VIDEO: Mason Gates Stands Before Scottsdale City Council to Voice His Opposition to "Road-Diets"

TRANSCRIPT:

Good evening councilmembers and fellow residents of Scottsdale,

I come to you today to voice my firm opposition to future nonsensical “road-diet” propositions in the City of Scottsdale.

As a resident of South Scottsdale located close to the intersection of Thomas & 68th, during my commutes both to and from work each day, I have the pleasure of witnessing unnecessary congestion on the newly renovated 68th Street which cost Scottsdale an estimated $1.9 million.

But it’s not just me. After chatting with the owner of BEG Bakery, Rich Bonura, he stated that he often sees buses, semi-trucks, and other vehicles parked in the bike lane that is intended for cyclists. This can pose a grave danger for cyclists who need to avoid parked vehicles by swerving into traffic lanes where drivers may not expect to see them.

When I asked Mr. Bonura his initial thoughts when the city council had approached him about this “road-diet” idea, he stated that he wasn’t initially approached for preliminary conversations and that “had (he) not been vocal about it, then (he) would’ve been overlooked.” He also added, “the government is going to do what the government is going to do.”

Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but statements like these concern me immensely.

As a small business owner myself, if I can’t trust that my elected officials will be consultative in their representation, then why would I want to keep my business in the city?

Moreover, it’s crucial that we acknowledge the fact that according to a 2022 survey from Statista’s Global Consumer Survey, 76% of American commuters use a personal vehicle to travel from home to work, while only 10% ride their bike, and 11% rely on public transport.

This isn’t merely an economic concern, but it’s also a long-term logistical nightmare as well.

If the same council members voting in favor of high density developments are also prioritizing the reduction of traffic lanes, I have to ask, what are we doing here?

Unfortunately, the 68th St. project is just one of many symptoms of a 15+ year activist campaign that has sought to impose road diets on Scottsdale’s formerly highly-efficient road network.

The council will quickly realize that they have made a significant mistake if they continue genuflecting to the loud demands of the bicycle lobby in exchange for the transportation needs of Scottsdale car drivers. 

It’s high time that the council starts focusing on common sense policy, rather than pushing random unwanted agendas onto the residents of this great city.

Mason Gates Stands Before Scottsdale City Council to Voice His Opposition to "Road-Diets"