HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/11/2024 Item 3a, Finger
Helene Finger <
To:Advisory Bodies
Subject:December 12, 2024 ATC Meeting Vision Zero Action Plan
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Dear ATC members,
I am writing today regarding the December 12, 2024 ATC meeting, item 3a: Vision Zero Action
Plan. Two heartbreaking statistics stand out to me: 21 victims have been killed on our roads
since 2019 and 73% of those fatal collisions occurred at intersections.
As stated in this draft document, “humans are fallible and will make mistakes”. The
introduction mentions that it is better to use a “safe systems” approach rather than a reactive
approach, but then proceeds to focus solely on a reactive approach based on “High Injury
Networks” (HIN) that will not stop people from making mistakes at intersections and will thus
allow fatalities to continue to happen here.
The focus of this Action Plan should instead be to close the few gaps that remain in our
network of safe/low-stress routes, so that people walking and cycling can avoid the
dangerous intersections and arterials (87% of fatal collisions occurred on roads with 3 or 4
lanes) altogether.
The safest way to protect people walking and bicycling is to finish connecting low-stress
routes that students/children can use and provide wayfinding information for those
routes. Neither of these solutions are even mentioned in this Action Plan, even though this
strategy has worked amazingly well in SLO. For example, after the Pepper St bridge was
opened, connecting Cal Poly to downtown, accidents on California Blvd have been
eliminated and bicycle and pedestrian usage has flourished (over 320,000 people
walked/rolled on the bridge in the first year). This is the best way to improve safety and
increase the number of people walking/cycling in SLO since many will only ride low-stress
routes and will never ride on arterials.
To eliminate fatalities at intersections, people need to have a route available that doesn’t
require them to ride/walk on a HIN – this Action Plan does nothing to provide these routes.
Fortunately, the City has been working diligently on this and only a few gaps remain. To
complete SLO’s safe and low-stress bicycle network, this draft Vision Zero Action Plan should
be revised to include a map showing existing low-stress networks and the gaps. Also, the
Action Plan Recommendations should:
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Focus on bike paths and/or calm streets with improvements provided for crossing HIN streets, not
along them. These can include quick-build solutions.
The response to wrong-way bicycle usage and unsafe pedestrian crossings should be
acknowledgement of the need and creation of a safe alternative to meet this need (not posting
signs). The multiuse trail on LOVR near Laguna Middle School is an example of SLO utilizing this
strategy.
Broad St Corridor
Should prioritize safe routes to school that allow students to avoid traveling on Broad St and
through the intersection of Broad & South. Need two-way multiuse path connecting Rockview
neighborhood to Hawthorne via calm Meadow Park neighborhood streets.
The pedestrian signal at Broad and Woodbridge should be prohibited from being converted to a full
tra?ic signal since this will result in increased motor vehicle tra?ic in Meadow Park neighborhood,
the low-stress route to Hawthorne.
California to San Luis Drive - Should extend the Railroad Safety Trail to SLO High School.
Higuera St. / Madonna
Prioritize extension of multiuse trail on north side of Madonna over Highway 101 through NE corner
of Madonna/Higuera. Extending the multiuse trail onto sidewalk at the north side of the Pacific
Coast Center entrance will allow cyclists/pedestrians to safely cross north of the intersection
without interactions with vehicles.
Create safe route for cyclists between Madonna Inn Trail and Higuera/Marsh intersection.
I know that there will be pressure on you to not make significant changes to this Action Plan,
but this ATC exists to provide oversight and policy decisions, and your position provides you
with the responsibility/authority to independently evaluate the data and prioritize how to
improve safety and increase mode shift for everyone, especially for children. Please vote to
change the focus of this Action Plan to prioritize connection of gaps in low-stress
routes. Providing substitute safe routes is the most e?ective way to eliminate the hazard of
dangerous intersections and to save lives.
Thank you,
Helene Finger
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