HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/17/2026 Item 6b, Havas1
From:Gary Havas <
Sent:Thursday, February 12, 2026 8:46 AM
To:E-mail Council Website
Cc:Bill Bradlee; Melanie Mills; Karen Aydelott; Ian Woertz
Subject:Support for Item 6b – Higuera Complete Streets and 50 Higuera Widening Projects
Attachments:260212 Higuera Compete Streets to Council.pdf
Greetings Mayor and Council Members!
Bike SLO County presents you our letter of support.
Gary Havas
Board President, Bike SLO County
805-458-0755
gphavas6953@gmail.com

February 12, 2026
To: San Luis Obispo City Council
RE: Support for Item 6b – Higuera Complete Streets and 50 Higuera Widening Projects
Greetings Mayor Stewart and City Council Members!
On behalf of Bike SLO County, I am writing to express our support for the Higuera Complete Streets
Project and the Revised 50 Higuera Widening Project. We urge you to adopt staff recommendations to
approve the plans and appropriate the necessary funding to move these vital safety improvements to
construction.
The safety record of the Higuera Street corridor necessitates action. Between 2018 and 2023, 11 fatal or
severe injury crashes and 29% of all fatal crashes in San Luis Obispo have occurred on this specific
stretch of roadway, which is a critical part of the City’s High-Injury Network. This project is essential to
advancing the City’s Vision Zero goal to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries.
We are thrilled to see designs that prioritize the safety of vulnerable road users and foster a connected
community. Specifically, we strongly support:
1. Protected Infrastructure: The installation of over two miles of physically protected bike lanes
creates a facility safe for riders of all ages and abilities.
2. Critical Connectivity: This project closes a major gap in our active transportation network,
strengthening east-west connections via Madonna Road and the Meadow Park neighborhood.
3. Intersection Safety: The new traffic signal at Higuera and Elks Lane and the dedicated bicycle
signal phase at Higuera and Los Osos Valley Road are best-practice countermeasures that will
significantly reduce conflicts.
4. Traffic Calming: We support the road diet reconfiguration between Bridge Street and Margarita
Avenue to reduce illegal speeding and reallocate space for safety features.
Regarding the 50 Higuera Widening Project, we support the revised design which achieves the safety
goal of adding a center turn lane and not delaying the project while preserving the community’s valuable
Heritage Trees.
Delaying these projects puts over $9 million in secured outside grant funding at risk and delays critical
safety interventions that cannot wait. We urge the Council to prioritize public safety and approve these
projects without delay.
Sincerely,
Bike SLO County Advocating for a safe, healthy, and connected community through bicycling
Sincerely,
860 Pacific Street, Suite #105, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Gary Havas
Board President
860 Pacific Street, Suite #105, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401