CCMIN091598 - Laserfiche WebLink

Imagine that the Baseline Traffic Report assumes that major Route 84 capacity improvements, in the form of extra lanes, will take place by the year 2010 so that northbound 1-680 does not become gridlocked in the afternoon? Imagine assuming this even though the county's voters failed to pass even Measure B, which would have at least begun minor Route 84 improvements? Imagine knowing that 1-580 will operate at LOS F from 1-680 to Santa Rita Road in the eastbound direction during the afternoon, but having a city Baseline Traffic Report that nonetheless assumes that increasing the capacity of the northbound to eastbound movement of the 1-580/680 interchange will actually help relieve congestion on 1-680 northbound? Imagine driving over 1-680 on West Las Positas Boulevard on many Friday afternoons and seeing the cars backed up well past where the West Las Positas Interchange will beckon stuck freeway motorists onto Pleasanton city streets, and not realizing that this is how it will look everyday at buildout? Imagine believing that there is actually something like a "gateway constraint" effect that the Baseline Traffic Report assures us will "physically restrict" 1-680 northbound from becoming gridlocked at buildout? Imagine that the City Staff believes that Ramp Metering for Pleasanton freeway on-ramps is an essential ingredient to Pleasanton putting all it's traffic onto the freeways? This despite the May 21, 1998 City Council workshop when Caltrans representatives repeatedly failed to answer the question of who would control the operation of the Pleasanton Ramp Meters. Thus, confirming the fact that once Ramp Meters are in place they are in to stay regardless of the negative impacts to Pleasanton residents. Even though the result may be that long distance commuters from Tracy and Manteca will have preference over Pleasanton residents. Imagine the Staff once again ignoring the Council's concerns on another matter so vital to the interest of the citizens of Pleasanton? Realize that the "fairy tales" described above are key to the Staff's "best case" estimate that only 25 Pleasanton intersections will fail level of service standards at buildout. Imagine how many Pleasanton intersections will actually fail level of service standards when the three hundred million dollar funding deficit standing in the way of the High Priority Transportation Projects in the Tri-Valley Transportation Plan goes unfunded? Imagine actually believing the "fairy tales" will come true? Based on your vivid imagination, imagine that it's the best use of $20,000,0002 of scarce traffic mitigation money to build the West Las Positas Interchange so that we can reduce the number intersections in Pleasanton failing level of service standards at build out from 29 to 25? Imagine NPID thinking it's a worthwhile use of their money? Maybe we'll ask them to buy swampland in Florida next? Well, imagine no further... it's happening right here in Pleasanton! "'" 2 $20,000,000 is my cost estimate to build the WLPI according to the "modified" design and to perform the required neighborhood traffic mitigation