HomeMy WebLinkAbout7/19/2022 Item 6i, Mills
Delgado, Adriana
From:melanie mills <millsmelanie@me.com>
Sent:Tuesday, July 19, 2022 1:03 PM
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Agenda Item 6A - Pedestrian Crossing Improvements
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Dear City Council,
I am writing to express my support for Agenda item 6.i, which proposes intersection improvements across the City to
improve safety for people walking, biking, and in cars.
In particular, I want to express my support for the staff recommendation for crossing improvements at the Johnson-
Sydney intersection, including the pilot road diet and flashing beacon. I have lived in the Sinsheimer neighborhood for 14
years and am very familiar with this intersection as a driver, bike rider, and pedestrian. It is quite possibly one of the
most frightening pedestrian crossings in our town. In fact, during our time living near Sinsheimer we have phased out
using this intersection, because of the vehicle speeds on Johnson. It appears most drivers on Johnson Avenue are
traveling in excess of the 35 MPH speed limit. The average speed seems closer to 45, but it is not uncommon to
experience people driving in excess of 55 MPH. The wide open roadway and long distance between the Bishop and
Laurel signalized intersections create a speedway through this intersection, with cars often changing lanes to jockey for
position. For the people on foot and riding bikes from the neighborhood uphill of Johnson, the Sydney intersection is
one of a handful of places to cross Johnson. The proposed improvements are critical for reducing the excessively high
vehicle speeds and making this crossing less dangerous for people to access the school, recreational facilities, and the
multi-modal trail network.
The City’s efforts to make traveling on foot and by bike safer and more comfortable provide a tremendous benefit to our
community’s health and wellbeing. The Sydney Street pedestrian crossing is unsafe and Johnson Avenue is a car-centric
corridor that needs to be updated to incorporate current day design standards to balance the use of roadways for all
users.
Sincerely,
Melanie Mills
2456 Gerda Street, SLO
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