HomeMy WebLinkAbout7/19/2022 Item 7a, Rands
Delgado, Adriana
From:Barry Rands <slobcrands@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, July 19, 2022 1:54 PM
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:July 19, Item 7a
Attachments:Left Turn danger update.pdf
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Dear Mayor and City Council,
Several of you were not on the Council when the Anholm Bikeway project was approved. I had serious concerns about
some safety issues and suggested some safer alternatives, but the project was approved anyway. Given that these safety
issues will be present as soon as the facilities begin to be used, I hope that the City Council insists that staff come up
with a more robust education and outreach plan than what is currently proposed.
I have attached a revised version of the presentation that I made to Council in 2018 when the project was approved by a
3 to 2 vote.
--
Barry Rands, Advocate
San Luis Obispo Bicycle Club
(805) 704-1549 (cell)
www.slobc.org
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1
I am concerned that the Cerro San Luis Neighborhood Greenway project is being announced
to the community as a “simpler and much safer” route for pedestrians and cyclists relative to
existing conditions. The fact of the matter is, however, that though there are some aspects of
the project that will indeed lead to safer cycling, the two-cycle tracks, which constitute a major
portion of the Greenway, will introduce new safety risks that are currently not as serious under
existing conditions. The cycle tracks traverse over a dozen driveways and one uncontrolled
intersection exposing cyclists to vehicles crossing their paths from three different directions.
NACTO guidelines wisely recommend two-way cycle track be installed “on streets with few
conflicts such as driveways or cross-streets on one side of the street.” The reason for this
caution is primarily due to left turns into cross streets and driveways.
The attached diagram illustrates the left turn hazard that is inherent on two-way cycle tracks
with driveways and side streets. Under normal circumstances, a left turning motorist only
watches out for oncoming bikes and cars. With two-way cycle tracks on Chorro, the motorist
must watch out for three things:
1) one lane of oncoming cars
2) one lane of oncoming bicycles, traveling at different rates of speed than and partially
obscured by oncoming cars
3) one lane of bicycles traveling in the same direction on the left.
This left turn maneuver essentially becomes a "left turn from the right lane" as cyclists will be
riding in a lane to the left of and in the same direction as left turning cars. This is further
complicated by the fact that the cyclists traveling in the same direction are in a very large blind
spot due to the cyclist’s extended distance from the car (over 15 feet). There are over a dozen
driveways and one uncontrolled intersection (at Mountain View) where left turns are possible.
Another problem with two-way cycle tracks is the steep learning curve for both motorists and
cyclists. In Columbus, Ohio, two-way cycle tracks were installed in 2015 on the right side of
Summit Street, a major one-way thoroughfare in Columbus. According to a recent report,
"Between 2012 and 2015, there were five crashes involving bicycles on Summit between
Hudson and East 5th Avenue. In 2016, the first full year with the bike lanes, that jumped to 14,
according to Columbus police." That is a TENFOLD INCREASE in bicycle accidents during
the first year of operation! Keep in mind that Summit is a one-way street, so the left-turn
problem described above is not even present. Between the left turn danger and the learning
curve, two-way cycle tracks on Chorro are certain to be less safe than what they are perceived
to be. Furthermore, because they are perceived as safe, young and/or inexperienced riders
will be attracted to them, thereby increasing the risk of accidents.
I know the City has plans to send out mailers to the neighborhood, informing residents of the
new facilities and how to use them safely, but that is not sufficient. A much more robust
education campaign should be planned, especially for the school age children who will likely
use these facilities. I ask that City Council direct staff to come up with an education and
outreach program that will better prepare both cyclists and drivers for the new challenges that
this new facility will bring.
Barry Rands,
Advocate, San Luis Obispo Bicycle Club
DRIVEWAY
BLIND
SPOT
CYCLE TRACKS
LEFT TURN HAZARD