HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/17/2026 Item 6b, Gruman1
Purrington, Teresa
From:Galen Gruman <slogalen@icloud.com>
Sent:Thursday, February 12, 2026 8:54 PM
To:Fukushima, Adam; E-mail Council Website
Subject:Comments on Higuera Complete Streets Project plan, particularly on bike safety
Dear Mr. Fukushima, City Council members, and Mayor Stewart,
Thank you for the city’s work to improve traffic flow and safety along South Higuera for cars, bicycles,
and pedestrians. The Higuera Complete Streets Project plans being discussed at the 16 February city
council meeting look to be very good, and as both a driver and a cyclist along South Higuera, I
welcome the proposed changes.
I suspect you will get criticism over the road diet aspect for part of South Higuera, but I believe it is
the right thing to do. Not only will the dedicated center lane make turns safer while not impeding
through traffic, I believe it will smooth the overall traffic flow because the current configuration of
switching several times between one and two lanes in a direction creates an inchworm effect of
traffic speeding up only to then have to slow down as a lane goes away. That tends to create uneven
driving.
I do want to call attention to three intersections that are particularly dangerous for bicyclists:
Higuera at Marsh: Bicycles traveling southbound have to cross an awkward intersection where the
Hwy 101 entrance is and where Marsh continues west of downtown. Although there is a bike-specific
lane to go straight by shifting to the left of the right turn lane, many cars don’t slow or give space for
cyclists to shift as they approach the intersection, and when crossing the intersection many move to
the right too quickly to line up to the lane on the south side of the intersection, before cyclists can do
the same (the bike lane is a bit too much to the left, so it cuts into car travel). Cars turning from
eastbound Marsh onto southbound Higuera frequently do not stop or slow for cyclists crossing.
Perhaps there is a way to install a sensor that detects approaching bikes in the straight-through bike
lane to then illuminate yellow caution lights or something similar for vehicles also traveling south
onto Higuera and in the turn lane on eastbound Marsh. A dedicated bike signal is also a possibility
though that is more disruptive to car traffic.
Higuera at South and Madonna: If I understand the plans correctly, southbound cyclists will no
longer have to shift left before the two turn lanes onto Madonna to cross the intersection and pass
the island where a bike path currently begins. Instead, cyclists will go right adjacent to Madonna for a
very short distance and have a bike signal that lets them cross Madonna (while all car traffic is
stopped at Madonna, South, and both sides of Higuera at that intersection) to the right of the current
island to continue onto Higuera. It will act more like a pedestrian crosswalk. That should work once
cyclists learn not to follow the standard vehicle path through the intersection. But I wanted to verify
the planned behavior as I was not 100% certain from the plans presented.
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For the northbound through traffic, it appears a similar route will be created so bikes no longer have
to shift to the left of the turn lane at South but instead will have a bike crosswalk with a bike signal
that stops traffic turning into South from either direction and from Madonna. Again, that should work
once cyclists learn to not follow the standard vehicle path through the intersection. Currently, cars
seem to ignore or not see northbound cyclists as they try to shift left to keep the car’s right turn lane
clear. I do remain concerned about car traffic into and out of the gas station; green paving should
help, but exiting drivers often seem more focused on merging onto Higuera northbound as
northbound drivers shift into the turn lane for South. It’s tricky for cars there, and so they’re often not
seeing the cyclists navigating the same complexity. I am concerned the proposed changes won’t help
that issue of drivers exiting the gas station not seeing cyclists because they are focused on merging
onto Higuera while also crossing the turn lane to do so. Maybe something like yellow warning lights at
the exit when a cyclist on the bike path is detected to be approaching would help.
Higuera at LOVR: when going south through this intersection, cyclists must shift left past the right
turn lane to be able to continue straight through the intersection. There is green paving to indicate
this shift, but despite the current paving, cars seem oblivious to cyclists, which makes it hard to shift
left in time to avoid being forced to stay in the shoulder and thus the right turn lane onto LOVR.
Perhaps the green paving should start earlier on the bike path itself for a clearer signal to drivers.
(Compare to the similar intersection from westbound Tank Farm to southbound Higuera, which does
have a longer, more visible green paving. While some cars ignore us and cut us off as we shift left on
Tank Farm at Higuera, it happens much less than it does now at Higuera at LOVR.)
When going northbound on Higuera, it can be hard for cyclists to shift left into the left turn lane to get
onto LOVR. A left turn box and green paving path from the bike lane to it should be considered.
Thank you for your consideration.
Galen Gruman
196 Craig Way, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
slogalen@icloud.com, 415-891-7389