Tucson Bus Riders Union

Broadway Blvd.

June 9 City Council Meeting: Broadway Coalition Redux #10? (I’ve Lost Count)

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Broadway Blvd.
Campbell and Broadway intersection on the latest Broadway widening project maps.

How wide should Broadway Blvd. be between the Snake Bridge and Country Club Rd? This seems like a never-ending question, but today– June 9– is a big day. Today, the Tucson City Council will vote on moving forward with the Broadway widening project.

You’ll remember that the Broadway Citizens Task Force meetings over the last few months have been filled with drama and intrigue. Originally, powers that be in the city/county wanted to widen Broadway to eight lanes, based upon flawed traffic projections from 20 years ago. Over and over again in meetings and on comment cards, the citizens of Tucson have said that expansion was not necessary because the city didn’t grow east, as projected– besides the fact that expansion to 8 lanes would destroy historic buildings and put small businesses out of business. That 8-lane idea was beaten back, but still the “pro-car” … er… “pro-growth” forces tried to manipulate the process.

Also, on tonight’s agenda is a discussion of the Sun Tran budget and potential route changes.

So– if you support sustainable, historically sensitive growth and transportation, come to today’s Mayor and Council Meeting and show your solidarity with the Broadway Coalition and the Tucson Bus Riders Union. Below are the details about the Broadway widening and about Sun Tran…

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SunTran Community Meetings to Discuss Fare & Route Changes

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Ronstadt Transit Center at night.
Ronstadt Transit Center at night.

NOTE: This story has been updated with further background and additional links provided by the Tucson Bus Riders Union and Sun Tran, including how to voice you opinion if you cannot attend one of the meetings.

A series of seven meetings have been scheduled by the City of Tucson and SunTran to gather public input on proposed fare increases and changes to bus routes.

These meetings are being held all over town; most meetings target specific routes. If you have an opinion on this topic, be there. 

If you ride Sun Tran buses or care about how transit works for Tucson, it’s time to pay attention. The city is moving forward toward changes in routes and fares. Please forward this info to your networks!
1. Sun Tran’s link to documents fully outlining the route changes (service reductions) and fare increases proposed to go into effect this summer.  http://suntran.com/Proposed_Service_Change14.php
2. Bus Riders Union website’s excellent rundown of the federal Title VI process for vetting proposed changes, and how you can make your voice heard.  http://tucsonbusridersunion.org/2014/03/14/title_6_hearings/
(Oh, that’s why there are public meetings: the feds require it! and you thought they just wanted our opinion because our lives are affected….)

All of the meetings are listed in the Blog for Arizona Calendar here. For additional background information check out the Tucson Bus Riders’ website here.

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Ronstadt Center Re-Development: When Is a Public Process Not Public?

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Ronstadt-dance22-sig-sm72by Pamela Powers Hannley

More than 90 days have passed since the Tucson City Council voted to begin a 60-90 day public comment period to gather information and ideas related to the proposed re-development of the Ronstadt Transit Center. During that time,  the Tucson Bus Riders Union held a public forum at the Rialto, compiled and organized hundreds written comments collected at the forum, met with City Councilwoman Karin Uhlich, and participated in collecting 2800 surveys from bus riders.

What has Corky Poster done? Poster is the architect and planner who was City Council hired to gather the public input. Rumor has it that Poster has held eight “stakeholder” meetings in recent weeks. With the information gathered at those meetings, he has compiled a report outlining consensus goals and objectives and said report was to be delivered to the City Manager’s office last week before Poster left town on vacation. More photos and details on the secret public process and who the real stakeholders are after the jump.

Ronstadt Transit Center: Community Space or Capitalist Dream?

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Privatize316-sig-sm72by Pamela Powers Hannley

The Downtown Tucson Partnership— like other business groups before them– has designs on the Ronstadt Transit Center (RTC). Since the early Feb. 5 City Council vote approving a 60-90 day public comment period before throwing the RTC to the dogs… er … developers,  the Tucson Bus Riders Union held a public forum at the Rialto, compiled and organized hundreds written comments collected at the forum, met with City Councilwoman Karin Uhlich, and participated in collecting 2800 surveys from bus riders. 

When the Ronstadt Transit Center was constructed in 1991, it was billed as a community gathering place. Dance and music performances at the RTC were featured during Downtown Saturday Nights (pre-cursor to Second Saturdays but twice per month in its heyday). At the April public forum, dozens of speakers talked about improving the transit center, making it a focal point for community activities (as it once was), and building community– not commercial develop– at the site.

The big question is: in making its decision regarding the fate of the Ronstadt Transit Center, will the City Council listen to the 41-member Downtown Tucson Partnership or the thousands of Tucsonans who have voiced their opinion on this issue?

Today, May 17, a group of transit activists, downtown residents, and members of the Tucson Bus Riders Union will gather at the Ronstadt Transit Center in a community-building exercise. Wear white, bring your musical instruments, signs, and your community spirit to the RTC at 5 p.m. and let's see what happens. Meet under the clock, and don't disrupt the buses. This is a bus-friendly, community event– not a protest.

For background on the most recent Ronstadt Transit Center struggle, check out stakeholder opinions after the jump.