🛩️ Airbase Transition: Addressing F-35 Noise Concerns in Tucson
Tucson Councilmember Paul Cunningham sees opportunities to mitigate impacts of aircraft change. SALC's Ted Maxwell emphasizes need for public input to finalize $2.45B plan
Based on the 11/21/24 Buckmaster Show on KVOI-1030AM.
🙊 Notable quotes from the show
"The key thing is we need to get the numbers. We need to get good solid input because right now there's disagreement amongst the mayors." - Ted Maxwell on the importance of public feedback for the RTA Next plan
"I don't have any issues with the evolution of this process. I know it's going to come with some headaches. I know people have major concerns about the sound variations of the F-35, but I think some of those can be quelled." - Paul Cunningham on the F-35 transition at Davis-Monthan
"If we were put to put some skin in the game with RTA, the region would, we could also probably partner with the Air Force and along golf links, you could fly over at, say, Craycroft and Swan and then maybe have some type of roundabout or some type of traffic, does not properly traffic design, endurance at Wilmot. And you could basically go from Wilmot to downtown at Broadway and Park under no stoplights, zero." - Paul Cunningham's proposal for a new crosstown corridor
"I'm never going to support a bypass for. I'm on record for that, which is spending good money after bad. We need to widen the I-10, where we lose commerce, and it's horrible for our desert. That's what makes Tucson great." - Paul Cunningham opposing an I-11 bypass
😽 Keepin’ It Simple Summary for Younger Readers
👧🏾✊🏾👦🏾
🚌 Tucson's $2.45 billion RTA Next plan is getting public feedback to finalize transportation projects, while 🛩️ the switch to quieter F-35 jets at Davis-Monthan raises noise concerns. 🛣️ There are calls for a new high-speed road, and 🛫 debate over the I-11 highway route through the region.
🗝️ Takeaways
🗳️ RTA Next plan faces community input process to finalize $2.45B program
🛩️ F-35 transition at Davis-Monthan is seen as an opportunity despite noise concerns
🚗 Calls for new high-speed "crosstown" corridor, potentially utilizing Golf Links
🛫 Debate over I-11 route, with Cunningham rejecting bypass in favor of widening I-10
⏬ Jump to the 🦉 Three Sonorans Commentary based on:
📻 What They Discussed
The Buckmaster Show on November 21, 2024, featured an in-depth discussion on the future of transportation in the Tucson region. The guests were:
Ted Maxwell, the CEO of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council
Tucson City Councilman Paul Cunningham.
🚌 RTA Next Program
The conversation centered around the RTA Next program, a $2.45 billion 20-year regional transportation plan currently undergoing public input.
Maxwell, who represents Pima County on the RTA board, emphasized the importance of getting community feedback to shape the final plan. "The key thing is we need to get the numbers. We need to get good solid input because right now there's disagreement amongst the mayors," he said.
Cunningham expressed general support for the plan but noted his preference for promoting city incorporation in the region.
He stated, "I really want to promote incorporation. And indirectly, if you look at the RTA, you're not, it's not necessarily helping promote incorporation, but that's okay."
🛩️ Transition at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
The guests also discussed the planned transition at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base from the famous A-10 "Warthog" aircraft to a quieter aircraft, likely the F-35.
While acknowledging some community concerns about noise, Maxwell and Cunningham felt the transition could be a positive change.
Cunningham commented, "I don't have any issues with the evolution of this process. I know it's going to come with some headaches. I know people have major concerns about the sound variations of the F-35, but I think some of those can be quelled."
He emphasized the immense value of the base to Tucson, stating, "It almost anchors an entire aerospace and tech sector that we have in Tucson. And it's just way too important to us. Look, there are other cities that lost their bases and that were replaced by different private entities and national and international multinational corporations that came in and replaced those jobs. That right now isn't very conducive for Tucson."
🛣️ Need for Crosstown Corridor
One of the key topics was the longstanding need for a high-speed, limited-access "crosstown" road corridor in Tucson.
Cunningham advocated exploring options to build such a road, potentially utilizing Golf Links Road and airspace over Davis-Monthan. Maxwell agreed this is an essential long-term transportation need, stating, "We need to keep that going for another 20 years. And this is why this is a long-term discussion."
Cunningham elaborated, "If we were put to put some skin in the game with RTA, the region would, we could also probably partner with the Air Force and along golf links, you could fly over at, say, Craycroft and Swan and then maybe have some roundabout or some type of traffic, does not properly traffic design, endurance at Wilmot. And you could go from Wilmot to downtown at Broadway and Park under zero stoplights."
🛫 I-11 Corridor
The discussion also touched on the controversial I-11 corridor project. Maxwell noted that while there are concerns about the potential impacts, the I-11 route could be an essential transportation link for the region.
He stated, "If you look even at I-11, I understand the concern of going through the offer valley. That's fine. We can talk about where else it should go. But the idea that we're going to double deck or we're going to widen I-10 to go through downtown is physically impossible."
Cunningham was more critical, saying, "I was being a little cynical there. I'm never going to support a bypass. I'm on record for that, which is spending good money after bad. We need to widen the I-10, where we lose commerce, and it's horrible for our desert. That's what makes Tucson great."
🦉 Three Sonorans Commentary
🚨 ¡Ay, caramba! Tucson's RTA Next - A Developer Bonanza Masquerading as "Progress"
¡Qué sorpresa, mis amigos!
Once again, the powers-that-be in Tucson are trying to pull the wool over our eyes with their shiny new "RTA Next" plan. But we at the Three Sonorans see right through this latest attempt to line the pockets of wealthy developers and the voracious military-industrial complex.
Make no mistake - this plan has nothing to do with actually improving transportation for the gente of Tucson. No, it's all about giving those fat-cat suburbs an even smoother, quicker ride into our city while we're left choking on their exhaust fumes. And let's not forget the insult of Tucsonans contributing the most to the RTA fund yet only getting a measly one-ninth vote. It's like the Electoral College all over again, but with even more chutzpah!
And what's this about transitioning Davis-Monthan from the relatively tame A-10 "Warthog" to the earsplitting F-35 fighter jets? ¡Ay, dios mío!
As our very own Councilman Cunningham confessed, "I know people have major concerns about the sound variations of the F-35." But of course, the developers and their political padrinos don't give a flying frijole about the ruido affecting our barrios. No, they just see it as another chance to further entrench the military's presence and profits in our region.
Hmm, and let's not forget the shady past of the original RTA, which was allegedly rigged through some good old-fashioned electoral tampering. According to sworn testimony, a witness claims a Pima County elections official admitted to fiddling with the vote - ¡que escándalo! This revelation casts a dark shadow over the entire RTA project, begging the question: can we ever trust these políticos again?
But wait, there's more! The proposed I-11 corridor would carve up the Avra Valley, bypassing Tucson and devastating our local businesses and Mother Earth herself. As Councilman Cunningham put it, "I'm never going to support a bypass for. I'm on the record on that, that is spending good money after bad." ¡Exactamente, mi amigo! This is nothing but a giveaway to the developer class, sacrificing our community's well-being for their own avaricious profits.
Enough is enough, mis amigos. We in the Three Sonorans community won't stand for this latest attempt to exploit Tucson for the benefit of the wealthy few. Instead of pouring billions into roads and war machines, let's invest in the kind of transportation that truly serves the people - robust public transit, renewable energy, and community-based development that uplifts all residents, not just the privileged élite.
Only then can we forge a new vision for Tucson's future - one not built upon the crumbling foundations of war, death, and destruction but on the sturdy pillars of justice, sustainability, and true community empowerment. ¡Si, se puede! The people of Tucson deserve nothing less.
¡Vámonos, gente! Let's rise up and reclaim our city from the clutches of the developer-military complex. ¡Adelante!
