Key Highway Lawsuit Settled In California

19 January 2009 - 12:00pm

One down, nine to go - that's how many hwy projects Gov. Schwarzenegger wants exempted from environmental review in order to be 'shovel ready' for the Obama stimulus. Hwy 50 was settled to the delight of enviros who negotiated a big win for transit.

"A Sacramento judge gave his OK Friday (1/16) to what's being called a landmark agreement between state officials and environmentalists to allow carpool lanes on Highway 50 in Rancho Cordova."

"The agreement was brokered by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg", author of landmark land use-climate change law SB 375.

"The original (Hwy 50) lawsuit calling for more environmental review was brought by the Environmental Council of Sacramento and the Neighbors Advocating Sustainable Transportation community group."

"Caltrans has agreed to finance $7 million in improvements to the Sacramento Regional Transit light-rail line that parallels the freeway...and also agreed to pay to make a pedestrian and bike crossing from an old railroad bridge over Highway 50."

"We are happy that improvements for the benefit of vehicle traffic in the Highway 50 corridor are now tied to improvements to transit service in the same area," ECOS spokesman Eric Davis said."

Source: The Sacramento Bee, January 17, 2009

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ca hsr

too bad he doesnt do this for the high speed rail project, if there was ever an infrastructure project that screamed huge economic stimulus and jobs this would be it.

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In the long term, removing major urban freeways should be part of a more comprehensive approach to reduce automobile dependency by promoting public transportation and transit-oriented development.