Over 60 residents attended a Sandag meeting yesterday evening at Grace Lutheran Church to learn about theproposed Mid-City Rapid Bus project, a new high-frequency service that will quickly carry passengers between Downtown and SDSU via Park and El Cajon boulevards. but the only street where the buses will have two exclusive tracks is on Park Boulevard from University to El Cajon. Virtually everyone in the crowded room was against the proposal which also includes closing Polk Street to thru traffic.
One neighbor questioned Sandag spending this money since bus ridership has been on the decline for years, but the blame was placed on the recession & (last year’s) lower gas prices. It was indicated that more and more fabulous options would come on board to this rapid system as the community got more dense and ridership increased. But the community does not want to become more dense. Is anyone listening? One old woman was so upset after attending numerous “community input” meetings and concluding that the input was just ignored and could no longer contain her frustrations and shook and trembled as she spoke. Sadly, she decided the meetings were merely circus acts and that nobody was really listening.
Is the $43M project a waste? Or is it time to rally? Does the community have a voice or will Sandag do what they want no matter what? Questions? Call David Hicks at (619) 699-6939 .
