Highway 25, if we’re lucky, according to state transportation
officials, might see improvement work begin in 2009.
Pardon us if we’re not overwhelmed with awe at the speed of the
proposed work.
This thoroughfare, a key link between Hollister and U.S. 101,
and Highways 156 and 152 near Casa de Fruta, are dangerous and
deadly roads that claim lives, maim travelers, and cost untold
thousands in repairs to automobiles.
Highway 25, if we’re lucky, according to state transportation officials, might see improvement work begin in 2009.
Pardon us if we’re not overwhelmed with awe at the speed of the proposed work.
This thoroughfare, a key link between Hollister and U.S. 101, and Highways 156 and 152 near Casa de Fruta, are dangerous and deadly roads that claim lives, maim travelers, and cost untold thousands in repairs to automobiles.
Yet, somehow, the political will doesn’t seem to exist to fix these important roads.
Highway 156 serves as the only south Bay Area link to Highway 5 and the Central Valley. It is traversed not just by San Benito County residents, but by truckers hauling goods, by commuters, tourists and business people. Highway 25, with its ridiculously designed interchange with Highway 101, is traversed by thousands of commuters each day – as well a large share truckers and tourists.
We need to fix these roads, and not in the second decade of this century. We need to fix them now.
If money can be found to pay for reworking the U.S. 101/Highway 152 interchange so that retail development can occur, we don’t understand why these much more deadly stretches of highway aren’t high priorities.
The speed with which the U.S. 101/Highway 152 interchange project came together tells us it can be done in a reasonable time frame. So why the decades of neglect for these important roads?
Do we need to get a Disneyland near Casa de Fruta and an Ikea at Highway 25 and U.S. 101? Perhaps then our leaders would find the political will and muscle to get these much needed, long-neglected improvements off the long-term to-do list and into action.
Since it’s unlikely that we’ll see either a mouse-themed amusement park or a giant Scandinavian retailer opening in these rural areas any time soon, and it’s questionable whether we would even want them, it’s incumbent upon our elected officials to make sure that Caltrans, the Valley Transportation Authority and the state legislature understand how important these projects are to South Valley residents.
Highway safety is one of the basic jobs of local, state and federal governments. Let’s demand that Highways 25, 152 and 156 get some much needed improvements. Now.
