1/26/2008 8:43:00 PM
Questions remain over Williamson Valley Road widening plans
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PRESCOTT - Design for the controversial Williamson Valley Road widening project is now about 30 percent complete, but many of the people who live nearby still appear unconvinced the project is necessary.
About 150 people turned out Thursday evening at Prescott's Granite Mountain Middle School for an open-house meeting on the proposed widening of Williamson Valley Road from Pioneer Parkway to Outer Loop Road.
For years, the idea of widening the mostly rural stretch of road to four lanes has generated debate in the community. Yavapai County ultimately opted to move forward and hired Kimley-Horn and Associates to do the design.
This week's open house featured various aspects of the project, including planning for trails, traffic, environment, and turning movements.
Central to the presentation was a large display of the design plans super-imposed over aerial photography of the entire 7.2-mile project route.
Yavapai County Public Works Director Phil Bourdon noted that the magnified design drawings gave residents along the route a close-up look at how the widened road would affect their property.
For many of the residents who studied the various displays this week, the details appeared to be secondary to an underlying opposition to the project.
Inscription Canyon resident Ron Carlson, for instance, said he was "deadly against" the project. "There is no middle ground for me," Carlson said, maintaining that the county had taken an "in-your-face" approach on the road project, as well as other issues in the Williamson Valley area.
Another Williamson Valley-area resident, Ron Salmon, expressed similar views. "I don't like it, just because I wanted to live in a rural area," he said. "Now we have a road (plan), and I can't quite understand why we need it."
While Bourdon allowed that some opposition remains in the community, he said county officials and the designers are working hard to deal with many of the specific issues that residents brought up at the previous open house this past summer.
For instance, area resident Glenn McCallum noted that recent changes in the design would improve the impact the project would have on his property.
McCallum pointed out that he had strongly objected to the previous plan's handling of the drive into his home. "We made some suggestions (at the last open house), and they followed them," he said.
Even so, McCallum said he generally opposed the project. At the same time, however, "It's already gone beyond where we can do anything about it," he said. "Now, we have to smooth it out so it as beneficial to us as possible."
However, Williamson Valley Corridor Plan President Ken Mino, an adamant opponent of the widening, disputed the theory that the project had gone too far to stop it.
"That becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy," he said. "It works as long as the county can get people thinking that way."
Bourdon said the 30-percent design will come with an updated cost estimate, which he expects to be more expensive than the most recent $25 million to $30 million figure. The revised estimate should be ready within the next several weeks, he added.
Currently, the project is in the county's five-year plan at a cost of $22.5 million, Bourdon said. The estimates cover only the cost of construction, and do not include right-of-way acquisition.
Yavapai County Supervisor Carol Springer acknowledged that cost would be an issue for the project.
The county plans to pay for the widening through sales tax and impact fees - both revenue sources that could feel the impacts of a slowing economy.
"Revenues are cyclical, just like the economy," Springer said. "Probably what we would have to do is expand the time of the project. It will take a little longer to finish."
She suggested doing the widening in three phases, which would help to deal with rising costs and slowing revenues.
According to a handout at the open house, the final design should be complete by summer, with right-of-way acquisition to begin later in the summer.
Contact the reporter at cbarks@prescottaz.com
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Posted: Friday, February 29, 2008
Article comment by:
miro
I am new to Prescott and it seems like common sense to widen a road that is in need of it. This is one of the better communities in Arizona, people that can afford to live should obviously be able to afford to pay a lil more in taxes to pay for the road. Also the same for the delapadated high school. Give your kids a better education and upgrade that thing before it falls apart!
Posted: Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Article comment by:
Todd from WV
JSE -
The "news" of a road widening, would not even be considered "news" in 99% of the country. They widen roads everyday and 99% of people rejoice because of that. WV is mostly composed of retired Californian's that have the "not in my backyard" mentality. Once you moved here, you don't want anyone else moving in, there is a word for that, it is called "hypocrisy". The road WILL be widened and all that wasted time, energy and money could have helped sick & homeless children, or any other REAL humanitarian cause.
Posted: Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Article comment by:
JSE
Two different issues, Todd from WV. The sheriff handles crime issues in the county; the board of supervisors handle road issues. When crime in the county jurisdiction is not being addressed effectively, get onto the sheriff. When people have issues with how county roads are being addressed, they have recourse to the board of supervisors. County citizens must feel that the sheriff is doing his job pretty well as we don't see much comment here about it. The widening of the Williamson Valley road is a different story, however, based upon the amount of commentary about it. You must like the county's plan for the road; many others apparently do not. It is not only their right, but also their obligation to take the matter public. ,as it is your's.
Posted: Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Article comment by:
Todd from WV
All of you anti-road people need to get a life! There are more serious problems in the area than a road widening. Take for instance, the drug and gang problems. Need you be reminded that an officer got shot next to Gateway Mall last week and they arrested a Mexican Mafia boss in Humboldt. You people need to refocus your battles.
Posted: Monday, January 28, 2008
Article comment by:
Tom Steele
Dan S has nailed it. In addition, the fastest way to stop this developer project is to defeat Springer and Thurman in the next election. It will take a lot of work from "the people" as the developer - real estate crowd will back their "people" to "get er done". It's up to us and there are more of us.
Posted: Monday, January 28, 2008
Article comment by:
JSE
Ms. Springer and those on the board supporting the widening of Williamson Valley Road are really doing the bidding of the developers which need the road to fully develop their open land the road services. The only way to stop the project is to defeat the supporting board members when they next are up for election. Moreover, voters must ensure that new candidates will stand up for taxpayers over the interests of big developers. If you are really serious, work together and organize an effective recall campaign.
Posted: Sunday, January 27, 2008
Article comment by:
Hugh
I was at the open house and frankly I think that the KH study and plan show a considerable amount of sensitivity to past comments. Also, I heard many comments that were duly noted by KH and my impression was that they were eager to help modify the plan to accommodate issues raised.
Personally I am in favor of the project as it will solve many problems with the current WVR.
Posted: Sunday, January 27, 2008
Article comment by:
glen
I don't know what school
Ms. Springer graduated
from, but anytime you
do things in stages/phases each new stage or phase, will cost just that much more, than the earlier one(s). If you don't have the money, don't spend what you don't have! It would appear, from my perspective, that Ms. Springer and her colleagues are taking lessons from Washington DC, on how to spend more than they have in their
budget, for what appears to be someones "pet project" ! No project, which is still on paper, can't be stopped!
Posted: Sunday, January 27, 2008
Article comment by:
Dan S.
If there is a north/south road that needs widening, it is Hwy 89. More traffic, more residents, more need for expansion. Pure and simple, the purpose of the proposed -- not yet too far gone to stop it, either -- Williamson Valley Road (WVR) project is to open up more land for sale/development. Rules for transporting/using heavy equipment mandate a certain road width and capability, which does not now exist on WVR. It is an investor-spawned and investor-benefit project, at taxpayer cost being fronted by a realtor-based and development-backed politician. If nothing else, fix Hwy 89, first.
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