HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/4/2025 Item 7a, Yetter
Kris Yetter <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Opposition to current and planned road diets
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Dear City Council,
I appreciate the work you do to shape the future of San Luis Obispo. Thoughtful leadership requires
balancing progress with the real needs of our community, and that is why I feel compelled to speak up
about the City’s approach to road and transportation planning.
The continued push to reduce vehicle lanes in favor of bike lanes and other modifications is not only
creating congestion—it is also making our roads less safe. When traffic backs up due to lane reductions,
drivers become frustrated, take risks, and divert onto residential streets never designed to handle
increased traffic. We are already seeing this play out on Johnson Avenue, Marsh Street and Chorro
Street, where changes have created new hazards rather than solving existing problems.
There are numerous examples from other cities where similar road diets have led to unintended safety
consequences:
Playa del Rey, Los Angeles saw an increase in cut-through traffic in residential neighborhoods,
leading to more dangerous driving conditions. The city ultimately reversed the changes.
Seattle’s 35th Ave NE experienced longer emergency response times and erratic driver behavior
due to narrowed lanes, forcing the city to restore vehicle capacity.
San Francisco’s Valencia Street saw an uptick in collisions and unsafe conditions because
delivery trucks and rideshare vehicles had no place to go, causing backups and dangerous
interactions with cyclists and pedestrians.
San Luis Obispo is not a large urban center with extensive public transit infrastructure. We are a
community of working parents, small business owners, and residents who need to drive efficiently and
safely. The reality is that most people cannot replace their daily trips with biking or public transit, and
road policies should reflect that.
I strongly urge the City to reconsider not only future lane reductions but also the changes that have
already been made. If a modification results in congestion, unsafe conditions, or increased driver
frustration, it should be revisited. Specifically, I ask that the Council reevaluate the changes on
Johnson Avenue and Chorro Street and conduct a thorough safety review before moving forward with
any additional lane reductions on South Higuera, Tank Farm, Broad Street, and Foothill.
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Safe, efficient roadways benefit everyone—drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike. I hope you will take
these concerns seriously and adjust the City’s transportation strategy to better reflect the needs of the
entire community, not just a subset.
Sincerely,
Kristen Yetter
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