An Answer to So Cal Steve, Steve Mehlman (AKA Jimmy Schwartz) latest article

Steve Melhman wrote an article linking several old newspaper articles along with some articles from Patch, regarding the sewage treatment plant, WRCOG Writ of Mandate and some articles on my recommendation for Alan Kapanicas for a job in Broward County. Let me say that it is known fact that I wrote a letter of recommendation for Alan Kapanicas. I have not denied and I still support that decision I made. The current sewage treatment plant meets the requirements of the regional board. There was some difficulties in getting the UV lights that were used in the last phase of disinfection approved, but the plant itself meet the requirement of the regional board in regards to have a tertiary plant that allow the regional board to remove the cease and decease order that place on the city back in the early 1990. This is non issue; I don’t know why he is bringing it up. I am however going to provide some more additional information on the statement made in the Press Enterprise article that he linked regarding traffic problems. My comments are in bold type.

TRAFFIC PROBLEMS

Ruthanne Taylor Berger, deputy executive director of the Western Riverside Council of Governments, said several important road projects have languished because Beaumont never provided the TUMF fees for such projects. Wrong answer Ruthanne. WRCOG along with RCTC and RTA conspired to redistribute the first 400 million of TUMF revenue so it could be diverted to WRCOG and RTA. Measure A reauthorization as voted upon the people required voter authorization if these funds were diverted to other organizations, you simply cannot do an internal memo as was done with the blessing of the BBK attorney Steve De Baun who represents both WRCOG and RCTC. Because this money was diverted, funds were not available to complete the county portion of the Potrero Bypass and other needed CETAP corridor projects which Potrero Blvd was. This was a violation of the Measure A authorization.

For example, Oak Valley Parkway is a four-lane arterial as it runs along new housing tracts. But once motorists get close to Interstate 10, the road narrows to just two lanes because freeway interchange improvements never occurred. The bottleneck forces traffic to back up onto the improved roadway. Wrong answer Ruthanne: The bottleneck is a result of RCTC not getting the 400 million in TUMF funds it was suppose to get. The city built what it could on Oak Valley Parkway when it got the most bang for the buck. Also the four lanes were built to allow for traffic going to the developments and for traffic coming from and going over the bridge that leads to Hwy 60.

Plans also have languished to build a bypass road along I-10 in Beaumont, which is needed to detour freeway traffic when major crashes occur, she said. Wrong answer again Ruthanne: The bridge over San Timoteo Creek and the railroad tracks along with the improvements to Oak Valley Parkway, provide an alternative by allowing traffic to exit at Cherry Valley Blvd and re-enter the freeway as far away as Hargrave Street in Banning. Also the traffic can return west on Hwy 60 via the bridge as Caltrans has used on numerous occasions when they shutdown the Hwy 60 in Beaumont.

The city also built bridges across railroad tracks and a wash south of Oak Valley on a road that is supposed to lead to new entrance and exit ramps on the north side of Highway 60, but no one has built the ramps. Wow the ramps haven’t been built yet. The city had to get the rest of the funding together and get approval from Caltrans, which they did and they moving ahead. That’s a lot more than county has done on their 6 mile portion of the road.

But recent a visit found no traffic on bridges, which appear to be big enough to accommodate fours lanes, but they connect to a two-lane road. I don’t know if this comment is from Ruthanne or from the Press Enterprise. This bridge was the first phase; another bridge is planned but hasn’t been built yet.