Letter: Questions about overpass (July 1)
I am wondering about the Ellis Street overpass, and why the Madera County Board of Supervisors gave $3.2 million of county road money to the city for this project.
This smells of special interests. Who is actually behind this so called improvement? A project that appears that no one wants nor understands. I have talked to residents on Ellis Street, and they do not want it. They will have to put up with construction and possible traffic when the project is finished.
I have heard that Caltrans did not want it because it has no entrance or exit to State Route 99, and will disrupt traffic on 99 for months.
This overpass doesn’t make sense. We already have two overpasses from the northeast side to the northwest side of Madera — Avenue 17 and Cleveland Avenue — within a four-mile space. Why did not the public have input to this project, before you gave our county road money away? Money that was from county taxes. It was money that was specific to upgrading and maintaining county roads, not for a special-interest overpass.
How does this overpass help the county residents of Chowchilla, Coursegold, Raymond, Oakhurst, North Fork and of course Madera. Most of these county residents will never use Ellis Street or this overpass.
I am sure that these communities have roads that need major repair. I know that roads in my area do. What do you think they will say when it’s learned that their roads, will not be fixed because you gave away their road money?
I personally do not think this board has the authority to do this, and I have asked the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) to look into legality of your actions. They said it was possible and would get back to me in a few days. If this proves not to be illegal, it’s certainly immoral giving our county road money for a special interest. We have the worst county roads in the state and now we will endure them even longer, because of your actions.
Bob McCracken,
Madera
