https://www.verdenews.com/news/2018/aug/01/effort-underway-find-new-route-voc-west-sedona/

Effort underway to find new route from VOC to West Sedona

Keep Sedona Moving seeks solutions to traffic woes on State Route 179
.

Looking down the road at projected population increases, especially those in metro Phoenix, Keep Sedona Moving believes that unless some things are done to alleviate the State Route 179 congestion in the next five to 10 years, traffic will become nightmarish throughout the year, not just during peak tourist seasons. Villager photo by Gail Simpson
Looking down the road at projected population increases, especially those in metro Phoenix, Keep Sedona Moving believes that unless some things are done to alleviate the State Route 179 congestion in the next five to 10 years, traffic will become nightmarish throughout the year, not just during peak tourist seasons. Villager photo by Gail Simpson

Speaking before the July 12 Big Park Regional Coordinating Council, Village resident Rick Williams and Yavapai County Supervisor Randy Garrison announced a renewed effort to explore the feasibility of an alternative route from the Village of Oak Creek to West Sedona. A highly controversial issue in the community for many years, a new organization, Keep Sedona Moving, has recently formed to once again assess the desire for such a route, based on the reality of increased traffic. Several possible locations have been proposed, while funding is a big question.

The following hand-out was distributed at the Council meeting:

Keep Sedona Moving (KSM) is a grassroots organization formed by four Big Park residents who, like a lot of their neighbors, are becoming increasingly disenchanted with the traffic congestion along Highway 179 and how it has eroded the quality of life they sought in Big Park. Looking down the road at projected population increases, especially those in metro Phoenix, the group believes that unless some things are done to alleviate the problem in the next five to 10 years, traffic will become nightmarish throughout the year, not just during peak tourist seasons.

There is also the question of public safety, i.e., an escape route in the event of a natural disaster like California experienced last year.

KSM has thus-far called upon a number of resources, i.e., current and former Sedona City Council members, a former Sedona mayor, a commercial real estate expert, a residential real estate expert, members of the Big Park Regional Coordinating Council and Randy Garrison, Yavapai County District 3 Supervisor, in an effort to sharpen its focus on how to proceed.

The group believes there is no single answer to the traffic problem. Instead the solution will likely come from a series of measures in Big Park, Sedona and the Verde Valley.

With the assistance of Yavapai County’s Assessor’s Office, the Yavapai County Graphic Information Systems (GIS) Department, and especially Supervisor, Randy Garrison, KSM is pulling together a simple three- or four-question survey to gauge the level of support for an alternate route between the Village of Oak Creek and West Sedona and to ask whether those in favor would be willing to pay for it via a special taxing district, a special bond, etc.

The survey will be mailed to approximately 6,500 property owners in August or September…

(Deleted by editor)

I heard last evening that a new group “Keep Sedona Moving” (KSM) has formed with the intent to look at regional traffic issues. One objective would be a more direct route from the Village to West Sedona. Supposedly reported in the Villager. I was told Randy Garrison was present.

Truth or just another rumor in this ever turning mill? Perhaps someone with access to the Villager can verify or kibosh.

We’ve all been irritated sitting in traffic here, whether it’s been coming down the canyon which is backed up to Midgely Bridge, heading into Sedona on 179 with the round-a-bouts, or on 89A heading to the ‘Y’ which is backed up to almost to Airport Road. All that should be a 10 minute commute turning into an hour. Now add to that an Emergency Call telling us to evacuate because of Fire. It could happen, look at the small towns in California for an example. Lives could be lost.

We only have 3 roads in and out of the City. Now in this scenario, what if only one of those roads was shut down because of fire. We have approx. 10,000 residents so let’s say they left in 5,000 cars. We have many people that work here from out of town so let’s add another 1,000 cars. And we could have as many as 2,000 or more tourist’s cars Who don’t know the area. I come up with a guesstimate of approx. 8,000 cars on the road, at once. Add to that emergency vehicles that need the right of way, and all drivers being a bit panicked. Please stop for a minute and think about this.

Of all the many, many traffic studies the City has done, I haven’t seen one that included the above scenario in them. Now the City and Chamber want you to vote ‘yes’ on Home Rule saying they have a plan to take traffic through residential streets to bypass the highway. While residents are trying to get out of their streets? Is that the best they can do? Yes it is, because we have no more roads. The logical alternative would be cutting down on traffic. Now I see that there are even more hotel rooms planned for the future. Our small city is just Not able to handle this type of insanity, and heads should roll if only one life were to be lost because of their lack of planning.

I’m not writing this to panic anyone, just to open your eyes. We had the highest fire alert in Yavapai and Coconino counties ever this summer. The weather predictions say we can look forward to even hotter and dryer weather in the future. We need to elect and hire people in our city that understand what Health and Welfare of their citizens mean instead of just lining their own pockets. If it’s to late for You to vote ‘No’ on Home Rule and get our city back, then you will have another chance on November 6, when you can vote ‘Yes’ on PBA.

The chamber/city mouth piece Steve, aka Gretchen need not respond here, as you are part of the problem.

To Gretchen- Have you done any research at all on Smart meters? All bad, bad, bad.

You did a bit of “fear mongering “your self with you catastrophe health effects of smart meters(now didn’t you)..

Your the pot calling the kettle black..

Thanks for you 2 cents but I’m voting for HoneRule..