I am writing to voice my opinions on the 3-in-1 Highway project
as addressed in the Saturday Aug. 21 edition of the Hollister Free
Lance
Dear Editor,
I am writing to voice my opinions on the 3-in-1 Highway project as addressed in the Saturday Aug. 21 edition of the Hollister Free Lance. The one thing I feel all San Benito County residents agree on is that we need safer roads now! The course of action is where we differ. It is clear that there is no funding for many, many years, as quoted by Valley Transportation Authority Senior Transportation Engineer Amin Surani, for the 3-in-1 Project. The 3-in-1 project is estimated to cost $250-$300 million dollars.
With the state fiscal crisis at hand, we cannot expect to receive funding for this project any time soon.
The one thing that was not addressed in the article was that unless the improvements to Highway 156 are done while it is still a state highway, and before any new road is built, these obligations to do improvements will become San Benito County’s obligation to provide. Yes, I said the county will be responsible for the Highway 156 project. If it is halted now, how do you think the county can ever hope to improve the highway? San Benito County has budget concerns and would have no ability to do any improvements to the 156. How many times have you driven down a county road and wondered when the necessary repairs were going to be taking place? The 156 highway would be an added burden to our already overloaded road department.
We can not afford to go forward without improvements to the 156. Not only to save lives and to have safer driving conditions, but also because we cannot allow it to become a county road in the condition it is now.
As far as protecting farm land in the San Juan Valley is concerned, there is no one who cherishes their agricultural heritage more than I do. As an apple orchardist who has had their family work the same land for over 100 years, I want to keep the preservation of our rural heritage at all costs.
As I have studied transportation issues, looking at options and projects, I have come to the conclusion that improvements to the 156 highway can be made that do not include a four- or six-lane highway. We must have the 156 improved for the people of San Benito County. We all deserve a safer highway and we must not allow this project to be halted.
I have always advocated the following improvements for Highway 156 and Union/Bixby/Flint and Lucy Brown:
Acceleration and deceleration lanes
Better lighting
Improved drainage
Anthony Freitas, San Juan Bautista
