It’s not just a highway expansion, they claim. It’s their
livelihoods.
A faction of San Juan Bautista residents
– from the city’s highest official to members of longtime farm
families – attended the Council of San Benito County Governments
meeting Thursday to express displeasure at plans to widen Highway
156 from the Alameda to San Juan Road.
They blamed past leaders’ planning for the proposal that claims
a need to expand Highway 156. And they continually indicated their
beliefs the project would lead to the demise of hundreds of acres
of fertile agricultural land, and ultimately the ambiance of the
town.
It’s not just a highway expansion, they claim. It’s their livelihoods.
A faction of San Juan Bautista residents – from the city’s highest official to members of longtime farm families – attended the Council of San Benito County Governments meeting Thursday to express displeasure at plans to widen Highway 156 from the Alameda to San Juan Road.
They blamed past leaders’ planning for the proposal that claims a need to expand Highway 156. And they continually indicated their beliefs the project would lead to the demise of hundreds of acres of fertile agricultural land, and ultimately the ambiance of the town.
“We’re looking at traffic conditions – use of land that will destroy our way of life,” said Larry Cain, San Juan Bautista’s city manager.
A vast majority of the residents, about a dozen people from the Mission town, spoke against the project; two spoke in favor. Meanwhile, the five-member council, made up of officials from local elected boards, listened.
That was until public commenting was finished, when COG Director/Supervisor Richard Scagliotti fired back in COG’s defense.
COG’s primary interest in regional highway expansion, Scagliotti insisted, is saving lives. He said COG wants to prevent conditions on Highway 156 from turning into those of Highway 25, where more than 20 deaths from vehicle accidents have occurred since 2000.
“We have to deal with what we have,” Scagliotti said. “We’re not looking at trying to destroy San Juan Bautista. We’re not looking to destroy farmland.”
The Highway 156 “Gap” project is calling for a four-lane highway south of the existing road. Three alternatives are currently under consideration; the project is expected to pave over more than 150 acres of prime agricultural land.
The three alternatives chosen by Caltrans – the state transportation authority – are expected to cost more than $30 million, according to a COG report. Another project choice, not among Caltrans’ three preferred alternatives, is a four-lane conventional highway that would cost about $17 million; it is currently COG’s preferred alternative.
Meanwhile, the final judgment on the project won’t come for about another three years, when the environmental study is finished, according to Lisa Berg, a county and COG transportation planner. It will be a collaborative decision from Caltrans, COG and local communities, Berg said.
Some San Juan residents had voiced distress at a recent City Council meeting as to why they were not notified about COG’s monthly meetings, where the subject is discussed. Thursday night was an opportunity to divulge bottled-up frustrations.
“While two-thirds of the world is starving, we are busy destroying one of the world’s unique agricultural lands,” said San Juan activist Rebecca McGovern.
Another resident, Gayle Sleznick, compared the Mission city to a different San Juan with a historic mission, this one in Southern California.
“A big freeway was built in San Juan Capistrano, and I am sad to say, it ruined the town,” Sleznick said.
Many of the residents advocated building a similar highway project to the north. Some, such as San Juan Councilman Dan Reed, said the emphasis should be placed on improving Highway 25. Others mentioned surrogate plans, such as the county Farm Bureau-advocated “three in one” idea.
San Juan resident Anthony Botelho, running for the Board of Supervisors in District 2, blamed poor decision making by the county’s leaders.
“What brought us here tonight is a lack of vision, a lack of planning,” Botelho said.
After a succession of people spoke against the highway plan, San Juan resident Kenneth Perry took the podium and said he felt “like the Lone Ranger.”
“The future is here, the houses are here. It’s not going to go away,” said Perry, who said he supports the same alternative preferred by COG.
A speech during the public comment period from Caltrans–District 5 representative, David Murray, was brief. He said 95 percent of the decision making is up to the local people.
“It’s more important than ever we work together,” he said.
