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(Last page update: March 20, 2006)

Snyder Bridge is a Matter of Public Safety

Ballot Argument Against the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Plan
     The following statement was submitted as a ballot argument against the RTA plan, Question 1.  All submitted arguments will be published in an election pamphlet sent to registered voters before the May 5th election.

As the Union that represents the interests of the firefighters of Rural Metro Fire 
Department and the residents they serve, the Old Pueblo Firefighters Association 
opposes the current version of the RTA plan as it does not contain provisions for a 
Snyder Road bridge. 

A bridge built to connect Snyder Road across the Snyder Creek would afford our station 
at Sabino Canyon and Kolb access to the northern part of the Bear Canyon corridor, 
currently served by our station at Tanque Verde and Houghton. Response times to that 
area could be significantly improved. 

As it stands, if additional resources are required for an incident in that area, they must 
drop down to Tanque Verde Rd, move across to Bear Canyon Rd and back up. 

In our opinion, the inclusion of a bridge at Snyder Rd is an issue of public safety. 

Alan Williams 
President – Old Pueblo Firefighters Association 

 

Statement by Rural Metro Battalion Chief Rick Flores
The following statement was published in the Arizona Daily Star on June 2nd 2005.

"The Rural/Metro Fire Department is more than willing to weigh in," said Rick Flores, a Rural/Metro battalion chief.   "Rural/Metro has a station at East Tanque Verde and North Houghton roads, but the next-closest station is on the west side of the creek, and crews there are constantly taking the long way around to respond to the east side," he said.

"[The absence of a bridge]  definitely increases response time  and the distance we have to travel, so we'd find it highly beneficial if Snyder went all the way through," Flores said.