Government Affairs
2008 Election Candidates and Candidate Survey Responses back to main Candidate page
Candidate Survey Responses – On The Issues – Each Question, All Candidates
11. What are your priorities to improve transportation in, around, to, and from Flagstaff?
Mayor Joseph Donaldson
My priorities to improve transportation in, around, to and from Flagstaff are to continue to work at with the Arizona Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, the Rural Transportation Advocacy Council, Governor Napolitano's staff, bqArizona, the TIME Coalition, Northern Arizona Council of Governments, Coconino County, The Flagstaff Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority, the Maricopa Association of Governments, the Pima Association of Governments and whoever I need to work with to systematically work towards facilitating transportation movement in , around, to and from Flagstaff. It takes a full-time mayor with major time flexibility to represent our community's transportation needs. If we are not there, it is assumed that decision these groups may make that effect us is acceptable to us.
Priorities include cost effective and efficient public transportation within Flagstaff, eventual Fourth Street connection to the I-40 freeway, completion of the John Wesley Powell Boulevard, eventual a six lane I-40 to accommodate truck traffic, six lane expansion on I-17, eventual Lone Tree Interchange, a bridge over the train tracks in the vicinity of Enterprise, widening of Lone Tree, eventual Traffic Operations Center to facilitate traffic movements on Milton and Route 66, reconstruction of the underpass on Milton, facilitating traffic movement at the corner of Route 66 and Humpherys, facilitating traffic movements on Highway 180, and many internal road improvements. The problem is, we are a small community with a limited ability to pay for all of this at once. There is a prioritized plan in place that involves strategically motivating partners to assist us in further planning and funding. As a full-time mayor, I am able to be where I need to be to represent our community in these and other discussions.
Sara Presler-Hoefle
I support the 2008 transit tax, especially 401. I am unsure if I support a sales tax for the impact of new development on roads and highways. I would support bonding for future roads and highways. Some projects we should immediately consider are the realignment of Lonetree and the JW Powell project.
One way to raise some revenue for transportation would be to sell private advertisements on City buses. Another way to fund projects is to bond. A third way to raise revenue is to lobby the legislature to adequately share revenue.
One idea that I propose to solve the traffic issues is to implement a carpool program or park and ride program for employees to take the bus or carpool to work. Reducing congestion is a key to a good transportation policy.
Karla Brewster
In and around Flagstaff transportation priorities need to include the bus, biking and any other forms of alternative transportation which will help the overall traffic congestion and carbon footprint. It is essential that the bus propositions pass to make this a viable alternative. The city needs to explore the option of rapid busses which are like light rail cars with rubber tires and a separate lane to transport people. The new developments of walking neighborhoods (or biking) should help reduce the need for cars to go to retail and grocery stores as much as the older neighborhoods, thus reducing the carbon footprint some. Park and ride areas need to be designated to make the bus more feasible. Flagstaff needs to take a stance on getting people out of their cars as much as possible. We need to study the possibility of more overpasses to get across town more easily and an interchange from I-40 to Lone Tree. To and from Flagstaff is a tougher decision as ADOT will be involved. If Flagstaff is considering a bypass, then how will that affect businesses in our area? Adding more lanes to I-17 needs to be done before gridlock occurs, so planning needs to be already on-going to accomplish this as that process is very slow.
Coral Evans
I support all five ballot propositions that are currently being proposed by NAIPTA. We need to make transportation, traffic management and roads a priority. It will be important to review, re-evaluate and (possibly) change current City transportation plans and funding to expedite solutions to the most pressing traffic problems.
Morgan Hagaman
The first thing that has to happen is that our current roads in the city get taken care of. We do not need articles in the paper bragging about which street has the biggest pothole. We need to fix our streets and maintain them. We next need to expand on north south corridors through Flagstaff to relieve traffic congestion, not only on Milton, but on the east side of town as well. We need to continue to work with the State and County to ensure that our roads coming into the City are as efficient as they can be.
John McCulloch
We should have a comprehensive Transportation Bond Program as quickly as possible to present to the voters which would address current and future traffic needs. A western alternative to realign RT180, an Interchange at Lone Tree and I-40, extending Enterprise to Cedar Avenue, building another way over or under the railroad downtown and from west Route 66, widening Fourth Street from Huntington to Butler Ave. and connecting John Wesley Powell Blvd. To Fourth Street are important parts of the puzzle we need to be planning and building for now to prepare this community for the future. These projects will be weighed against our debt capacity and existing “pay as you go” improvements as well as improving our relationship with ADOT to move this agenda forward.
Micole Shorty
I would like to see us taking advantage of the railroad to alleviate our traffic by having one or two passenger express cars that make trips to outlining areas. This will help unclog the traffic congestions especially during rush hour.
Al White
I support all five ballot propositions for Mountain Line. I support growth that accommodates alternatives being available to the auto. I support gridlike road systems that accommodate connectivity. We need more North-South connectivity in that regard. I am interested in the roundabout alternative to traffic lights- it allows more movement less stop and go gas wasting. ADOT planning needs to be identified now since it takes 20 years to accomplish. |
