hour.
Sal is a great guy and he keeps us all informed about what is going on. He’s also been posting daily crime stats. Crime certainly seems to be on the rise, esp. in Maryvale (not a surprise) and many more road rage incidents as well.
I wish he’d run for mayor but this city seems hellbent on electing democrats.
And you are right, Phoenix is a car city. When I tell my friends in the midwest how spread out the metro area is they are in shock it’s this big.
It ain't no small place.
I grew up in Tempe and went to school there. After my wife and I retired from the Air Force, we set up household in Tempe again. Lived in the same townhouse, two blocks from the house I grew up in, for 35 years. I just sold that house last fall. We retired to Florida and raise beef cattle on our farm in the country for the last 8 years.
I'm 71 years old and lived in Tempe for at least 50+ of those years. I love the desert and the climate but the Valley got too big-city for us finally. Most of my old school chums live there. I still call it home.
I went to high school in Tempe!!
It has gotton very big!!
Tempe High School, Class of 1966.
Arizona State University, Class of 1969.
Marcos de Niza graduate here.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.