Welcome to the EBCA Neighborhood

Kevin has asked me to take over the Traffic issue.  I went to a transition meeting of the Brac implementation committee and listened to an incredibly if unwittingly "slanted" technical analysis of the trafficissue.  It was a classic "apples and oranges” comparison which tended  to  obscure the fact that the new traffic signalon Wisconsin at the naval base helps them a lot at our expense.  Now this may be a good idea but I objected strenuously to the analysis. 

Interestingly it was directly in a field of expertise I teach at U ofMaryland,  So I resisted any suggestion of their expertise.   They then tried to bully me with the "you are new here”and " take technical discussions outside”, but I insisted that it was a policy issue  being shoveled under an incorrect technical analysis. 

What they had SUPPOSEDLY done was an was a pre (April) and post (October)  Brac traffic analysis.  However in presenting the results theypresented the advantages to the Base in terms of “percents”  and the burden to us in terms of "seconds".  I pointed out that it was a totally incorrectcomparison since there are far more cars on 355 than coming off the Navy so youhave to analyze both traffic flows  in common terms  i.e. the number of  “car waiting seconds””.  With a back of the envelope it was clear that the light  is a very nice benefit for the Base COMPLETELY at our expense.  Basicallya small number of cars coming off the base zip though while a large number ofcars from NIH wait.  Now this may be good public policy but it is supposed to be transparent and it was not. 

The next presentation was on how they had retimed the light at cedar lane in July.  I pointed out quite sharply and despite several  attempts at stifling the discussion that this made the prior analysis invalid.  The SHA  had introduced a new variable,retimed lights, which directly affected the first analysis. 

Neither the County nor the state highway folks were happy with my objection and  repeatedly tried to suggest they were not relevant.

Vince Brannigan

Vince Brannigan

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