HomeMy WebLinkAbout7/20/2021 Public Comment, SchmidtJuly 18, 2021
Dear Council Members:
Several weeks ago, I wrote you regarding the inequities for residents created by a very bad plan
for the so-called "Anholm Greenway," and the fact the city's notion of equity provides
preference for some and diminution for others. I implored you to provide equity for all, not just
for the city's preferred demographics.
There has been no response, so here is Chapter 2.
This is a specific example of how equity is applied differentially to different demographics
according to the current city regime's preferences.
Arguably the most senior -dense neighborhood in the city is the one I live in — "North Broad,"
with a high proportion of homes occupied by seniors, plus The Villages — the three separate
senior facilities at Broad/Ramona where collectively hundreds of seniors live.
Crossing Ramona from The Villages to the neighborhood shopping area had always been dicey
since it required crossing mid -block a street with speeding vehicles. The alternative, crossing at
Broad, was also dangerous due to maldesign of the southwestern corner— a turning radius so
large it promotes speeding turns from Ramona onto Broad, pedestrians be damned. (I've called
this to city's attention many times, asking for a rather simple safety modification, but city's not
interested.)
In 2001, through the generosity of a Village resident and its management, the city was gifted a
fine crossing that made life safer not only for Village residents but for everyone in the
neighborhood as well.
This crossing had the following humanitarian features:
1. A raised crosswalk/speed table.
2. Bulb outs at both ends to reduce the distance pedestrians were exposed to traffic.
3. A pedestrian activated voice warning/blinking pavement light system to alert vehicle
drivers to the use of the crosswalk.
The thing was solar powered.
This cool crossing worked well for all parties.
Alas, however, despite the generous gift to the public health and safety, the city couldn't be
bothered with maintaining its operating features. For years now they have not functioned.
Years during which complaints to the city went unheeded and dismissed. Somewhere along the
line, years ago now, the city posted a sawhorse sign stating a date by which repairs would be
made. Successive dates came and went, no action taken. The most recent sign promised repair
by 2020. Today even the mendacious "repair by" signs aren't maintained.
While the needs of seniors to safely cross the street got neglected, the city moved ahead with
plans for a dangerous two-way cycle track on this portion of Ramona, thus pleasing a small but
vocal able-bodied constituency. As part of that project, the pedestrian bulb out on the north
side of Ramona will go away, thus leaving seniors to fend their way across a wider street, with a
two-way bike track plus two-way vehicular traffic to navigate. And do you really think bicycles
will yield to pedestrians? If so you must not do much pedestrianizing around town.
So there you have a very simple irrefutable example of how the city's definition of equity is
inequitable: bike users cool — get theirs; seniors and neighborhood residents not cool — get
neglected then messed over.
Is this the sort of equity the council can be proud of?
Sincerely,
Richard Schmidt