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 Shortly,
Highway 179 re-construction will commence turning the current
terrible and dangerous traffic situation into chaos. During
the reconstruction process, one lane of the highway will be
closed down in the construction area that will create a near
gridlock situation.
 With
no bypass or alternate route to this stretch of road, we are
about to witness traffic backups the like of which we have
never seen before. Can you imagine traffic backed up all the
way from 89A to Interstate 17?
"My
wife and I encountered a situation like this in Portland,
Oregon. It would take us 45 minutes to travel 3 miles
- we had no alternative. It was a nightmare. I can honestly
say, we'd avoid trips to the Village at all costs rather
than sit in traffic. I have no doubt it will hurt business
for everyone."
John Barker, West Sedona resident |
It is
now painfully obvious that an alternate route is mandatory
and a prerequisite to any construction to bypass traffic by
Highway 179 to avoid gridlock and pending economic disaster.
Numerous alternatives have been explored over time.
The most
obvious and simple would be the re-opening of the Red Rock
Crossing. This is a road that has been used since the stagecoach
days, paved in the early 30’s and ultimately used by
many up until the time it was washed out by a great storm
in the late 70’s and never repaired due in part to the
resistance by environmental groups and politically correct
politicians even though the majority of the citizens supported
the reconstruction of the road.
Reasonable,
responsible Sedonans are coming together to agree that the
time has come for us to avoid transportation, medical, and
fire catastrophe by opening an alternate route such as at
Red Rock Crossing. Why would we NOT move ahead to solve the
impending gridlock and economic disaster by restoring the
crossing?
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Rendering of Proposed Sedona Red
Rock Crossing Bridge |
Drive
down and see for yourself--the
solution is literally a "stone's throw" from Verde
Valley School Road over to Red Rock Loop! It is time for the
City and County governments, and
the Voice of Choice to come together with concerned citizens
and resolve the alternate route issue to avoid gridlock and
a pending disaster.
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