Traveling from the freeway to and from the new transit station at Sixth Street and Central Avenue could add a number of minutes to the Greyhound schedule, they feel.
It’s not the first time Grant Line has figured in transportation decisions in our area.
For many years, before interstate freeways became “the Tracy Triangle” in the 1970s, Grant Line Road was an alternate route for many travelers passing through our area.
What became known as “the Banta Cutoff” was used by motorists eager to avoid traffic jams — and traffic lights — on Highway 50 (11th Street) through Tracy. Traffic on Grant Line became especially heavy Friday and Sunday afternoons as Bay Area residents traveled to and from points east, especially the Sierra mountains.
In fact, there was a time nearly a century ago when Grant Line Road came close to becoming the main route of the Lincoln Highway, later Highway 50.
Gary Kinst, who, as an active member of the Lincoln Highway Association, has made a thorough study of highway travel through Tracy, has recorded this episode in his Lincoln Highway writings.
In the early years of the 20th century, the Tracy-area segment of the Lincoln Highway traveled westward from the Mossdale bridge to Banta and then, after passing through the main part of Banta, turned south on Banta Road to what is now 11th Street, which in those days was a dead end there.
From there, the highway made another 90-degree turn toward Tracy. That turn was the scene of a number of accidents, which worried the state highway commission.
In 1917, the state pressed the county, then in charge of local road-building, to straighten out the highway route east of Tracy to eliminate the two 90-degree turns on Banta Road. But efforts to secure a right-of-way through Steinmetz Estate property on a direct route from Mossdale toward Tracy were stalled on a question of price.
As talks dragged on without resolution, the state highway commission threatened to make Grant Line Road the main highway, leaving 11th Street in Tracy in the dust. That set off all kinds of alarms among Tracy business interests, who didn’t want the highway to pass “a mile north of town” on Grant Line.
A mass meeting of local business leaders was called. Those who attended urged the district attorney, then in charge of negotiations with the Steinmetz Estate, to vigorously pursue a settlement. To help things along, Tracy business owners agreed to raise close to $1,000 to help bridge the difference.
In the meantime, delegations from both Tracy and Banta went to Sacramento to lobby for their particular routes. Tracy’s efforts were headed by three local heavyweights: Abe Grunauer and William Schmidt, original members of the Board of Trustees (City Council), and George Good, chairman of the Board of Trade’s highway committee.
Finally, after several weeks, a settlement was reached between the county and Steinmetz Estate, and the route through Tracy approved by the state highway commission.
Tracy Press publisher Henry Hull declared: “This will be good news to the citizens of Tracy, who, while they regret to see Banta lose the highway, can rest assured that this city will remain upon the route.”
It took several months before work the direct route between Mossdale and Tracy was scheduled to begin, but the threat of Tracy being bypassed had ended.
It was the second time Banta had lost out to Tracy. In 1878, when the junction of the Altamont and Port Costa railroad lines was being determined, Henry Banta’s hopes of his village becoming the railroad junction evaporated with the selection of a site to the west of Banta. That site became a new town — Tracy.
• Sam Matthews, Tracy Press publisher emeritus, can be reached at 830-4234 or by e-mail at shm@tracypress.com.
"Can someone tell me how many transportation companies no make use of the Transient Station on a regular daily basis?"
Two that provide regular service that I know of. One is the Tracy Bus an th other is San Joaquin Rapid Transit.
There are also other buses that stop thair but not on a regular basis.
An perhaps if th Greyhound passengers had a place ta stand that's out of th weather Greyhound would increase thair ridership in an out of Tracy. I, fer one, wouldn't stand over at th stop on Grant Line when I could catch an SJRTD bus ta Stockton an wait more comfortably in a station.
There wouldn't be much extra time if Greyhound drove down Eleventh Street. And it probably woulndt make the parking lot look full. Greyhound doesn't run every five minutes.
By the way. I've taken the bus in many cities over the course of many years and there are many times where I have stood at a transit station or bus stop for over twenty minutes.
What did you expect? A bus waiting for you. If that's how you feel...Maybe that taxi counts more than you think.
Greyhounds reason for not wanting to travel the extra distance to the Transient Station may be the cost involved in taking a longer route vs. the number of people riding Greyhound. Doesn't quite make much sense to me to drive the extra distance to pick up 1 or 2 passengers.
Can someone tell me how many transportation companies no make use of the Transient Station on a regular daily basis? And taxis don't count.
I have always said, and still do, that putting that building on 6th St was a poor idea. Everytime I drive past it the passenger loading and bus zones are empty.
Glad ya can see it would be safer, easier an cheaper just ta move th stop ta th transit station downtown.
Instead of zippin down I5 an headin West on I205 ta get off at MacArthur, just continue down I5 one more exit an come into Tracy on 11th street. Turn left on MacArthur and right on 6th Street. Continue West on 6th until ya get ta th Transit Station.
Departure leaves the Transit Station, continues West on 6th to Tracy Blvd. A right on Tracy Blvd followed by a left on 11th Street an take it out to 205 towards SF.
An th East bound bus simply reverses th route described above.
What could be simpler? Not much additional mileage, traffic or time an a place where th passengers could find more public transportation ta get them to thair final destinations. It completely avoids the 11th Street downtown area an th roads in both directions are in good shape. It also leaves passengers in a better location where they are less apt to run into trouble as that area is frequented more by law enforcement than virtually any other section of town.
And, should the high speed rail come through there it would be a natural for train passengers to easily end their transportation by switching to a bus.
I was NOT impressed with the Greyhound stop, was embarrassed when I met my friend there, it was not such a grand welcome to Tracy, more like back door, ghetto welcome. I insisted on picking up my friends at Bart station. Bit of a drive but wanted them to have better impression Tracy.
If they insist on keeping that stop, for heavens sake, make it look like a professional Greyhound stop!
CN
There's a historic freeway sign posted on the front of the Tracy Inn. Which happens to be on Eleventh Street.
Didn't the Tracy press write an article about that a few months ago?
It's on Eleventh St. A few blocks from the Bus Station.
Maybe you've seen it?
Fer years after all th above took place, th bus STATION fer Greyhound was on th corner of 11th an 9th Street whair an auto maintenance business is now set up in th original buildin.
Th bus folks abandoned th site because they said thair wasn't enough bus business ta warrant a bus STATION thair an moved th bus STOP over by Foster's over on Grant Line.
Th difference in time an distance from I5 ta th Tracy Transportation Station comin inta town from th highway east bound on 11th street. That ain't a significant thang when ya consider what thay are presently donin.
Currently they gotta come down I205, get off at McArthur, head west on Grantline an after pickin up an droppin off thair passengers, basically in th middle of nowhere public transportation wise, fight th traffic an traffic signals west on Grant Line ta get back on to 205 westbound.
The alternate route, an in my opinion better route, could drop off people at th transportation hub downtown whair th public can connect with other public transportation, ain't any worse than goin down 11th street through town ta th west, an gettin back on 205 west of town.
Th simple truth is that Greyhound don't really care much fer th passengers that use thair services an doesn't want ta take on any additional expense ta cause thair buses ta stop at th Tracy Transportation terminal even though th costs, distances an time involved is virtually th same.
Besides, if ya want a better trip, catch th SJRTD bus ta Stockton an ride Greyhound from thair. At least ya have access ta public transportation rather than bein dropped off ta fend fer yerself until a public city bus comes by an ya find out ya probably have ta go ta th transportation hub ta connect ta any other public transportation anyway.