Keeping an Eye on the Butte County Association of Governments

What is BCAG? BCAG stands for the Butte County Association of Governments with offices located in Chico. After attending several monthly meetings, to figure out what they do, I can say I THINK I understand. BCAG is the overseer for all of Butte County transportation needs, including the Bus services. The bulk of the money for BCAG is obtained from the Federal funds that are given to the California Highway funds, and works off the trickle down theory for road projects in our county. Of course, being that the state is not in the best of financial health at the present, this highway money does not trickle down to the local projects like it is suppose to. The biggest projects being the Highway 70/149 project and Highway 70/Ophir Road at present. BCAG reports to the Board of Supervisors and other members appointed to the board at a monthly meeting. These meetings last no longer than 45 minutes, and some less than 15 minutes. There is little or no public input at these meetings. Of course like a lot of public meetings this one is held at 9:00 a.m. on the fourth Wednesday of the month, so it is difficult for the general public to attend.

The Highway 70/149 project started out at $67 million dollars and as of June, 2005 has ballooned to 128 million, caused by delays, price of material increases and other factors. The project at the April meeting did have a green light to move the vernal pools, which should start in late summer. Then again, this could change. What has been brought up before and boggles the mind, why can’t a signal be installed in the interim at the intersection while the project goes through the hoops? If one death is prevented, it was money well spent. Supervisor Yamaguchi brought up a good point at a recent meeting asking why cement barriers could not be placed on Hwy 149 until the project is finished. There never was an answer to this question.

Please consider attending BCAG to make your voice heard on important transportation projects in the County.

This article originally appeared in Summer/Fall 2005 Environmental News.