HomeMy WebLinkAbout5/22/2020 Item 1, Brooks
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:May 22, 2020, Agenda Item 1: Open SLO
To: Mayor Harmon and Council Members Christianson, Gomez, Stewart and Pease
From: Lea Brooks, San Luis Obispo resident
Re: May 22, 2020, Agenda Item 1: Open SLO – Temporary Use of City Right-of-Way to Facilitate
Distancing and Support Covid-19 Economic Recovery
I am a member of the Active Transportation Committee (ATC), but am submitting this comment as a
resident of San Luis Obispo as this specific proposal has not been considered by the committee.
I am thrilled with this proposal and enthusiastically request that you authorize the City Manager to
implement the Open SLO program. The temporary use of City right-of-way to facilitate social
distancing and COVID-19 economic recovery is a major step toward a permanent recognition that
Higuera and other City streets are for people, including pedestrians and bicyclists, not just motorists
and traffic flow.
Temporarily restriping Higuera from Santa Rosa to Nipomo to two traffic lanes and converting the
outside travel lane to a buffered bike lane has long been a goal of people who support active
transportation and aligns with other city goals and plans. Using public space for parklets and similar
uses that support local businesses and healthy activities is an appropriate action to:
-Facilitate safe physical distancing during the pandemic.
-Transition our beautiful city from motorist-centric to one where the priority is public health, quality of
life and more public space devoted to active transportation and nature.
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