HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/08/2023 Item PC, Finger
Helene Finger <
To:Advisory Bodies
Subject:ATC: Higuera Complete Streets Project - Madonna intersection
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Dear San Luis Obispo City Active Transportation Committee,
I am writing in regard to the Higuera Complete Streets project because I cannot attend the June 8,
2023 public meeting in person.
The grant application that funds this project relied heavily on engagement that I conducted with
the Hawthorne Elementary School community. The application stated that, "The project will
create safer routes to Hawthorne Elementary School and Laguna Middle School”. Yet, the
proposed plan does not fix the intersection of Madonna & Higuera for students riding home from
Laguna Middle School. This was one of the top concerns for families, since it is the most
dangerous part of the route that most former Hawthorne students take to bike home from
Laguna Middle School. Additionally, the most recent bike fatalities in SLO have been at
intersections.
There is a simple solution to make this part of a safe route for students (and everyone) - continue
the two-way bike/walk route on the north side of Madonna all the way to Higuera. There are a
couple of options to make this work utilizing the existing bridge structure width limitations. This
also eliminates one Hwy 101 off-ramp crossing.
Complete Streets projects are expected to prioritize the needs of underserved communities, such
as Hawthorne families, as well as prioritizing safety over speed. If trade-offs need to be made,
providing a safe route for students from disadvantaged communities to bike home from Laguna
Middle School should be the top priority.
Extending the cycle-track to Higuera in conjunction with the redesigned intersection/signal will
close the remaining gap in a safe route for students to/from school and provides a safe place to
bike for all cyclists.The proposed alternative does not. It requires navigating across a lane of
traffic that has over 500 cars/trucks per hour at peak times, which excludes most middle and high
school students (and most residents) from commuting to/from school because of this one section
on their route.
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If there is not enough room to add on-street bike lanes on the bridge in addition to the cycle-
track, it should not be an option to remove the cycle-track because the cycle-track provides the
only safe alternative for all riders and must be built.
Best regards,
Helene Finger
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