By james art 
Prop A is a road bond initiative to fund seven critical infrastructure projects in the city of Lubbock. He will appear on the Nov. 5 general election ballot for Lubbock voters. Early voting begins on Monday. The Keep Lubbock Moving PAC, chaired by Jordan Whitley, supports the initiative, urging voters to vote on Proposition A.
DIDN’T YOU VOTE FOR A ROAD BOND JUST TWO YEARS AGO?
yes Voters approved it, the projects are underway and the city has delivered on what it promised. Lubbock has fallen more than a decade behind in meeting critical street infrastructure needs while experiencing rapid growth. The 2022 proposal identified the most pressing needs at that time and provided a strong impetus to close the gap. Today, 16 of the 17 road projects for 2022 are underway. We now have an opportunity to build on this momentum and tackle these seven critical projects, helping us catch up and manage future improvements more effectively. New and improved road projects are critical to meeting the needs of a city experiencing incredible growth. The approval will allow Lubbock to continue to grow without continuing to slow down.
DELAYS AND DRIVING TIMES ARE WORSE
Congestion on Lubbock’s streets is at an all-time high. The days of the “15-minute commute” in Lubbock are a thing of the past. Roads that do not have the capacity to handle increased traffic lead to a higher risk of accidents and longer driving times. Traffic congestion will continue to become more dangerous for Lubbock drivers if we don’t catch up and look ahead. Proposition A will strategically and significantly reduce traffic accidents and road congestion in high-growth areas of our community.
SAFETY CLOSE TO THREE SCHOOL DISTRICTS
Schools are a major traffic generator. When built in developing neighborhoods, roads often used by parents and students are not yet built to handle all the traffic they generate, raising safety concerns. Six of the seven projects are critical to increasing safety and maintaining traffic flow in and around Lubbock, Frenship and Cooper ISD’s.
WHAT WILL THIS COST THE TAXPAYERS?
The average homeowner in Lubbock will see a maximum increase of just under $30 per year. Homeowners 65 and older will not be affected by the passage of Proposition A.
THE TIME IS NOW
Bottom line: We can’t afford to procrastinate. If Proposition A fails on the November 5 ballot, it will trigger a 36-month waiting period before we can begin construction on these important projects. As Lubbock continues to grow, our streets will not be able to keep up. Meanwhile, costs and interest rates will continue to rise. The time is now.
For our safety, for our future. Please support proposal A and vote YES.
Visit keeplbkmoving.com for more information.
(Jordan Whitley is chair of the Keep Lubbock Moving PAC)
This article originally appeared in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Opinion: Wheatley: Keep Lubbock Moving, vote for Prop A