Three San Benito County officials will head to Caltrans
headquarters in Sacramento later this month to lobby for funds to
improve and repair county roads that might be damaged by the
increase in traffic that they think will result from a new flyover
at the Don Pacheco Y.
Hollister – Three San Benito County officials will head to Caltrans headquarters in Sacramento later this month to lobby for funds to improve and repair county roads that might be damaged by the increase in traffic that they think will result from a new flyover at the Don Pacheco Y.
One of the officials, Hollister Mayor Pauline Valdivia, who also chairs the Council of Governments, said she would be attending the meeting as a representative of that agency, which does transportation planning and projects in San Benito County.
But the Sept. 26 trip by Valdivia, Supervisor Pat Loe, and Assistant Public Works Director Arman Nazemi came as a surprise to some COG board members, who were uncomfortable with Validivia speaking on their behalf when they had not signed off on the mission.
“I’m on the COG Board, nothing was even said,” City Councilman Robert Scattini said. “It’s not right, she’s (Valdivia) going up to represent COG, she’s not representing me.” Scattini said he would push for a special COG meeting next week to discuss the trip.
Board of Supervisors Chair Reb Monaco said he first heard about the meeting Thursday, when Loe invited him along.
“It was not discussed at the board level,” he said.
Monaco said he is interested in working to mitigate the result of increased flyover traffic, but thought the board should have been involved with planning the meeting and setting the agenda.
“Typically I don’t think I’d go to see any kind of representative board without having the knowledge of the board, and its position.”
Supervisors will likely determine on Monday whether to hold a special meeting to discuss the situation, Monaco said.
Loe, who has been vocal about her displeasure with the flyover design, said that she wants to talk with Caltrans about mitigation for increased traffic, not to debate the design.
“As far as I know, the debate is over on that,” she said. “Basically it’s just to talk to Caltrans, what if the road causes more traffic in San Benito County, are they going to financially help us,” she said.
Validivia said the meeting was aimed at finding ways to improve or repair local roads that could be affected by increased traffic.
“We’re concerned about traffic. The flyover is going to happen, we support that,” Valdivia said. “We just want to know how they are going to mitigate problems.”
Supervisors have long been concerned that the flyover design chosen by Santa Clara County’s Valley Transportation Authority, which is undertaking the project, will funnel more traffic onto county roads because it will connect Highway 152 westbound directly with 156.
Nazemi, who plans to attend the meeting in Sacramento, said he is certain that the VTA’s flyover design will increase traffic in San Benito County because it will create an easy route for truckers who want to avoid bottlenecks common on westbound 152.
“They take the path of least resistance,” he said, adding that large trucks are the primary cause for road deterioration. Nazemi said he hopes that the meeting will be a step toward forming a partnership with Caltrans District 5, which includes San Benito County, and District 4, which includes Santa Clara, to work jointly to expedite road projects in San Benito County.
Throughout the recent flyover debate, Santa Clara County’s VTA has said it does not believe increased traffic will result from the flyover.
“It is our position that following the construction of the 152 flyover, San Benito County won’t need any mitigation for their roads,” VTA Communications Manager Jayme Kunz said Friday.
Luke Roney covers politics and the environment for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or at
lr****@fr***********.com
