Anyone who lives or works in the Valley is familiar with its increasingly crowded roadways and rapidly deteriorating infrastructure. Despite all the congestion and rising gas prices, motor vehicles — mostly single-occupancy during commute times — remain the most efficient and economical way for Valley residents to traverse the community. While wasting hours on congested freeways and surface streets is frustrating to employees, it is costly to business owners. A lunch meeting in downtown could eat up half of a workday for someone based in the Valley, and unpredictable travel times can keep employees out of the office and on the road longer than necessary. These are just some of the reasons why transportation is such a vital issue for the business community. The importance of a safe, reliable and efficient transportation system led the Valley Industry and Commerce Association (VICA) to weigh in on the Southern California Association of Governments’ Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). Overall, VICA was disappointed to see the lack of funds appropriated for projects that would be significant to the Valley and improve mobility throughout the region. Several critical areas that were not addressed in the RTP include: • US -101 between downtown Los Angeles and the city of Calabasas • I-405 north of the US-101 interchange • SR-134 • SR -170 • Major arterials of the Valley Far too often Valley business owners and residents are not seeing the benefits of their tax dollars, and transportation investment is no exception. Despite $40 billion in financing being secured for Measure R projects in the greater San Fernando Valley, funded projects in the Federal Transportation Improvement Plan (FTIP) are limited, including only: • Renovation of the US-101 off-ramp at Van Nuys Boulevard • Improvements to the freeway connector at the US-101 and I-405 interchange • I-405 Corridor Mass Transit project through the Sepulveda Pass • Studies of the Van Nuys corridor and Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport intermodal ground access • Expansion of transit centers at Pierce and Mission colleges While these projects will make great strides to improve mobility in the Valley, they are only the beginning. The RTP must incorporate the many crucial infrastructure improvements that have been omitted from the FTIP. The success of our region’s businesses depend on it. The many projects not included in the RTP and FTIP show us that there is still much work to be done to keep goods, customers, clients and employees moving efficiently throughout the region. Key sections of US-101, including its interchanges with the SR-170 and SR-134 freeways, need immediate attention. The list of freeways and roadways in and around the Valley that are in dire need of renovation could fill many column inches. Van Nuys, Sepulveda, Ventura and Laurel Canyon boulevards are just a few of the major thoroughfares that are frequently traveled, yet are often passed over for improvement funding. VICA is very concerned about the RTP’s neglect of these significant Valley arterials and many others. These streets serve commuters and Valley businesses, connecting travelers to work, home and recreation. VICA urges business leaders to speak up for the Valley when it comes to investment in our transportation system. Most of these freeway and roadway improvements are needed immediately, but we must also plan for the future by developing effective mass transit systems that actually meet the needs of commuters and residents. The economic vitality of our region depends on our ability to move efficiently throughout the region. If we continue to ride the brakes on needed transportation infrastructure investment we will continue to find ourselves stalled by congestion. Instead, we must accelerate our efforts to get our community moving. What freeway and roadway improvements do you think are needed in the Valley? How have traffic issues impacted your business? Email your responses or thoughts about the column to [email protected].
Valley Transportation Projects Key to Business Success
