Lone Tree Overpass:
Design Plan Flawed

Comments needed by January 18th

ACTION ALERT: Your comments to City Council needed!

The current design schematic:

• Contains a total of 26 lanes at the Butler intersection, and 27 lanes at Route 66
• Has two directions at Butler with 7 lanes each; the other two have six lanes each
• Includes a slip lane at the Route 66 intersection, a design that endangers pedestrians and bicyclists
• Is based on a traffic model that assumes an increase in the volume of traffic through 2040 and is designed to accommodate such increases
• Identifies the “success” of the overpass and its intersections as the speed at which thousands of vehicles can move along the road and through the intersections with no wait longer than 30 seconds
• Introduces a large four-way intersection into a historically underserved and racially diverse neighborhood, disrupting its character and social cohesiveness.

It neglects to take into consideration the detailed and comprehensive Active Transportation Master Plan, due for finalization in early 2022, that focuses on the need to reduce VMT and promotes walking-biking infrastructure. 

It ignores the long-known and data-proven phenomenon of induced demand – that increasing roadways to cure congestion almost always has the opposite effect. Research shows that the end result of increasing roads in a city is not a decrease in congestion, but a continuation of congestion. (If you’re not familiar with induced demand, I encourage you to read more about it at the link above.)  

And it repeats the pattern of putting major thoroughfare intersections in lower-income neighborhoods, decreasing pedestrian safety and the social mobility that comes with walkability. Research shows that high volumes of traffic moving at high speeds through neighborhoods increases pedestrian injuries more than two-fold. And four-way intersections are responsible for 3.5 times more pedestrian injuries than are three-way intersections (reference). Transportation should not be prioritized over community in this historic neighborhood known for its walkability.

F3’s position:  The City of Flagstaff cannot both declare a climate emergency and design for increased vehicular traffic into the year 2040. The aim of the Lone Tree Overpass project cannot  simply be to move cars through a neighborhood as quickly as possible. The design of Lone Tree Overpass needs to reflect the values of the community. 
We Support:

–Slowing the process down to allow time for a thorough public discussion of community values and how to address these in the design
– A publicly-vetted alternative design that is aligned with the commitments of the Flagstaff Climate Neutrality Plan.

– An alternative design that prioritizes bicycle and pedestrian movement and safety at both intersections.

– A community discussion with residents of the Southside neighborhood on design options that support neighborhood walkability, pedestrian/bike safety, and overall social cohesiveness. 

Michele James
Executive Director
www.friendsofflagstaff.org