Residents have their way with widening

Valerie Miller

Wednesday, Sept. 8, 1999 | 11:11 a.m.

Hundreds of residents cheered as the Henderson City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night not to study widening Horizon Ridge Parkway.

Residents had come out in droves for the past month to Planning Commission, City Council and neighborhood meetings to protest the proposal to widen Horizon Ridge Parkway from 100 feet to 120 feet, which would allow for up to six lanes of traffic.

An overflow crowd again filled the Council Chambers at Henderson City Hall on Tuesday, most of them from the retirement community of Sun City MacDonald Ranch, to voice their opposition to the study.

Worried residents said that the expansion would increase traffic on an already dangerous road and lead to even more commercial development, destroying the neighborhood in the process.

"This is an age-restricted community with people in their 60s, 70s and 80s, and traffic on Horizon Ridge Parkway is already bad and is only going to get worse," Sun City resident Al Stramaglia told council members. "We need some protection crossing it now. This proposal is the worst we have ever heard."

Other residents said the road widening would permanently change their way of life and leave them few choices.

"As seniors, we have our life savings invested in our homes," said Melvin Crashen. "And when you get in your 70s or 80s, it is hard to recoup those funds."

"Please put aside these plans to widen Horizon Ridge Parkway so that these people can live out their lives in peace," Sun City resident Keeva Goldfarb asked the council.

The proposal to reserve the right to widen Horizon Ridge Parkway in the future was originally part of the city's Master Streets and Highways Plan, but was removed from the plan after a storm of resident opposition.

The Master Streets and Highways Plan was approved by the Planning Commission at its Aug. 26 meeting after the City Council decided to consider the study of Horizon Ridge Parkway separately.

Residents still worried that even a study of the parkway would open the door to future expansion.

"There is a saying, 'Build it and they will come,' " said resident Alfred Valdez. "And I say, 'Restripe it and they will come,' or 'Study it and it will happen.' "

On this night, however, the council made it clear that the parkway expansion was not going to happen.

"None of us wants to see this community (Sun City) or the parkway ruined," Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson said. "I don't think that we are going to vote for a formal study of Horizon Ridge Parkway because we as a city have to find another alternative to restriping the street and causing an uprising."

Councilman Andy Hafen requested that the city's Traffic Advisory Board look at the problems along Horizon Ridge Parkway and make suggestions on possible solutions, such as crosswalks, stop signs and stoplights.

Although the council voted not to study the parkway expansion it is still slated to vote on the revamped Master Streets and Highways Plan on Sept. 21. The plan calls for the expansion of Eastern Avenue from 100 to 120 feet, which has also upset many residents.