215 Freeway Funds only Half the Story

You will see a few local politicians and city employees straining their arms patting themselves on the back about securing the funds for the 215 freeway/Barton Rd Improvements. So get the arm slings ready. You may want to bring out the neck braces also because there will be a whiplash injury to treat.

Here is the rest of the story:

The amount designated as reserved for the 215/Barton Rd Construction is only a small portion of the funds required to do the project.

The Environmental Impact Study Cal Trans suggests will cost much more than those the City of Grand Terrace would like to push through the rubberstamp mill which often results in delays and legal actions.

The dislocation, relocation of businesses is a factor that the State needs to resolve with the business owners and not let the City Direct the Businesses Impacted, Moved, or Retained. If there is a need to move a business that should be a Cal Trans / Engineering Decision, not a City Development Preference.

The slap happy credit taking that will be done at the up coming City Council Meetings should be tempered with the real history of freeway construction. Remember the Imperial Highway Property was purchased and cleared for YEARS prior the construction.

What should happen is communication between the State and The Property OWNERS. The State should give the property and business owners a time line showing how long they can expect to continue business or use of the property, and when the "Time To Move" must be.

In addition, no new Construction should be done on the area where there may need to have a right of way. Use of the land could revert to temporary farming of crops, or some other low investment temporary use that could contribute to the community. However, no business or city should "Develop" a large site only for the State to have to Pay for the Capital Investment and Business to be relocated/closed in the future.

Any and all RDA Land should be Confiscated by the State and put into a hold until the design is settled and then the State should control what is done with the "Right of Way" until construction begins.