HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/17/2026 Item 6b, Marc
oxforduniversity M <oxforduniversity1@hotmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, February 17,
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:6b Higuera Street Complete and 50 Higuera Widening Project
Subject: Vote No on 6b Higuera Street Complete and 50 Higuera Widening Project
Dear City Council Members,
I am a 1978 resident of San Luis Obispo, and I am writing to express my strong opposition to the 6b
Higuera Street Complete and 50 Higuera Widening Project and to urge you to vote no on this proposal.
The continued implementation of protected bike lanes and road diets in San Luis Obispo is causing
increasing traffic congestion, financial strain, and public safety concerns, all of which outweigh any
perceived benefits of these changes. Reducing South Higuera Street from four lanes to two while adding
more protected bike lanes is unnecessary and a waste of taxpayer money. This project will only add to
the daily frustrations of drivers, residents, and businesses in our city, while providing minimal benefits to
cyclists who are already being accommodated by existing bike lanes. Higuera Street was once a three-
lane road downtown, but it was reduced to two lanes in the last five years, and it has been heavily
congested ever since. If the proposed reduction of lanes on South Higuera Street moves forward, this will
only exacerbate the problem, leading to even more delays for drivers and further congestion throughout
the city. Drivers are already being forced to take alternative roads, often using residential neighborhoods
as shortcuts to bypass delays, which only adds more traffic to areas not designed to handle it.
The protected bike lanes and road diets that have already been implemented in various parts of San Luis
Obispo are causing significant congestion. Roads like Higuera Street, Johnson Avenue, Marsh Street, and
Monterey Street are already experiencing traffic delays due to the reduction in lanes. The narrowing of
lanes is compounded by delivery trucks blocking lanes, particularly during peak hours, making it even
harder for vehicles to move through these already congested areas. The delivery service companies that
rely on Higuera Street, such as UPS, FedEx, USPS, and DHL, have already increased their delivery fees
due to these road diets and the congestion they create. With the additional lane reductions and
protected bike lanes proposed in the South Higuera Street project, these services will likely raise their
fees even more. The growing delays on these roads are forcing delivery companies to adjust their routes
and take longer paths, which raises costs for both businesses and consumers. These higher shipping
fees are passed down to customers, making goods and services more expensive for everyone in San Luis
Obispo. Moreover, emergency vehicles such as fire trucks and ambulances are being significantly
impacted by these road diets. Johnson Avenue, for instance, is already difficult for emergency vehicles to
navigate because of the reduction in lanes. In times of emergency, every second counts, and these road
diets are only adding to the risk of delayed response times. If we continue to reduce lanes and make our
roads more congested, we are not just making life more difficult for drivers; we are jeopardizing public
safety as well.
Additionally, these changes are causing further frustration for local businesses. With the reduction of
lanes and the removal of parking spaces, many businesses are finding it more difficult to attract
customers. Customers who would normally park on Higuera Street or nearby roads are now being forced
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to find alternative parking, which often means driving further, walking longer distances, or spending more
time looking for a spot. This makes it less convenient for consumers and less profitable for businesses.
The ongoing congestion from road diets and the loss of parking are making it harder for businesses to
survive in an already challenging economic climate. As the city continues to grow, these kinds of
changes are only going to make it harder for businesses to thrive and for residents to enjoy their
community.
There is also the issue of wasteful spending. The city is spending $5,000 per month, or $60,000 annually,
to maintain the flower pots along North Chorro Street, when the City Council approved removing parking
on one side of the street and turning it into a protected bike lane just two years ago. This is an excessive
use of taxpayer money for something that was meant to improve bike infrastructure but has instead
created more congestion, financial strain, and unnecessary upkeep costs. The decision to prioritize
aesthetics and bike lanes over improving traffic flow and supporting local businesses seems to be a
misguided allocation of resources, especially when the expected benefits have not materialized. The city
has not provided the data to prove that these changes are making our streets safer or more efficient. If
anything, they are only adding more financial burden to the city’s already strained budget. Moreover, the
continued allocation of resources to bike lanes and road diets without clear, concrete evidence that they
are improving the overall transportation system is not in the best interest of the community. We need to
ensure that our funds are being spent wisely, on projects that will benefit the majority of residents, not
just a small group of cyclists.
With all the protected bike lanes in place, it’s important to ask: where are the bicycles? Despite the
significant investment in bike lane infrastructure, only about 2% of cyclists are actually using these
lanes, while the vast majority of San Luis Obispo’s residents continue to rely on cars, motorcycles, and
other vehicles to get around. This stark contrast highlights the issue that we are dedicating valuable road
space and resources to a segment of the population that is not using the infrastructure as expected. The
98% of the population that uses vehicles are the ones bearing the brunt of these changes, while cyclists
a small minority are benefiting from infrastructure they aren't fully utilizing. This calls into question why
the city continues to prioritize bike lanes for such a small segment of the population when 98% of people
rely on cars, motorcycles, and other vehicles to get around. These protected bike lanes may be an ideal
solution for some, but they have not proven to be a necessary or effective use of road space, especially
when we are not seeing any significant change in cycling behavior.
It is crucial to understand that bicyclists do not generate revenue for the city only vehicles do. The
changes you are implementing are making it more difficult for businesses to operate and attract
customers. When we prioritize bike lanes and road diets over the needs of vehicle drivers, we are
harming the local economy. The revenue generated by businesses, deliveries, and regular commerce
largely comes from the 99% of people who use vehicles. By quashing vehicle access, you are directly
affecting the financial well-being of the businesses that sustain our city. It is essential to recognize that
these road diets and protected bike lanes are not just inconveniences for drivers; they are hurting the
local economy by making it more difficult for people to navigate the city, access businesses, and
conduct deliveries. This is not just a matter of inconvenience this is a financial issue that directly impacts
every resident and business in San Luis Obispo.
The ongoing expansion of these projects is frustrating for vehicle drivers who feel that their needs are
being consistently overlooked. As more and more of our roads are reduced to one lane or congested with
obstacles like delivery trucks, drivers are left with no choice but to find alternate routes. In many cases,
this means driving through residential neighborhoods that were never intended to handle high volumes of
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traffic. Neighborhoods that were once quiet and peaceful are now being flooded with traffic as drivers
look for ways around the congestion caused by road diets. This creates more noise, safety risks, and
general disruption for residents who live in these areas.
I urge you to take a step back and reconsider these initiatives. It’s clear that road diets and protected
bike lanes are not solving the problems they were intended to address. In fact, they are only making
things worse. We need roads that accommodate the growing population of drivers, not projects that
prioritize a small group of cyclists who aren’t even using the bike lanes as expected. We need practical
solutions, not misguided infrastructure changes that only make our streets more congested, unsafe, and
difficult to navigate.
In closing, this is why San Luis Obispo needs district voting so we can have proper representation in each
district. With the South Higuera Street Complete Project, there is no representation by one single Counsil
member, and that's very unfortunate because when you need to speak to the Council, you have to
address the whole Council with no representation for your specific area. This lack of representation is
why I feel the issues in this town persist. I ask that you understand this concern and please don't make it
a roadblock for voters to have a say, especially when an area of their town is being impacted and ignored.
Sincerely,
Scott Marc
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