March 22, 2005 > Letter to the Editor - Route 84

As a long-time citizen of Union City and former board member of the Alameda County Water District, I want to both express my support for the original Route 84 and clarify some facts.

Anyone who has traveled on Decoto Road lately between I-880 and Mission Boulevard has experienced significant traffic delays, especially during commute hours. Part of the delay is caused by the necessity of having 10 traffic signals on this stretch of the road. Route 84 will help speed the traffic flow by bypassing nearly half of these signals.

Route 84 is a well-conceived road that will provide relief to a regional problem that has become a burden to local residents. Least we forget that the planning for the road was initiated by the city of Fremont years ago to help take traffic off of Peralta Boulevard. I would like to commend former Fremont Councilmen Don Dillon, Jack Parry and Ken Steadman for the foresight in the initiation of the original Route 84. The road was voted on and supported by the people of Fremont.

I find it interesting that nearly all of the opposition to the road is coming from the Quarry Lakes neighborhood in Fremont; right-of-ways were secured and funds set aside for the construction of Route 84 before homes were constructed in the Quarry Lakes area. These are the very same people that opposed the construction of Quarry Lakes Regional Park, which turned out to be a wonderful recreational asset for our area. Many people in both Fremont and Union City support the road, including the merchants in Niles and Centerville districts.

It should be known that Route 84 will result in setting aside significant open-space areas along Alameda Creek between Paseo Padre Parkway and Alvarado-Niles Road. These areas will be required for wetlands mitigation. If the road is not constructed in this area, more housing will be built, much of it in the affordable range, which will further exacerbate the traffic problems. Failure of the state to build this highway will lead to more gridlock on our local streets and idling engines at traffic signals will affect our air quality.

Frank Borghi
Union City