Davis Enterprise reporting the City of Davis is suing the City of Dixon over the Dixon Downs Racetrack.
I have all sorts of questions in my mind:
- How much will the traffic impact us?
- Does Davis have any say over what its regional neighbors do within their own boundaries?
- Is suing a genuine gesture or are they trying to make a dramatic show?
I have no fully resolved these issues, so I’m curious about everyone take on this. I was against the development of the racetrack, but I’m concerned about the procedural and technical issues involved with one jurisdiction and another, but also the larger question about overlapping cost effects. Kind of an interesting issue as communities become more and more interdependent.
Recently I got back from a two week vacation in China. The most memorable experince was seeing how quickly China is getting things accomplished. One of the things I learned at UCD was how bureaucratic communist countries are – they are not efficient at getting things done. I found the opposite to be true – China gets things done while we wallow in bureaucracy. We find too many ways to interfere in beneficial projects.In ten years China has built 10 extrordinary bridges across the upper Yangzi – the same size as the eastern span of the Bay Bridge. It will be years before our single bridge is completed – and they started our bridge in 1989.
I do not think Davis should interfere in the Dixon project.
Recently I got back from a two week vacation in China. The most memorable experince was seeing how quickly China is getting things accomplished. One of the things I learned at UCD was how bureaucratic communist countries are – they are not efficient at getting things done. I found the opposite to be true – China gets things done while we wallow in bureaucracy. We find too many ways to interfere in beneficial projects.In ten years China has built 10 extrordinary bridges across the upper Yangzi – the same size as the eastern span of the Bay Bridge. It will be years before our single bridge is completed – and they started our bridge in 1989.
I do not think Davis should interfere in the Dixon project.
Recently I got back from a two week vacation in China. The most memorable experince was seeing how quickly China is getting things accomplished. One of the things I learned at UCD was how bureaucratic communist countries are – they are not efficient at getting things done. I found the opposite to be true – China gets things done while we wallow in bureaucracy. We find too many ways to interfere in beneficial projects.In ten years China has built 10 extrordinary bridges across the upper Yangzi – the same size as the eastern span of the Bay Bridge. It will be years before our single bridge is completed – and they started our bridge in 1989.
I do not think Davis should interfere in the Dixon project.
Recently I got back from a two week vacation in China. The most memorable experince was seeing how quickly China is getting things accomplished. One of the things I learned at UCD was how bureaucratic communist countries are – they are not efficient at getting things done. I found the opposite to be true – China gets things done while we wallow in bureaucracy. We find too many ways to interfere in beneficial projects.In ten years China has built 10 extrordinary bridges across the upper Yangzi – the same size as the eastern span of the Bay Bridge. It will be years before our single bridge is completed – and they started our bridge in 1989.
I do not think Davis should interfere in the Dixon project.
Ah the sweet irony of it all! Yes, let’s sue the City of Dixon for Dixon Down’s potential traffic problems it will cause on Davis but vote 4-1 in favor of a big-box, freeway retail mall that will create 10,000+ car trips daily and (per the EIR) “create significant and unavoidable pollution” to the Mace Ranch area …including a newly built neighborhood park with children playing in it. Damned be those that care about children and parks and the lot! I want my cheap socks in a store the size of two football fields …or race tracks.
Ah the sweet irony of it all! Yes, let’s sue the City of Dixon for Dixon Down’s potential traffic problems it will cause on Davis but vote 4-1 in favor of a big-box, freeway retail mall that will create 10,000+ car trips daily and (per the EIR) “create significant and unavoidable pollution” to the Mace Ranch area …including a newly built neighborhood park with children playing in it. Damned be those that care about children and parks and the lot! I want my cheap socks in a store the size of two football fields …or race tracks.
Ah the sweet irony of it all! Yes, let’s sue the City of Dixon for Dixon Down’s potential traffic problems it will cause on Davis but vote 4-1 in favor of a big-box, freeway retail mall that will create 10,000+ car trips daily and (per the EIR) “create significant and unavoidable pollution” to the Mace Ranch area …including a newly built neighborhood park with children playing in it. Damned be those that care about children and parks and the lot! I want my cheap socks in a store the size of two football fields …or race tracks.
Ah the sweet irony of it all! Yes, let’s sue the City of Dixon for Dixon Down’s potential traffic problems it will cause on Davis but vote 4-1 in favor of a big-box, freeway retail mall that will create 10,000+ car trips daily and (per the EIR) “create significant and unavoidable pollution” to the Mace Ranch area …including a newly built neighborhood park with children playing in it. Damned be those that care about children and parks and the lot! I want my cheap socks in a store the size of two football fields …or race tracks.
I don’t have a strong opinion on Dixon Downs one way or another. If they build it, I doubt I will come. If they don’t, I won’t miss it.
However, I’m confused by the Davis/Interstate-80 arguments against the horse racing facility. As I understand the plans, the track will draw about 2,200 gamblers per day*. That’s well less than 20% of the attendance at Raley Field in West Sac, which is just off I-80.
From my experience, River Cats games, which I do attend, don’t cause terrible traffic problems on I-80 when 12,000 people are all leaving at once. They do cause a back up in the streets immediately around Raley Field. But it’s not that big of a deal. Thus, I wonder why Dixon Downs would cause such a terrible problem on I-80 with less than one-fifth the people, and a sport in which all the people show up in staggered numbers and leave in staggered numbers?
I suppose part of the answer is that I-80, in the Dixon-Davis corridor is already choked with traffic. But most of the problem on I-80 is due to the 10,000 or more UC Davis folks crowding the freeway, now. I don’t recall the city of Dixon suing UC Davis over that congestion.
FWIW, the 2,200 Average Daily Attendance number comes from the City of Dixon’s Final Economic Report:
http://www.thecityofdixon.com/dixon/DixonDowns/PrintShop/FinalEconomicReport9-05.pdf
I don’t have a strong opinion on Dixon Downs one way or another. If they build it, I doubt I will come. If they don’t, I won’t miss it.
However, I’m confused by the Davis/Interstate-80 arguments against the horse racing facility. As I understand the plans, the track will draw about 2,200 gamblers per day*. That’s well less than 20% of the attendance at Raley Field in West Sac, which is just off I-80.
From my experience, River Cats games, which I do attend, don’t cause terrible traffic problems on I-80 when 12,000 people are all leaving at once. They do cause a back up in the streets immediately around Raley Field. But it’s not that big of a deal. Thus, I wonder why Dixon Downs would cause such a terrible problem on I-80 with less than one-fifth the people, and a sport in which all the people show up in staggered numbers and leave in staggered numbers?
I suppose part of the answer is that I-80, in the Dixon-Davis corridor is already choked with traffic. But most of the problem on I-80 is due to the 10,000 or more UC Davis folks crowding the freeway, now. I don’t recall the city of Dixon suing UC Davis over that congestion.
FWIW, the 2,200 Average Daily Attendance number comes from the City of Dixon’s Final Economic Report:
http://www.thecityofdixon.com/dixon/DixonDowns/PrintShop/FinalEconomicReport9-05.pdf
I don’t have a strong opinion on Dixon Downs one way or another. If they build it, I doubt I will come. If they don’t, I won’t miss it.
However, I’m confused by the Davis/Interstate-80 arguments against the horse racing facility. As I understand the plans, the track will draw about 2,200 gamblers per day*. That’s well less than 20% of the attendance at Raley Field in West Sac, which is just off I-80.
From my experience, River Cats games, which I do attend, don’t cause terrible traffic problems on I-80 when 12,000 people are all leaving at once. They do cause a back up in the streets immediately around Raley Field. But it’s not that big of a deal. Thus, I wonder why Dixon Downs would cause such a terrible problem on I-80 with less than one-fifth the people, and a sport in which all the people show up in staggered numbers and leave in staggered numbers?
I suppose part of the answer is that I-80, in the Dixon-Davis corridor is already choked with traffic. But most of the problem on I-80 is due to the 10,000 or more UC Davis folks crowding the freeway, now. I don’t recall the city of Dixon suing UC Davis over that congestion.
FWIW, the 2,200 Average Daily Attendance number comes from the City of Dixon’s Final Economic Report:
http://www.thecityofdixon.com/dixon/DixonDowns/PrintShop/FinalEconomicReport9-05.pdf
I don’t have a strong opinion on Dixon Downs one way or another. If they build it, I doubt I will come. If they don’t, I won’t miss it.
However, I’m confused by the Davis/Interstate-80 arguments against the horse racing facility. As I understand the plans, the track will draw about 2,200 gamblers per day*. That’s well less than 20% of the attendance at Raley Field in West Sac, which is just off I-80.
From my experience, River Cats games, which I do attend, don’t cause terrible traffic problems on I-80 when 12,000 people are all leaving at once. They do cause a back up in the streets immediately around Raley Field. But it’s not that big of a deal. Thus, I wonder why Dixon Downs would cause such a terrible problem on I-80 with less than one-fifth the people, and a sport in which all the people show up in staggered numbers and leave in staggered numbers?
I suppose part of the answer is that I-80, in the Dixon-Davis corridor is already choked with traffic. But most of the problem on I-80 is due to the 10,000 or more UC Davis folks crowding the freeway, now. I don’t recall the city of Dixon suing UC Davis over that congestion.
FWIW, the 2,200 Average Daily Attendance number comes from the City of Dixon’s Final Economic Report:
http://www.thecityofdixon.com/dixon/DixonDowns/PrintShop/FinalEconomicReport9-05.pdf
From the Sac Bee:
“Imagine a weekend night when a race lets out. People would hit the same traffic on I-80 that is there now and only exacerbate it,” Davis City Councilman Stephen Souza said.
I thought I smelled Souza’s hands all over this.
From the Sac Bee:
“Imagine a weekend night when a race lets out. People would hit the same traffic on I-80 that is there now and only exacerbate it,” Davis City Councilman Stephen Souza said.
I thought I smelled Souza’s hands all over this.
From the Sac Bee:
“Imagine a weekend night when a race lets out. People would hit the same traffic on I-80 that is there now and only exacerbate it,” Davis City Councilman Stephen Souza said.
I thought I smelled Souza’s hands all over this.
From the Sac Bee:
“Imagine a weekend night when a race lets out. People would hit the same traffic on I-80 that is there now and only exacerbate it,” Davis City Councilman Stephen Souza said.
I thought I smelled Souza’s hands all over this.
Just got word the entire council unanimously supported doing this.
Just got word the entire council unanimously supported doing this.
Just got word the entire council unanimously supported doing this.
Just got word the entire council unanimously supported doing this.
How many seats in the Mondavi Performing Arts Center? Does the highway reach gridlock when a performance lets out and everyone leaves at the same time?
How many seats in the new stadium? What will happen when the games end?
What will happen when West Village is built? Will Russell Boulevard be affected?
What was Steve’s position on each of these developments? I don’t remember hearing about any concern regarding traffic when each of these were being planned?
How many seats in the Mondavi Performing Arts Center? Does the highway reach gridlock when a performance lets out and everyone leaves at the same time?
How many seats in the new stadium? What will happen when the games end?
What will happen when West Village is built? Will Russell Boulevard be affected?
What was Steve’s position on each of these developments? I don’t remember hearing about any concern regarding traffic when each of these were being planned?
How many seats in the Mondavi Performing Arts Center? Does the highway reach gridlock when a performance lets out and everyone leaves at the same time?
How many seats in the new stadium? What will happen when the games end?
What will happen when West Village is built? Will Russell Boulevard be affected?
What was Steve’s position on each of these developments? I don’t remember hearing about any concern regarding traffic when each of these were being planned?
How many seats in the Mondavi Performing Arts Center? Does the highway reach gridlock when a performance lets out and everyone leaves at the same time?
How many seats in the new stadium? What will happen when the games end?
What will happen when West Village is built? Will Russell Boulevard be affected?
What was Steve’s position on each of these developments? I don’t remember hearing about any concern regarding traffic when each of these were being planned?
“How many seats in the Mondavi Performing Arts Center? Does the highway reach gridlock when a performance lets out and everyone leaves at the same time?”
Jackson Hall has 1,801 seats. I don’t know if it impacts I-80 traffic. I’ve been to three performances there and one lecture, but twice I went by bicycle and the other two times I drove through campus to my home in west-central Davis.
However, it appears that a lot of the Mondavi audience comes from Sacramento, and I’m sure some come from Solano County. All of those folks likely drive on I-80.
… This is a bit off topic, but the real problem on I-80 is not caused by events, but by three larger factors:
1) the massive growth in population from Vacaville to Roseville and most places in between over the last 30 years, without an equally large growth in freeway capacity.* In effect, this is a disequilibrium of supply and demand;
2) the tens of thousands of Bay Area residents who drive on I-80 through the Dixon-Davis area on their way up to the Sierras. Traffic is now especially bad on Friday afternoons and evenings heading east; and
3) the narrowing of the freeway from Davis to the Causeway. There are four or more lanes in each direction on I-80 west of Davis and east of the Causeway. So naturally, the reduction in lanes causes a bottleneck effect.
* I don’t know if it’s possible, let alone makes any sense, to expand freeway capacity. Perhaps there are a few places where it can be done and it makes good sense. But a better solution (which naturally I’ve columnized about in the past) would be to make I-80 a toll road.
At times of excess demand, the rates would be raised high enough so that marginal drivers would chose to not drive at those times, and traffic would always flow at the speed limit. When demand was below capacity, the toll would be zero. Most of the money collected could then go to subsidize buses, trains and other forms of public transportation. Also, while bridge tolls in the Bay Area are a pain in part because you have to stop or slow down to pay them, modern toll systems (such as they have in a few Asian countries) don’t require a driver to slow down at all, let alone pull out cash. They read a bar code on your car, and send you a bill. The rates per mile would be posted on electric signs, so that you would know in advance how much it would cost to drive when a toll was in effect.
“How many seats in the Mondavi Performing Arts Center? Does the highway reach gridlock when a performance lets out and everyone leaves at the same time?”
Jackson Hall has 1,801 seats. I don’t know if it impacts I-80 traffic. I’ve been to three performances there and one lecture, but twice I went by bicycle and the other two times I drove through campus to my home in west-central Davis.
However, it appears that a lot of the Mondavi audience comes from Sacramento, and I’m sure some come from Solano County. All of those folks likely drive on I-80.
… This is a bit off topic, but the real problem on I-80 is not caused by events, but by three larger factors:
1) the massive growth in population from Vacaville to Roseville and most places in between over the last 30 years, without an equally large growth in freeway capacity.* In effect, this is a disequilibrium of supply and demand;
2) the tens of thousands of Bay Area residents who drive on I-80 through the Dixon-Davis area on their way up to the Sierras. Traffic is now especially bad on Friday afternoons and evenings heading east; and
3) the narrowing of the freeway from Davis to the Causeway. There are four or more lanes in each direction on I-80 west of Davis and east of the Causeway. So naturally, the reduction in lanes causes a bottleneck effect.
* I don’t know if it’s possible, let alone makes any sense, to expand freeway capacity. Perhaps there are a few places where it can be done and it makes good sense. But a better solution (which naturally I’ve columnized about in the past) would be to make I-80 a toll road.
At times of excess demand, the rates would be raised high enough so that marginal drivers would chose to not drive at those times, and traffic would always flow at the speed limit. When demand was below capacity, the toll would be zero. Most of the money collected could then go to subsidize buses, trains and other forms of public transportation. Also, while bridge tolls in the Bay Area are a pain in part because you have to stop or slow down to pay them, modern toll systems (such as they have in a few Asian countries) don’t require a driver to slow down at all, let alone pull out cash. They read a bar code on your car, and send you a bill. The rates per mile would be posted on electric signs, so that you would know in advance how much it would cost to drive when a toll was in effect.
“How many seats in the Mondavi Performing Arts Center? Does the highway reach gridlock when a performance lets out and everyone leaves at the same time?”
Jackson Hall has 1,801 seats. I don’t know if it impacts I-80 traffic. I’ve been to three performances there and one lecture, but twice I went by bicycle and the other two times I drove through campus to my home in west-central Davis.
However, it appears that a lot of the Mondavi audience comes from Sacramento, and I’m sure some come from Solano County. All of those folks likely drive on I-80.
… This is a bit off topic, but the real problem on I-80 is not caused by events, but by three larger factors:
1) the massive growth in population from Vacaville to Roseville and most places in between over the last 30 years, without an equally large growth in freeway capacity.* In effect, this is a disequilibrium of supply and demand;
2) the tens of thousands of Bay Area residents who drive on I-80 through the Dixon-Davis area on their way up to the Sierras. Traffic is now especially bad on Friday afternoons and evenings heading east; and
3) the narrowing of the freeway from Davis to the Causeway. There are four or more lanes in each direction on I-80 west of Davis and east of the Causeway. So naturally, the reduction in lanes causes a bottleneck effect.
* I don’t know if it’s possible, let alone makes any sense, to expand freeway capacity. Perhaps there are a few places where it can be done and it makes good sense. But a better solution (which naturally I’ve columnized about in the past) would be to make I-80 a toll road.
At times of excess demand, the rates would be raised high enough so that marginal drivers would chose to not drive at those times, and traffic would always flow at the speed limit. When demand was below capacity, the toll would be zero. Most of the money collected could then go to subsidize buses, trains and other forms of public transportation. Also, while bridge tolls in the Bay Area are a pain in part because you have to stop or slow down to pay them, modern toll systems (such as they have in a few Asian countries) don’t require a driver to slow down at all, let alone pull out cash. They read a bar code on your car, and send you a bill. The rates per mile would be posted on electric signs, so that you would know in advance how much it would cost to drive when a toll was in effect.
“How many seats in the Mondavi Performing Arts Center? Does the highway reach gridlock when a performance lets out and everyone leaves at the same time?”
Jackson Hall has 1,801 seats. I don’t know if it impacts I-80 traffic. I’ve been to three performances there and one lecture, but twice I went by bicycle and the other two times I drove through campus to my home in west-central Davis.
However, it appears that a lot of the Mondavi audience comes from Sacramento, and I’m sure some come from Solano County. All of those folks likely drive on I-80.
… This is a bit off topic, but the real problem on I-80 is not caused by events, but by three larger factors:
1) the massive growth in population from Vacaville to Roseville and most places in between over the last 30 years, without an equally large growth in freeway capacity.* In effect, this is a disequilibrium of supply and demand;
2) the tens of thousands of Bay Area residents who drive on I-80 through the Dixon-Davis area on their way up to the Sierras. Traffic is now especially bad on Friday afternoons and evenings heading east; and
3) the narrowing of the freeway from Davis to the Causeway. There are four or more lanes in each direction on I-80 west of Davis and east of the Causeway. So naturally, the reduction in lanes causes a bottleneck effect.
* I don’t know if it’s possible, let alone makes any sense, to expand freeway capacity. Perhaps there are a few places where it can be done and it makes good sense. But a better solution (which naturally I’ve columnized about in the past) would be to make I-80 a toll road.
At times of excess demand, the rates would be raised high enough so that marginal drivers would chose to not drive at those times, and traffic would always flow at the speed limit. When demand was below capacity, the toll would be zero. Most of the money collected could then go to subsidize buses, trains and other forms of public transportation. Also, while bridge tolls in the Bay Area are a pain in part because you have to stop or slow down to pay them, modern toll systems (such as they have in a few Asian countries) don’t require a driver to slow down at all, let alone pull out cash. They read a bar code on your car, and send you a bill. The rates per mile would be posted on electric signs, so that you would know in advance how much it would cost to drive when a toll was in effect.
FWIW, the new UC Davis football stadium on La Rue Road, not too far from I-80, will have a seating capacity from 10,000-15,000. I highly doubt that they will draw that many fans. But if a team like Cal or Stanford comes here, they probably will. Maybe Dixon will sue, then.
FWIW, the new UC Davis football stadium on La Rue Road, not too far from I-80, will have a seating capacity from 10,000-15,000. I highly doubt that they will draw that many fans. But if a team like Cal or Stanford comes here, they probably will. Maybe Dixon will sue, then.
FWIW, the new UC Davis football stadium on La Rue Road, not too far from I-80, will have a seating capacity from 10,000-15,000. I highly doubt that they will draw that many fans. But if a team like Cal or Stanford comes here, they probably will. Maybe Dixon will sue, then.
FWIW, the new UC Davis football stadium on La Rue Road, not too far from I-80, will have a seating capacity from 10,000-15,000. I highly doubt that they will draw that many fans. But if a team like Cal or Stanford comes here, they probably will. Maybe Dixon will sue, then.
I found out a few more things:
As I said above, all five council members were in agreement on this. Souza was not the initiator of this, Greenwald and Saylor were. FWIW that’s worth.
Council is concerned about congestion.
The big problem is the traffic would flow out–2000 plus–at a single moment of time.
You’re right about the football games, but that would be at most six times a year, rather than potentially daily or every weekend (I don’t know about the frequency of the events but they would be more than six football games)
Council is further concerned about plans for 113 to bipass Dixon and go directly to the 113 connector at Davis as a full highway connecting with highway 12 and allowing traffic to enter right at Davis from I-5 and from highway 12.
Council is basically suing for mitigation of the traffic problems.
It does seem an extreme measure however.
I found out a few more things:
As I said above, all five council members were in agreement on this. Souza was not the initiator of this, Greenwald and Saylor were. FWIW that’s worth.
Council is concerned about congestion.
The big problem is the traffic would flow out–2000 plus–at a single moment of time.
You’re right about the football games, but that would be at most six times a year, rather than potentially daily or every weekend (I don’t know about the frequency of the events but they would be more than six football games)
Council is further concerned about plans for 113 to bipass Dixon and go directly to the 113 connector at Davis as a full highway connecting with highway 12 and allowing traffic to enter right at Davis from I-5 and from highway 12.
Council is basically suing for mitigation of the traffic problems.
It does seem an extreme measure however.
I found out a few more things:
As I said above, all five council members were in agreement on this. Souza was not the initiator of this, Greenwald and Saylor were. FWIW that’s worth.
Council is concerned about congestion.
The big problem is the traffic would flow out–2000 plus–at a single moment of time.
You’re right about the football games, but that would be at most six times a year, rather than potentially daily or every weekend (I don’t know about the frequency of the events but they would be more than six football games)
Council is further concerned about plans for 113 to bipass Dixon and go directly to the 113 connector at Davis as a full highway connecting with highway 12 and allowing traffic to enter right at Davis from I-5 and from highway 12.
Council is basically suing for mitigation of the traffic problems.
It does seem an extreme measure however.
I found out a few more things:
As I said above, all five council members were in agreement on this. Souza was not the initiator of this, Greenwald and Saylor were. FWIW that’s worth.
Council is concerned about congestion.
The big problem is the traffic would flow out–2000 plus–at a single moment of time.
You’re right about the football games, but that would be at most six times a year, rather than potentially daily or every weekend (I don’t know about the frequency of the events but they would be more than six football games)
Council is further concerned about plans for 113 to bipass Dixon and go directly to the 113 connector at Davis as a full highway connecting with highway 12 and allowing traffic to enter right at Davis from I-5 and from highway 12.
Council is basically suing for mitigation of the traffic problems.
It does seem an extreme measure however.
Dixon Downs will have a significant impact on traffic because it is along one of the few remaining sections of I-80 where there are only 3 lanes. I live along one of the other parts on a farm west of Dixon, and traffic regularly slows to less than 30 mph just during regular weekday flow.
So it’s only a matter of time before widening 80 is proposed. But twice in recent years Solano County voters have rejected sales tax increases for highway projects.
Dixon Downs is almost sure to pass. I’ve been watching this project for a couple of years now, and the opposition has been very slow to get going. Mostly it was just people who were opposed to gambling for moral reasons. It’s a little hard to make environmental arguments about replacing sugar beets with a racetrack. Plus the location has very few neighbors. Campbell’s has sued, but will probably settle if their concerns about the local roads are met.
The Davis lawsuit will annoy Dixon and Solano County. But the last time Davis sued over a Solano County freeway project, they tied up the Kidwell Overpass for 17 years and walked away with millions in highway project dollars from CalTrans–in a lawsuit they were sure to lose eventually anyway. So this is a strategic lawsuit, IMO.
Dixon Downs will have a significant impact on traffic because it is along one of the few remaining sections of I-80 where there are only 3 lanes. I live along one of the other parts on a farm west of Dixon, and traffic regularly slows to less than 30 mph just during regular weekday flow.
So it’s only a matter of time before widening 80 is proposed. But twice in recent years Solano County voters have rejected sales tax increases for highway projects.
Dixon Downs is almost sure to pass. I’ve been watching this project for a couple of years now, and the opposition has been very slow to get going. Mostly it was just people who were opposed to gambling for moral reasons. It’s a little hard to make environmental arguments about replacing sugar beets with a racetrack. Plus the location has very few neighbors. Campbell’s has sued, but will probably settle if their concerns about the local roads are met.
The Davis lawsuit will annoy Dixon and Solano County. But the last time Davis sued over a Solano County freeway project, they tied up the Kidwell Overpass for 17 years and walked away with millions in highway project dollars from CalTrans–in a lawsuit they were sure to lose eventually anyway. So this is a strategic lawsuit, IMO.
Dixon Downs will have a significant impact on traffic because it is along one of the few remaining sections of I-80 where there are only 3 lanes. I live along one of the other parts on a farm west of Dixon, and traffic regularly slows to less than 30 mph just during regular weekday flow.
So it’s only a matter of time before widening 80 is proposed. But twice in recent years Solano County voters have rejected sales tax increases for highway projects.
Dixon Downs is almost sure to pass. I’ve been watching this project for a couple of years now, and the opposition has been very slow to get going. Mostly it was just people who were opposed to gambling for moral reasons. It’s a little hard to make environmental arguments about replacing sugar beets with a racetrack. Plus the location has very few neighbors. Campbell’s has sued, but will probably settle if their concerns about the local roads are met.
The Davis lawsuit will annoy Dixon and Solano County. But the last time Davis sued over a Solano County freeway project, they tied up the Kidwell Overpass for 17 years and walked away with millions in highway project dollars from CalTrans–in a lawsuit they were sure to lose eventually anyway. So this is a strategic lawsuit, IMO.
Dixon Downs will have a significant impact on traffic because it is along one of the few remaining sections of I-80 where there are only 3 lanes. I live along one of the other parts on a farm west of Dixon, and traffic regularly slows to less than 30 mph just during regular weekday flow.
So it’s only a matter of time before widening 80 is proposed. But twice in recent years Solano County voters have rejected sales tax increases for highway projects.
Dixon Downs is almost sure to pass. I’ve been watching this project for a couple of years now, and the opposition has been very slow to get going. Mostly it was just people who were opposed to gambling for moral reasons. It’s a little hard to make environmental arguments about replacing sugar beets with a racetrack. Plus the location has very few neighbors. Campbell’s has sued, but will probably settle if their concerns about the local roads are met.
The Davis lawsuit will annoy Dixon and Solano County. But the last time Davis sued over a Solano County freeway project, they tied up the Kidwell Overpass for 17 years and walked away with millions in highway project dollars from CalTrans–in a lawsuit they were sure to lose eventually anyway. So this is a strategic lawsuit, IMO.
if it goes to a referendum, i can’t imagine that davis suing dixon will help sway dixon voters in the “no” camp’s favor.
as for how quickly china gets things accomplished, that total lack of concern for either public input, environmental repurcussions, or government oversight leads to a heck of a lot of problems. bureaucracy and democracy have their advantages, as any number of chinese peasants strongarmed off their land to facilitate real estate developments or public works projects could tell you.
if it goes to a referendum, i can’t imagine that davis suing dixon will help sway dixon voters in the “no” camp’s favor.
as for how quickly china gets things accomplished, that total lack of concern for either public input, environmental repurcussions, or government oversight leads to a heck of a lot of problems. bureaucracy and democracy have their advantages, as any number of chinese peasants strongarmed off their land to facilitate real estate developments or public works projects could tell you.
if it goes to a referendum, i can’t imagine that davis suing dixon will help sway dixon voters in the “no” camp’s favor.
as for how quickly china gets things accomplished, that total lack of concern for either public input, environmental repurcussions, or government oversight leads to a heck of a lot of problems. bureaucracy and democracy have their advantages, as any number of chinese peasants strongarmed off their land to facilitate real estate developments or public works projects could tell you.
if it goes to a referendum, i can’t imagine that davis suing dixon will help sway dixon voters in the “no” camp’s favor.
as for how quickly china gets things accomplished, that total lack of concern for either public input, environmental repurcussions, or government oversight leads to a heck of a lot of problems. bureaucracy and democracy have their advantages, as any number of chinese peasants strongarmed off their land to facilitate real estate developments or public works projects could tell you.