If 95% of success is showing up, you have to wonder what the State of California has against success. For the moment we’ll overlook how our governor in his 1970s incarnation declared he would get Californians out of their cars by stopping further road construction.
As unemployment has recently plummeted, particularly in Marin County, commuting employees are the only means of supplying companies with the talent they need. We have willing employers ready to pay willing employees and the biggest obstacle to the success of both company and employee is the State of California.
Assemblyman Marc Levine introduced Assembly Bill 157 to remove one artificial barrier to success: open the already existing third lane on the eastbound Richmond San Rafael Bridge. With all the greenhouse gases pouring from the mouths of politicians and bureaucrats as they fret about pollution, it’s hard to understand how the same people are content to watch thousands of idling cars waiting to use the current two lanes while the third lane lies fallow.
Unbelievably, the third lane was open following the Loma Prieta earthquake but was eventually closed.
Levine’s bill aims to kick the inertia out of “regional transportation officials” who are apparently unconcerned about the needs of the people who pay their salaries. While in theory the lane could be opened in a matter of days without legislation, the usual fig leaves of environmental review are held up as excuses to delay action into the indefinite future.
Levine’s bill proposes to do the environmental reviews in tandem with the necessary design work and get the lane open as soon as possible.
For now it’s imperative to support Assemblyman Levine’s bid to open the third lane, at least temporarily. Please add your voice by contacting your assembly member in support of AB 157.
You can see a KRON 4 interview about the bridge on Levine’s website. You can also leave him a message of support by following the “Action” link on the site.