Traffic challenges with the openining of Casino (Essay Sample)

Traffic Issues that Residents are Facing with the New Casino in Rohnert Park, CA
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Introduction
The exclusive as well as multipurpose Graton Resort & Casino in Sonoma County, CA was opened recently and has experienced an incursion of scores of people. The Sonoma government anticipates an upward economic growth of the area and a positive change in the lives of Sonoma residents. Nevertheless, the residents believe it is the beginning of much bigger problems ranging from crime, land stealing, and environmental as well as moral degradation. Additionally, it is expected that prolonged traffic jams will curtail the normalcy within the county. The Casino is therefore a social as well as economic burden to the Sonoma residents.
Traffic Issues that Residents are facing with the New Casino in Rohnert Park, CA
The traffic jams were projected to last for only a few days but it is now apparent that the problem will last for months before sanity resumes to the roads. As a result, the residents are experiencing unforeseen occurrences, especially in regards to spending a considerable amount of normal working hours in the traffic gridlock while inhaling fumes from stuck automobiles. Since the opening of the casino, there has been an increase in the number of vehicles coming in and out of the area. According to a California Highway Patrol officer (CHP) Jon Sloat, the residents have been subjected to unnecessary delays as well as inconveniences since the opening has led to an increase of approximately 10,000 vehicles on the roads (Hay, 2013).
Despite the concerted efforts by the CHP, county emergency dispatchers along with local fire agencies to control the increased traffic, the situation remains unabated. This is due to the increased congestion on the roads resulting in the permanent closure of specific lanes and highways to facilitate flow of vehicles. The most affected road is the Highway 101, which has continually recorded high rates of traffic congestion and prolonged hours of traffic jams since then (Russell, 2013).
To respond to this crisis effectively, additional workers have been deployed by the county management to help contain the situation. This has involved the inclusion of additional traffic officers who have been integrated into normal traffic duties. Additionally, more CHP officers have been deployed along the streets along with additional patrol units. Although paramount, this move has affected the locals negatively as they have to bear the extra burden of supporting the government in its implementation of an appropriate response through increased taxation (Villalon, 2013).
Despite the above mentioned spirited efforts, most lanes remain congested with no parking space as the current influx surpasses the designated parking areas. In this regard, residents are forced to cope with motorists parking in any empty spaces including outside the Graton Resort & Casino. Further, efforts by the government to construct additional carpools lane to counteract the problem are inadequate thereby leading to the disruption of residents’ rights as well as privileges (Hay, 2013). As a result, residents are compelled to make various adjustments to their daily programs in response to the prevailing traffic conditions. Among the changes they have to make include but not limited to waking up earlier than required in addition to forgoing some important responsibilities. This situation is not ideal for a student who has a fixed time for reporting to school or an employee whose work is time bound.
The perennial inconveniencies, being experienced by the locals, may force some to relocate to other states, particularly those residing near the resort. This is informed by the fact that the majority are not willing to put up with the delays associated with work, school or shopping (Villalon, 2013). To some, life has become too hectic and relocating may be the only option. Such a move will inevitably impact on the close ties between the natives and by extension to the entire Sonoma community negatively as more people relocate and new inhabitants from different society settings invade the county.
To the Sonoma residents, it is no longer business as usual, and the residents have had to cope with different pollutants such as noise as well as health pollution as a result of the increased traffic, thereby affecting the wellbeing of the residents. In this regard, it is expected that health problems like mental stress, migraines and respiratory complications will become more prevalent (Studebaker 2013). Moreover, Studebaker (2013) feels that the resultant air pollution has had profound effects on the once reticent green field, blue skies and clean waters, all of which have taken years of meticulous planning and care to maintain.
At this point, it is important to take cognizance that environmental pollution is costly not only in terms of degradation but also monetary and temporal aspects. In this respect, increased disease prevalence will mean that residents have to spend more monetary resources to access treatment for preventable illnesses. Furthermore, Sonoma County inhabitants will be forced to spend more time seeking treatment as well as recuperating thereby affecting the productivity of the county. This is based on the fact that time that would have been spent working and therefore improving the economic status of the...