I-80 A Threat to Housing Affordability?
March 04, 2024
Video: A Widening Goal is for More Bay Area ”Super Commuters”
By Alan Hirsch
The Davis General Plan is on Tuesday’s city council agenda- not just in the item so labeled, but reverse of the city policy of “strongly supporting” the I-80 widening.
I-80 is not just about climate, it also impacts having housing, affordable housing for local residents.
While we in Davis can zone in more density like Cannery, push Davis developers to increase their affordable set aside a few percent points, and even vote a tax on ourselves to fund a housing trust, the benefits for current resident will easily be diluted by demand generated from over ten thousand commuters a day the 33% increase in freeway capacity enable.
Prices are set by demand vs supply, If more people have access and want housing here the prices will go up- as will demand for subsidized affordable units.
Video: Induced Demand for long commute is framed as a good thing
YoloTD Director Bernstein said at their 12/11/23 board meeting one of goals widening I-80 is will allow housing in Davis and Sacramento be used to address affordable housing issues in Bay Area. You can watch the video outtake linked here 1:30:00 Bernstein spins super-commuting as a positive for the project- i.e. its positive to invest so as to encourage Bay Area “super commuters” to drive 2-3 hours to find affordable housing in Sac region.
This statement by Bernstein in fact contradicts Caltrans, and affirms critical comment in Davis city DEIR letter of 1/12/24 that challenging Caltrans for denying the wider freeway will change growth patterns.
Given climate crisis and state climate plan call need to reduce driving, should we invest hundreds of millions to “induce” more GHG generation from a super-commuter lifestyle choice instead of more dense housing in the Bay Area.
Yolobus has been eaten by I-80 Project
About two ½ years ago, YoloBus board re-brand itself as’”YoloTD” a “multimodal agency.” Given statements like this from its Executive Director we can see the transformation is now complete. The agency management seem to have walled itself off from idea their agency’s core mission is to address “climate crisis” and reduce environmental impacts of travel- the one of two key reason we publicly subsidize transit. (the other is social equity)
It notable that Bernstein’s puts positive spin on super commuters in response to question from the YoloTD Board member from the City of Winters. Winters is rapidly turning into a bedroom community for Bay Area with a dramatic 11% growth in housing since 2020 -a growth unsupported by local jobs. This lifestyle choice is subsidized by freeway construction. Sprawl. Some might call Winters growth a textbook example of tragedy of commons. Wider freeways certainly benefit local merchants and landowners in Winters and it does create short term construction jobs in that town, but long term it destroy the commons- our planet by freezing in an dependence on unsustainable transportation system and resulting fossil fuel dependence.
The Winter City Climate Adaption Plan (CAP) says 75% of their GHG is from driving, but the plan offers no program to reduce VMT from commuting.
The YoloTD Board’s Rep from Winter may not even see the uncomfortable linkage. I don’t mention her name as she’s environmentally sensitive person, volunteering thousands of hours to the community, trying to do her best in an area outside her experience set, But what good for her town, good for super commuters, can be bad for the region, state and planet. Its up to transportation professionals, like Bernstein to point out these difficult issues for discussion by the board, not just give the board members rosecolored glasses to make everyone feel OK about I-80.
Speak up at Council Tuesday
Housing advocates need to speak up Tuesday at Davis council as the linkage of housing affordability and I-80 has not been acknowledged. You can show by 6:45 for item 4, Call in a voice mail between noon and 4pm at 530 757-5693, of email council [email protected] to share your position on I-80 widening. You can look at the agenda item here...It as good letter oppose to I-80, but does not mention linkage to housing and thus our general plan
Graphic is linked to video clip
Excellent article. Yeap, what freeways actually "induce" is sprawl.
And they discourage density, in places where the jobs actually are.
Posted by: Ron O | March 05, 2024 at 09:38 AM
Alan writes:
"I-80 is not just about climate, it also impacts having housing, affordable housing for local residents."
I'm wondering if Alan can explain how adding a lane between Davis and West Sac will impact the "climate" and how that lane will also impact "affordable housing for local residents".
Posted by: South of Davis | March 05, 2024 at 01:37 PM
South of Davis: Alan H might have his own response, but I believe that the argument is that expanding the freeway will further enable those "dreaded, uber-wealthy Bay Area people" to scoop up the housing (by enabling their commute), as opposed to the "impoverished poor locals".
Probably some truth to that, though these carpet-baggers have already been doing this for years/decades (comment made tongue-in-cheek).
In other states, they hate ex-Californians altogether. (Especially coming from ex-Californians.) Truth be told, I'm ready to disassociate myself from Californians, as well. (Just have to be sure to change the license plate, when leaving.)
Though I think it partly depends upon how "nice" the new location is, and whether or not you try to "Californize" it (politically). Texas, for example, welcomes growth (but not necessarily "wokeness"). And the reason they welcome growth is because (from what I can tell), it's a giant, expansive hellhole for the most part - with horrible weather (and populated by those who favor business more than environment). (As opposed to some places in Idaho, Montana, etc.)
:-)
Posted by: Ron O | March 05, 2024 at 02:47 PM