State (ADOT), and the feds use gas taxes as a principal funding source for transportation needs.
Sandy: Hi Tom! Happy April! For our detour topic this month, I have invited Mr. Vincent, or, as we all know him to be, Vinny Gallegos, to talk with us this month. Vinny is the executive director of the Central Yavapai Metropolitan Planning Organization, (CYMPO).
Tom: Excellent, welcome Vinny!
Vinny: Greetings to both of you. Thanks for inviting me.
Sandy: There is a lot to talk about, so diving right in, Vinny, when did CYMPO get started and who is a part of it?
Vinny: Formally, 2003. Based on the 2000 Census, the Feds declared this area a metropolitan area. As such, all the political entities in the area, including Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley and this part of Yavapai County, came together to form CYMPO as a mechanism to plan for the growing transportation needs of our area.
Tom: How big of an area are you talking about?
Vinny: The planning area covers approximately 400 square miles, and currently includes Dewey-Humboldt, which was not a separate political entity back then.
Sandy: All the cities, towns and county are represented on the CYMPO boards and committees. That is very important for our readers to know. I bet that has to be kind of like herding cats!
Vinny: LOL, actually since the beginning, all the entities have come together quite well. The purpose is to plan for regional, multimodal transportation. Our system of highways, trails and bike paths touches every community. And it is with that understanding, all the representatives lean toward cooperation to plan for and collectively seek funding from state and federal resources.
Tom: Back in 2000, I recall this organization getting started. I have watched CYMPO become a very successful and effective organization responsible for many of our major road improvements over the past 20 plus years. What are some of the projects and challenges on your plate currently?
Vinny: The main challenge we always face is getting the resources we need to implement the organization’s plans. Revenue sources have not changed much in the last 30 or so years. State (ADOT), and the feds use gas taxes as a principal funding source for transportation needs. As for projects, currently, there are three primary areas we are focusing on. First, creating an active transportation plan for bike and pedestrian infrastructure. This includes bike lanes, sidewalks and trails.
Sandy: That sounds super fantastic. Biking and walking are a huge part of the communities in our area. I love hearing that CYMPO is on board.
Vinny: It is all part of the integrated transportation system in our area.
Vinny: Another project is the State Route 69 Master Corridor Plan. This addresses both safety and capacity issues along this corridor from Prescott through Dewey-Humboldt. The third major focus is the Sundog Design Concept report and Environmental Overview.
Sandy: This isn’t the first time that a potential route has been discussed. I have been hearing about it for many years.
Tom: It actually started way back in the early ‘90s with the Prescott Strategic plan where we said we did not want L.A.-style superhighways in our area. While on the Prescott City Council at that time, we approved a preliminary plat for Yavapai Hills unit 9 that included a piece of the Sundog Connector in the plat. That was for 1,814 units, a mix of multifamily and single-family living.
Vinny: All your fault, Tom.
Sandy: LOL. I have got something else to blame him for now!
Tom: Yeah yeah, well, it did happen then, but it of course wasn’t all me. The city included a commitment to a portion of the connector as part of the development agreement if I remember correctly.
Vinny: I understand that as well. The General Plan update in 1997-98 precipitated by the Growing Smarter legislation, set the stage for Prescott to develop the Prescott East Area plan. That referenced the need for what was then called the 69 to 89 connector. That is now Prescott Lakes Parkway. It also referenced the Sundog connector.
Tom: That plan was developed including participation by council representatives, Planning and Zoning, and a healthy component of citizens mostly from Yavapai Hills and the Ranch. It was quite inclusive. If I remember correctly, that plan reiterated the desire to have smaller roads rather than making 69 a superhighway.
Sandy: Prescott Valley actually constructed the east end of the route in 2000.
Vinny: In 2007, the City of Prescott approved the preliminary plat for the Storm Ranch subdivision. That was for 227 single family lots. That plat also includes a segment of the Sundog connector.
Sandy: The City of Prescott built the roundabout on Prescott Lakes Parkway as the west end of the connector in 2010.
Tom: Didn’t Prescott do its own Sundog Corridor Study?
Vinny: Yes, that was done in 2013.
Sandy: Having all these plans in place is great. Vinny, tell us a little about how these plans get implemented and the time it takes to realize them.
Vinny: Our job is to take the direction given to us by elected officials over the years. We use that direction to generate the plans for our transportation systems. Many plans, like the ones mentioned, can take decades to see their implementation.
Sandy: Can you give us an example?
Vinny: Sure. There has been a plan to add a single lane in both directions on Highway 69 from Lowes to the mall, about a mile of road. Planning, engineering and funding for that project has taken 10 years.
Tom: There is no instant gratification in the planning business, is there?
Sandy: I suppose not. Sheesh!
Tom: The Sundog connector has just recently been the target of a few area residents who don’t want this road. I for one, think it somewhat weird that our leaders are often targeted with admonitions of uncontrolled growth. That insinuates a lack of planning. Here we have an example of a plan that has been vetted through the last 25 years and even that gets attacked.
Sandy: In making these plans, our elected officials take so many different issues into account. With another 2,000-plus households coming on line in the future, public safety plays a large part. Response times are critical and our road designs play a large part in how quickly our first responders get to your house or business.
Vinny: Leadership sets plans in motion, plans for the future. CYMPO was given the charge by elected officials to take the steps necessary to implement them. That is what the Sundog Design Concept Report is all about.
Sandy: Vinny, I applaud CYMPO in educating the community and citizens. You have a terrific website,
https://www.cympo.org/sundog-connector/ which has so much information on the Sundog Connector – so readers, take a look at the website, this is a great way to stay informed.
Tom: I recall Town of Prescott Valley Mayor Palguta talking about the importance of the Sundog Connector as the connector will drastically reduce police and fire response times to the residents on the back side of Yavapai Hills.
Vinny: Another positive to the many positives for the connector is with the anticipated purchase of Glassford Hill by Prescott Valley, Prescott and Yavapai County. This would prevent any future residential development by any developers along the Sundog route.
Sandy: And let’s not forget the Sundog Connector has been voted on by both Prescott and Prescott Valley’s General Plan for more than 20 years.
In closing – we three give a thumbs-up to the Sundog Connector.
Thanks for stopping in and reading “At Home with Tom and Sandy.” You’re in good company and we love sharing educational, fun and important information with you. QCBN
Sandy Griffis, Executive Director, Yavapai County Contractors Association, 928-778-0040.
Vinny Gallegos, CYMPO, 928-442-5730.
Tom Reilly, Architect, Renovations, 928-445-8506 renovationsaz.com
Remember to tune in to YCCA’s Hammer Time every Saturday and Sunday morning 7 a.m. on KQNA 1130 AM/99.9 FM/95.5FM or the web kqna.com. Listen to Sandy and Mike talk about the construction industry and meet your local community partners. Hammer Time is a great way to start your weekend.
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