NorCal Musings

The voters in my county rejected the NIMBY arguments that having no county plan would preserve their idyllic environs and relieve the traffic congestion. Now it is back to the courts (why does this not provide comfort) to see if the county elected officials can return to authority over county affairs. There are many things needed, particularly in the southern area bordering Sacramento County, where the traffic volume has overwhelmed the on and off ramps to Highway 50.
I am accustomed to the beautifully designed interchanges in Los Angeles. All the street planning in Sacramento seemes to have been designed by the brain damaged. Nothing is logical or makes travelling around Sacramento easy until you have months of experience under your belt. My entrace to Highway 50 for the daily commute is not so much illogical as cheap, simple and overwhelmed. Currently, improvements are under construction which will eliminate one street from the mess. My community is currently a dead end requiring all traffic to return to the lone Highway access point. In a few months the parkway will cut through to another Highway access point which will help ease congestion.
What continues to amaze me it the viewpoint that the situation is improved by stopping any progress. Improvement always requires moving along and never happens by standing still. It was probably lovely here 10 years ago when my community was only a dream but its lovely still and we how have some resources to improve some of the badly designed infrastructure. The community we moved from was nestled in an outof the way corner of LA county, much denser than our new one although rural feeling for LA. It changed some during the 25 years we lived there but retained the appeal and feel which made it so attractive. Our new community is at no risk of becomming an urban wasteland but the old-timers are worried. Progress threatens them.