FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – Assemblyman Jim Patterson and others call a meeting over Highway 99 Funds.
Assemblyman Patterson (R-Fresno) and other legislators requested a meeting to be held in the Central Valley in response to a proposal to take millions from Highway 99 widening projects in Madera and Tulare and reinvest the funds into other projects including high speed rail.
Assemblyman Patterson represents the 23rd Assembly District in the California Legislature, which includes communities in Fresno and Tulare County
Under the 2020 Transportation Plan are two projects that would have increased stretches of Highway 99 from four to six lanes in the Central Valley.
Patterson’s Office said Cal Trans’ report even notes the “bottleneck” created at these sections along this major freight corridor.
“This is theft of our gas taxes by Executive Order. Governor Newsom is intentionally starving us out of our roads. Voters approved SB 1 with the promise that our crumbling highways would get the attention they deserve. Instead of building capacity, our gas tax funds are being siphoned off to fund Newsom’s favored pet-projects,” Assemblyman Patterson said. “Governor Newsom’s promise not to forget about the Central Valley is full of hot air, just like his climate plan.”
The California Transportation Committee meeting was announced Monday.
Patterson says the hearing is a good sign that the proposal might not go into effect.
The meeting will be taking place at the Fresno Council of Governments
Boardroom 2035 Tulare Street # 201
Fresno, CA 9372.
To view the live webcast of this meeting, please visit:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCASI3gyTEuhZffC13RbG4xQ
Click to hear the report by KMJ’s Dana West:
