HomeMy WebLinkAboutNelson - Comments made at MeetingMadam Mayor and Council Members: December 10, 2024
My name is Dr. Gene Nelson. I live in SLO. Happy SLO County Property Tax due
date. Today, I'm calling for an audit of Vision Zero, specifically the City's Active
Transportation Plan (ATP.) Previously, I emailed both SLO city and SLO county an
article critical of "platitude driven" policies regarding pedestrian and bicyclist safety. I've
discussed this topic three times on the Dave Congalton show. Many callers have shared
my perspective regarding the harms of the ATP. I further call for a halt to the installation
of additional road barriers under the ATP until the results of the audit are completed.
There is a conflict of interest in having the SLOCOG, which includes at least one
representative from the City of SLO advocating for a billion-dollar tax increase while at
the same time increasing the congestion in SLO by blocking lanes of arterial roads for
the alleged purpose of mabrlrg bicyclists and pedestrians safer. Quoting from page xi of
the 2023 Regional Transpflfition Plan (RTP) at https://TinyURL.com/SLOCOG , "The
Committee also recommends SLOCOG explore the feasibility and necessary path to
secure support from voters for a transportation-specific sales tax for the region."
Installation of barriers to block lanes and increase rush-hour congestion is a waste
of taxpayer resources, particularly in light of the increase in the use of roads anticipated
by our region's population growth to 2045 as noted on the previous page of the 2023
RTP. The population increase is almost equal to the current population of the city of
SLO. Installation of further barriers should be immediately halted.
The economic value of the arterial roads in the City of SLO is likely about a billion
dollars. The value of these roads, whose primary pu{pose is to facilitate cofirmerce are
substantially impaired by conversion from 4 lanes to 2lanes, as has occurred due to City-
imposed "Road Diets."
While my wife remained here in SLO, I worked in Arlington, Virginia from late
2007 through early 2012.In contrast to the rural SLO County with about 3,300 square
miles, Arlington County, Virginia is a mere 26 square miles.
The National Capitol Region invested billions of dollars in essential public transit
including heavy rail and abundant buses. There are no road barriers like those found here
in SLO. The ATP ignores the immutable laws of physics. In many cases, the odds of
collisions between vehicles and bicyclists are increased. "Dooring" kills and injures
bicyclists. The results of the Vision Zerc audit will likely show increased pedestrian and
bicyclist injuries and falalities in SLO, just as the article I sent you about Portland,
Oregon showed. I call on you to end the "war on cars." Cars are apractical and safe
means of transportation in our primarily rural County.