Congressman Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, introduced legislation
Wednesday to study the possibility of constructing a highway
connecting the Central Valley and the Bay Area.
Congressman Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, introduced legislation Wednesday to study the possibility of constructing a highway connecting the Central Valley and the Bay Area.
“A seamless transportation plan is what people want and need. When gas prices are high and the work-day is long, and the last thing folks want to be doing in sitting in traffic. More options will give people economical, environmentally smart, safe means of travel,” said Pombo, whose district includes Morgan Hill.
Specifically, the bill provides for a study to determine the feasibility of constructing a highway connecting Highway 130 in Santa Clara County with Interstate 5 in San Joaquin County over the Diablo Mountain range.
“Our roads weren’t meant to accommodate the volume of commuters we see traveling them today,” said Pombo. Pombo is proposing studying the area for a possible highway only open to passenger vehicles. It will have six lanes (three in each direction, and possibly a rail system along the highway right-of-way.
The highway may contain high occupancy vehicle lanes, energy-efficient vehicle lanes and high occupancy toll lanes.
