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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/6/2024 Item 6a, Boswell M Boswell < To:E-mail Council Website Subject:Item 6A - Broad Street Concerns Attachments:SLO 6A Broad Street mb.docx This message is from an External Source. Use caution when deciding to open attachments, click links, or respond. See attached comments to the city for Item 6A on tonight’s agenda. -- Michael R. Boswell mboswell@outlook.com 1 Memo To: San Luis Obispo City Council From: Michael R. Boswell, Ph.D., AICP Date: 6 February 2024 Re: Item 6A – Broad Street Concerns COUNCIL MEMBERS: Broad Street is unsafe, anti-urban and incompatible with the City of San Luis Obispo’s desire to be “bicycle friendly” and achieve “vision zero” goals. Broad Street would be considered a “stroad” by the Strong Towns organization: “A stroad is neither a street nor a road, but a poor-functioning version of both” https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2023/1/19/5-telltale-signs-youre-on-the-stroad-from-hell The City Council must take action to convert Broad Street into a “complete street” that accommodates all road users and especially increases safety and convenience for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users. In 2014, the City Council adopted the South Broad Street Plan that directed future land use and associated infrastructure improvements. Since then, the implementation of the land use component has been rapid with many more people now living in the corridor. In addition, many areas further south along Broad Street have seen significant growth of job centers especially near the airport. Yet, in this 10- year period almost no improvements have been made to the transportation infrastructure. The bike lanes are substandard, the pedestrian crossings are few and far between, the transit stops are inaccessible and uncovered, and folks in the Stoneridge and Rockview neighborhoods have no option of making a protected left turn onto Broad. Good planning requires that infrastructure be developed at the same time as land use intensity increases. This has not happened as directed in the 2014 plan. The one improvement in the corridor has been the installation of a pedestrian signal at Woodbridge. Although this has helped, it is insufficient on its own. Moreover, my experience with using this signal is that it is still stressful to cross since motorists are not in 100% compliance. I want to relate one specific experience of living off Broad Street. If you are a pedestrian, Broad Street might has well have a wall running down the middle. It is nearly uncrossable. I used to take the bus but I finally gave up due to the difficulty and stress (and I’m a highly motivated, able-bodied transit user). Broad Street is about 80 feet curb to curb (4 travel lanes + center turn lane + bike lane + parking lane). It takes me 8-10 seconds to cross if I’m hustling. Seniors and those with mobility limitations would be expected to take about 20 seconds or possibly longer. Usain Bolt, the world record holder in the 100 meters, would take 2.3 seconds to dash across at his top speed. The posted speed limit on Broad is 40 mph. But once the signals turn green at South or Orcutt the race is on. Cars often exceed 50 mph. A car travelling 40 mph will travel one block on Broad in about 2.5 seconds (1.9 seconds if going 55 mph). So as you can see, judging closing distance when trying to walk across Broad is hard and not even Usain Bolt would feel comfortable with a car 1-2 blocks away. Of course, a pedestrian could walk to one of the signalized crossings. In my case, from the end of Stoneridge Drive to the bus stop across the street at the Staples is about 500 feet directly; a minute and a half walk. To walk to the Orcutt intersection to cross and then go to the bus stop is about 1600 feet; over triple the distance and now a 5 minute (very unpleasant) walk. It is no wonder that folks in the Broad Street corridor are not motivated to take the bus. I suggest three short-term actions: 1. Provision of wider bike lanes with a buffer. This can be accomplished through re-striping in advance of any other scheduled roadway improvements. Paint is relatively cheap. Bicyclist’s safety cannot wait. 2. Provision of a full traffic signal at Sweeney Lane as shown in the 2014 plan. This would allow folks in the Stoneridge/Rockview neighborhoods to make a protected left turn onto Broad. This is the only large neighborhood in SLO that has absolutely no option for making a protected left turn onto a 5- lane road. Motorist’s safety cannot wait. 3. Update and implementation of the transportation infrastructure portion of the 2014 South Broad Street Plan. It has been 10 years. We have waited long enough.