Editor:
I live on the highway in Roberts Creek, and use the highway regularly. The traffic flows well, and there is never “congestion.” While the existing highway could use safety improvements, these should be improved lighting, left turn lanes, slightly lowered speed limits and pedestrian bridges near bus stops.
Instead, MOTI has proposed a couple of “alignment options” in upper Roberts Creek which would slice a community in two. Roads where people currently walk, bicycle or ride horses will be unavailable to use, as they will be turned into highway off-ramps. Roads that kids use to visit their buddies would be cut off, school bus routes would be blocked.
The proposed four-lane highway would require expropriating dozens of people’s properties, including many agricultural properties - displacing multiple families (including farmers) in a housing crisis and at a time when we need increased food security...seriously?!
The area is also of massive importance environmentally. The alignments would cross 11 fish-bearing streams, require further deforestation (where trees are crucial carbon sinks and roots absorb water during rain and flood seasons). There are families of elk and bears, with whom residents peacefully co-exist, and habitat for coyote, deer, mountain lions, eagles, ravens and owls, all of which would be displaced. This area is of such ecological fragility, beauty and importance, that it is hard to see why these options have even made it this far.
I’ve experienced congestion in the stretch between Wilson Creek to Selma Park, likely to have more issues as sea levels continue to rise. Yet this full stretch has no proposal, due to a stated “impact to the community.” How then, can MOTI justify the proposed negative impacts to the community of Roberts Creek, all for saving just two minutes of commute time, as per their report?
Lin Gardiner, Roberts Creek
