From the Chair

Our biggest project has come to a better conclusion than expected; the Board of Supervisors voted YES to allow District 4 (Which includes Green Valley) to make changes to the year one road preservation plan. Fortunately, Green Valley will receive $600,000 to repair roads rather than the Transportation Advisory Committees voted upon $51,000.

The 421 Shuttle that was abruptly changed to provide no service to the Villages Mall on Esperanza has been a key focus of the Traffic & Arroyos Committee. Many residents have been affected by the loss of this stop. Thanks to the efforts of volunteers on this committee, FTA 5311 Rural Transit Grants that will provide funding for shuttle service in Green Valley/Sahuarita is in the works. This means we will have another service stop near the original location, and Dial-A-Ride will remain present in Green Valley.

-Roy Dashen, Traffic & Arroyos Chair

February 20, 2018

 

COMMITTEE INFORMATION

The Traffic & Arroyos Committee works with community members to identify unsafe situations and problems relating to roads and arroyos.  Although the maintenance of roads and arroyos is the responsibility of Pima County and the State of Arizona, the Committee works closely with both governmental agencies to identify areas of need before they become major problems, recommend and prioritize actions, as necessary, and track and evaluate the progress of new construction and maintenance projects.

Traffic Light? 

Roundabout? 

Status Quo?

These are the options currently being discussed by the residents of the Green Valley community.  Almost all of the residents in Green Valley and the surrounding area are in agreement that traffic moving through the intersection at Continental and Whitehouse Canyon roads experience delays in the morning and afternoon “rush” hours.  What is unclear is what can be done to help the situation.

While it may appear that the overall character of the Green Valley community would seem to make the idea of “rush” hours an oxymoron, we do have our share of commuters, for example, school buses, parents and teenagers driving to school, and people in Green Valley and Sahuarita who work nearby.

For these reasons, the issue has been the foremost topic at recent Traffic & Arroyos Committee meetings, which has sponsored a number of informational workshops where the Pima County DOR Traffic Engineering Division has discussed the economic feasibility of different options and presented results of their study of traffic flowing through the intersection.  Pima County is leaving it up to the Green Valley community to make their recommendation before moving forward.

Early this year, the Green Valley Council sponsored a Community Forum, held on February 4, 2016, from 2:00 – 4:00 PM in the GVR East Center in Green Valley.  The Forum was held to ensure that the Council’s Board of Representatives were aware of the issues involved in improving traffic flow at the intersection of Continental and Whitehouse Canyon roads.  Over 100 residents and representatives of HOAs and the School District attended the meeting to hear presentations by Robert Lane and Hannah Olsen, from the Traffic Engineering Division, Pima County DOT, and from the Vice-President of La Posada, Mark Dugan.  The members of the audience were given the opportunity to voice their opinions after the speakers finished their presentations.  Because of the level of controversy surrounding the two most talked about proposals—a roundabout or a traffic light—a task force has been appointed by the GVC Executive Board to review all of the concerns that have been voiced by the community.  The Chair of the task force is Dick Roberts, who is in the process of identifying members of the task force for a meeting in March.  The Traffic & Arroyo Committee and the Executive Board of the Green Valley Council are not rushing toward a recommendation nor is Pima County pushing for one.  The goal of the task force will be to try to reach a consensus on the best course of action.  In the meantime, the task force will look into short term solutions, and La Posada has opened their North Gate into the property to ease traffic congestion.

Road Conditions

The issues of roads most talked about by Green Valley residents is the condition of our roads.  The issue is one not only of safety for passengers and less wear and tear on our vehicles, but of the lack of an important piece of infrastructure that is necessary to bring businesses and newcomers to Green Valley.  At the meeting of the Pima County Board of Supervisors on February 16, 2016, President Don Weaver pledged that the Green Valley Council would help in any way it could to help improve the roads in Pima County and Green Valley.

The Green Valley Council is ready to explore all options with Pima County, three of which are under consideration:

1. Increase the gasoline tax with a provision that the state would pass the full amount back to the cities and counties.
2. Increase the sales tax for Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) funding by ½ cent with the provision that these monies could be used for pavement preservation.
3. Create tax districts for the purpose of road preservation in Green Valley.

Options 1 and 2 would require legislative approval by the state legislators.  Option No. 1 could be addressed this year if either the Senate President or the Speaker of the House agrees to add this item to the legislative agenda.  Option No. 3 requires approval by the Pima county Board of Supervisors.  If the Supervisors agree, the residents of the proposed tax district would be asked to vote their approval.  The Roads to Recovery brochure explains the funding for Pima County road repair, and the Green Valley Council’s listing of County and private roads in the subdivisions in Green Valley provides background information on the nature and scope of this issue.

Traffic Reports

Often traffic analyses are undertaken for new developments, including the intersection at Continental and Whitehouse Canyon roads and the proposed Kino Landing project.  The Committee will post these reports as they are made available.

Sharing Our Roads
Green Valley Roads are lined with bike paths and the Committee coordinates with the bicyclists on issues of concern.  Golf carts also share bicycle lanes and vehicle lanes depending on the width of the bike lane.  Golf carts wider than the lanes must use the vehicle lanes.  Arizona state law considers golf carts to be motor vehicles, which require them to be registered and insured (i.e., liability insurance—minimum $15,000 in the case of bodily injury and $10,000 for damage to property.

Public Transportation

Green Valley also assists their residents in getting around the area and traveling between Tucson and Green Valley.  “Need-a-Ride?” lists local availability, and the “Sun Shuttle,” part of the greater Tucson transportation regional system also provides within area and longer distance commutes.

Traffic Reports

Often traffic analyses are undertaken for new developments, including the intersection at Continental and Whitehouse Canyon roads and the proposed Kino Landing project.  The Committee will post these reports as they are made available.