Citywide Transportation Plan
The Skinny: Fresnans will always love their cars. But there’s no denying the Big Push to get at least some of us to use other ways to get from Point A to Point B. Part of that push is improved bus (Fresno Area Express) service. Another part is sidewalks and trails. Take it from me – Fresno for the most part is a great place to walk. The Active Transportation Plan is only one piece of Swearengin’s multi-pronged transportation vision.
The Rundown: “The Fresno Active Transportation Plan (ATP) is a comprehensive guide outlining the vision for active transportation in the City of Fresno, and a roadmap for achieving that vision. The ATP envisions a complete, safe, and comfortable network of trails, sidewalks, and bikeways that serves all residents of Fresno. The plan seeks to achieve the following goals: Equitably improve the safety and perceived safety of walking and bicycling in Fresno; Increase walking and bicycling trips in Fresno by creating user-friendly facilities; Improve the geographic equity of access to walking and bicycling facilities in Fresno; Fill key gaps in Fresno’s walking and bicycling networks.” (Source: Fresno Active Transportation Plan, draft, October 2016
The Pledge: “This project has been a long time in the making dating back to 2006 when the City first pursued grants to fund the project. I’m so pleased to see construction finally begin. Improving public transit in our community has been a high priority during my Administration. When completed, the Bus Rapid Transit system will not only provide greater service reliability and increased customer convenience, it will also help promote revitalization and development opportunities throughout Fresno.” – Mayor Ashley Swearengin, June 1, 2016, on the official launch of the $54 million Bus Rapid Transit project. (Source: City of Fresno)
The City of Fresno is the 5th largest City in the State of California and has an annual Budget of almost a billion dollars, with approximately 4,000 employees, and does NOT have an Internal Audit Unit to ensure the proper accounting, internal controls and safeguarding of all City Assets are in place and functioning as intended. As the retired Principal Internal Auditor for the City of Fresno, effective January 2016, this area should be of significance to the City and newly elected Mayor and all Council Members. All the top ten Cities in the State of California, except the City of Fresno, have an Internal Audit Unit. For the structure, benefits and type of Internal Audits performed by the Internal Audit Unit I oversaw while employed with the City, I reference all viewers of this comment to the City’s Administrative Order 1-10. I would hope that this significant area of concern and importance might be #11 on the Mayor’s Listing going forward. Thank You!