Economy and Safety are Part of Measure

Economy and Safety are Part of Measure
Reporter Editor:

Biagi Bros Inc. is a transportation and warehousing company with facilities in Napa, Fairfield and Benicia. The situation on state Highway 12 and Interstate 80 is terribly disruptive to our business, as well as most other businesses in Solano and Napa counties. Delays cost us both money and a decrease in the service we can provide to our customers.

We primarily service the beverage industry, hauling glass to the wineries in Napa Valley and wine back out, as well as beer out of the Anheuser-Busch brewery and out of our warehouse in Benicia. The congestion on Highway 12 and I-80 increases the cost of being located in Napa or Solano county. If the cost of doing business in these areas continues to rise, more and more businesses will move out of the area, which will hurt the local economy and cost jobs.

This issue is not just an economic one. This issue is a safety issue. Many of our employees either live in Solano County and commute to Napa County or vice versa. My daily commute up I-680 and through Jameson Canyon takes an hour each way, and that is if there is not an accident. Highway 12 is one of the most dangerous, if not the most dangerous, highways in California. Coming from the trucking industry I pay attention to the traffic reports. The number of accidents on Highway 12 is alarming. I get very nervous every time I drive Highway 12. How many fatalities do we need to have on Highway 12 before we spend the money needed to fix it?

I urge voters to vote yes Measure H, the half-cent transportation sales tax.

Nick Biagi, Napa