2/6/2007 4:00:00 AM Supervisors move ahead with WV Road widening
By PAULA RHODEN The Daily Courier
PRESCOTT Williamson Valley Road residents filled the supervisor's hearing room Monday to voice their opposition to a $2.8-million design contract for a four-lane road project.
Despite the opposition, the supervisors unanimously approved the contract with Kimley-Horn and Associates for design services for the seven-mile widening
project from Pioneer Parkway to Outer Loop Road.
Public Works Director Phil Bourdon said the project in this section of Williamson Valley Road began in 2005. He said public and agency comments during the preliminary design phase resulted in
additions to the scope of work.
The additions include increased public coordination effort, traffic engineering and access control plan, and environmental studies. Bourdon said the county also needs a more extensive design for the trail system to ensure it meets the needs of trail users.
The project may include a possible fifth or middle turn lane in some areas.
Supervisor Tom Thurman said $2.8 million "seems like a lot of money."
Bourdon said it is. In comparison, he said the design contract for the two-mile section of the widening project from
Sidewinder to Pioneer Parkway will cost $1.5 million.
Thurman asked if rights-of-way acquisition is the next step.
Bourdon said yes and that it will include appraisals and presenting offers to property owners. He said the design stage would take 16 months, and he anticipates a six-month to a one-year acquisition period.
Chairman Chip Davis asked what would happen if the county did not improve the road.
Bourdon said the level of service would degrade, increasing the potential for accidents and reducing safe access on and off the road.
"It is prudent to move forward now because the widening is identified in the Central Yavapai Metropolitan Planning Organization transportation study. Also, we should design and acquire rights-of-way as soon as possible before the costs continue to increase," Bourdon said.
The director estimated rights-of-way would cost $4.5 million.
Residents attending the board meeting are not against improvements, they said, adding that they support three lanes with right and left turn lanes.
Williamson Valley Corridor Committee board member John Freeman told the board that if something is said enough times, it appears to be so.
He said, "You are calling it a four-lane road when we don't even know if we need four lanes."
Resident Wayne Willett said he thinks Bourdon is optimistic about the timeline for rights-of-way acquisition.
"You should be ready for a lengthy appeal process," he said.
Willett said the message from Supervisor Carol Springer is that "this is a done deal" and the supervisors are ramming it down the residents' throats whether they want it or not.
Willett asked Springer if she made any promises to developers regarding a road or if she or members of her family received any financial gain.
Springer said no, and that she resented the questions.
"I have made no promises, and no one in my family has," Springer said.
Georgene Lockwood, president of Friends of Williamson Valley, said county officials continually work against what residents want. She said the corridor survey showed that residents supported three-lanes and additional roads, such as east-west connectors to the highway.
Lockwood said county officials "prematurely sent the corridor plan to interested parties and stakeholders" and offered nothing in support of the plan.
She also said residents were probably hearing about county action for the first time.
Williamson Valley Corridor Plan committee chairman Ken Mino said the supervisors are continuing, "as if no opposition has been voiced. Supervisor Springer is not changing her mind. I would ask Supervisors Thurman and Davis if there is something in your oath of office that allows you to play the enabler or from coming to the aid of residents in another district?"
Mino asked the supervisors to "step up to the plate and allow the corridor committee to select a traffic planner."
Springer said, "As supervisors, it is our responsibility to represent everyone in the county and in our district, not just the vocal ones and those who come to meetings. We make decisions based on the information we have. For this project, there is
12 years of information."
She said she receives e-mails from residents who support the project, but are not willing to come to meetings and risk confrontations with the opposition.
"While we have the support of a good number of people, we don't have the support of everyone," Springer said.
Thurman said, "I have toiled with this. It seems expensive but to find the information we need, I move that we approve it (the design contract)."
Davis said he feels the county "failed miserably in the public process for this many people to show up. We failed to explain what is happening."
The chairman said county officials might need to "ramp up" public participation to explain its position.
