Natural Resources: Transportation Rights-of-Way

Natural Resources: Transportation Rights-of-Way

BRIEF SUMMARY: The LWVDV supports the preservation of rights-of-way (ROWs) for the movement of people and goods.
Position In Brief: 

The LWVDV supports the preservation of rights-of-way (ROWs) for the movement of people and goods. The San Ramon Valley members of the LWVDV support the maintenance of and improvement to the Southern Pacific Right-of-Way in San Ramon Valley.

Position History: 

(SRV ROW amended 1987; ROW adopted 1992; reviewed and affirmed annually ) 

The LWVDV supports the following objectives to improve ROW planning:

  • More long-range planning.
  • More interjurisdictional and interagency cooperation.
  • Better financial accountability for distribution of transportation funds.

Criteria to be used in evaluating which ROWs merit support for preservation include:

  • Trip demand
  • Absence of alternative solutions to traffic problems 
  • Cost/benefit trade-off
  • Availability for future use or acquisition
  • Current and anticipated population pressure/density 
  • Environmental and economic impact
  • Accessibility (Can you get to it?) 

[San Ramon Valley]: Southern Pacific Right-of-Way

The San Ramon Valley members of the LWVDV support the following objectives:

  • The encouragement and facilitation of non-motorized transportation on the SRV portion of the  Southern Pacific Right-of-Way (SP-ROW) through improvement and completion of a multiple-use trail. A multiple-use trail is defined as providing a paved surface for pedestrians and bicycles and an appropriate surface for joggers and equestrians. 
  • Maintaining the present and future use of the ROW for an underground public utility corridor. 
  • Preservation of the SP-ROW for use as a linear park. The proximity of the ROW to schools and business districts in Alamo, Danville, and San Ramon and to the business park development in San Ramon provides a unique opportunity for non-motorized transportation as well as recreational use. 
  • We support the use of the ROW for non-motorized transportation, recreational, and underground utility corridor purposes only. We cannot justify the use of the ROW for motorized transportation. We believe that feasible alternative routes exist for motorized mass transportation in the San Ramon Valley.

 

League to which this content belongs: 
Diablo Valley