HomeMy WebLinkAbout5/6/2025 Item 7c, Willson
myron willson <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:safety improvements on Tank Farm
Dear Mayor and City Council Members:
I'm writing to provide input on Item 7c, Tuesday May 6th Agenda: Direction on Tank Farm Road Striping.
As a resident of the "Flowers" neighborhood on the north side of Tank Farm Road, my wife and I were
looking forward to the upcoming safety improvements this summer. We walk the neighborhood
extensively and enjoy the parks and trails on the south side of Tank Farm. We even attended the Active
Transportation meeting a few months back and provided feedback.
Unfortunately, the current width and speed of traffic create an extremely unsafe condition for crossing
and creates a barrier between the north and south sides of the road. Speeds typically exceed the posted
35mph limit (which your staff confirmed with radar) and I believe they are even higher on the west-bound
side of the road where folks are coming downhill with no initial cross-traffic.
From what I've read, several existing SLO planning documents (Transportation Plan, Active
Transportation Plan, Vision Zero and even Climate Action) encourage road improvements to help slow
car traffic and assist alternative modes of transportation. If ever there was a situation to modify existing
streets to make them safer for all users, Tank Farm would be one.
The alternative plan recently sent out does nothing to slow existing speeding traffic or encourage
walking, rolling or biking. As a 70 year old person I am reasonably fit, but will require additional time to
cross as time moves forward. At minimum, we need additional crosswalk opportunities (it's nearly a 1/2
mile between existing crosswalks) with "areas of refuge" provided to increase safe crossings. In addition,
the initial proposed plan did very little to slow car traffic (speed humps, necked down intersections,
narrower lanes as suggested in SLO city documents).
The stated reason for the deletion of safety features is "emergency response", but it's hard to understand
how that would be a problem when both ends of this road segment are already just two total lanes (slow-
downs occur at intersections or where there's a lane reduction) and the traffic report showed traffic
volumes way below a threshold for additional lanes needed. Also, the curb-to-curb width is not being
changed and a wide bicycle lane could easily be used for emergency response if needed.
As a 1-car family, we both rely on walking and bicycling to get around town and also enjoy walking the
neighborhoods of SLO with our dogs. Please support SLO's existing stated planning documents and help
support mobility by taking steps to reduce speeds on all streets, as well as providing safe and effective
crossing opportunities for kids, families, the elderly and all folks using our streets.
Sincerely,
Myron Willson
1
940 Felicia Way
SLO, CA 93401
2