Article last updated:
Sunday, July 08, 2001 3:37 AM MST
Print this Article E-Mail to a Friend Link to this Article
Tracy debate on multimodal station heats up
Opponents allege input ignored on key moves
By Brooke Bryant
SAN JOAQUIN BUREAU
The city is moving forward with its plans to build a multimodal
station in downtown Tracy despite the protests of one councilwoman and
several residents.
The council's decision Tuesday to allocate more than $880,000 to the
project for site acquisition, environmental review, planning and
design was clouded by angry words and hurt feelings. Several citizens
stood up to criticize the council for its actions and ask council
members to hold off on their vote.
Opponents of the decision charged that key decisions about this
project have been made with- out local input, and that the majority of
the community doesn't want to see the Altamont Commuter Express trains
running through the downtown.
According to a Tracy Tomorrow survey of 1,299 residents, 43 percent
want the ACE train station to stay at its present site on Linne Road
and Tracy Boulevard, while 29 percent like the idea of moving it to
Sixth Street and Central Avenue.
"Among Tracy residents, there is a growing suspicion of impropriety in
the actions of the council," said Madeline Doucas, a member of the
Transportation Task Force. She urged the council to table the vote
until after a public forum was held.
Others agreed.
"Give us the opportunity to present our side, while the city presents
their side, and we can come to some kind of agreement without all the
animosity," said Matt Harvey.
Several speakers pointed out that nobody seemed to know when the
proposed downtown site was chosen for the station. Deputy City Manager
Julie Yuan-Miu confirmed that she could find no documentation to say
how and why the site was selected.
Councilwoman Suzanne Tucker also voiced some reservations, adding that
she, too, was "frustrated by the haphazard approach to choosing a
site."
She suggested that the council take "time-out on this project before
we spend $880,000."
But Councilman Brent Ives pointed out that there is a 2003 deadline
for completion of the multimodal station in order to secure funding
from the State Transportation Improvement Program.
"I don't see any more reason to get any more input that what we've
got," he said. "We need to move ahead with this project."
The $6 million project has obtained full funding from a variety of
sources, including $1.2 million from Measure K funds and $4.5 million
in STIP funds. The city of Tracy will contribute $250,000.
Mayor Dan Bilbrey said that he was "offended" by the personal attacks
on the integrity of the council. He promised that the council will
continue to look at the issue of bringing the ACE train downtown, and
emphasized that he has seen much public discussion of the station in
the 11 years that he has been on the council.
The council went ahead and voted as scheduled, approving the
allocation by 3-1. Tucker dissented, and Councilman Wes Huffman was
absent.
The multimodal station is envisioned as a transportation hub that will
provide links for people who want to travel outside city limits, or
just get around town. It will be designed to accommodate all manner of
transportation, from bicycles and carpools to buses and taxis -- and
possibly trains.
In addition to a ticket office and passenger waiting area, the station
will feature a public plaza, a small retail/concession area, bicycle
racks, storage lockers and vehicle parking. The station is expected to
add to the city's downtown revitalization effort, bolstering
businesses by increasing the flow of traffic in the area.
STAFF WRITER Brooke Bryant can be reached at bbryant@angnewspapers.com
or (209) 832-6144.
|
