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What does the Lubbock business community think about the proposed City streets bond?

What does the Lubbock business community think about the proposed City streets bond?

What does the Lubbock business community think about the proposed City streets bond?

The Lubbock City Council is considering a $174.5 million bond proposal to enhance Lubbock streets. The list of proposed projects includes widening projects, rebuild projects, and a pedestrian bridge along Broadway in Mackenzie Park. Read more about the proposed projects here. 

We surveyed members of the Lubbock Chamber, encouraged them to share with their colleagues and friends, and have collected nearly 700 responses from all corners of Lubbock. Here is what the business community thinks about the bond proposal as it stands now.
 
Arterial Street Program – $133 million

Almost three-in-four respondents (72.33%) agreed it is important for the City of Lubbock to rebuild sections of 34th street. Just 14% disagreed, and the rest were unsure or neutral.


Another 91% agreed it is important for the City of Lubbock to widen streets where population and traffic growth have occurred. Only 5% disagreed.


 
Broadway and Pedestrian Creek Crossing – $41.5 million

A little more than 60% of respondents agreed that it is important for the City of Lubbock to rebuild Broadway between University and Canyon Lakes Drive. Less than a quarter (22.65%) disagreed, while the rest (16.67%) were neutral or unsure.



On the topic of a pedestrian bridge along Broadway to enhance walkability across a creek that intersects with Broadway, opinions varied. Just shy of half of the respondents (47%) agreed it was important for the City of Lubbock to complete this project. Roughly one-third (32.54%) disagreed, while one-in-five (20.44%) were neutral or unsure. Of all questions included in the survey of the business community, this produced the largest share of “disagree” and “neutral/unsure”.


 
Additional Responses

We also sought to determine whether the business community’s greater priority was expansion and new development or maintenance of existing infrastructure. A majority of respondents (50.94%) said these two principles should be prioritized roughly equally. The remaining responses were split fairly evenly between prioritizing existing infrastructure (26.89%) as opposed to prioritizing new development in areas of growth (22.17%).



The final question covered the tax impact of the proposed bond measure. According to the City of Lubbock, the tax impact would be up to two cents per $100 valuation on City of Lubbock property owners. This equates to roughly $9 annually on a $150,000 home in the City of Lubbock. Nearly seven in 10 respondents (69.7%) supported this tax increase while 19% were opposed. Another 11.3% were neutral or unsure.



Overall, respondents indicated they support the investments in City of Lubbock streets outlined in the proposal, as also reflected in most previous infrastructure surveys of similar projects. Open-ended survey responses reveal strong feelings in both directions regarding the bricks on Broadway. Many would like to modernize Broadway by paving it in the same manner as other City streets. Others would like the historic elements and brick aesthetic to remain.

The Lubbock City Council would be wise to clarify exact plans for Broadway before putting this bond proposal before voters in November. They may also re-examine if a pedestrian bridge along Broadway is a need at this time, as this project garnered more skepticism and less support than the other projects included in the proposal.

 
 

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