HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-10-2012 B1 HeitzmanRECEIVED
Goodwin, Heather ` APR 11202
Subject: FW: Widened Path /Bicycle Passage Project on LOVR
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From: Suzanne Heitzman Date
Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2012 12:07 PM
To: Marx, Jan; Carpenter, Dan; Carter, Andrew; Smith, Kathy; Ashbaugh, John
Subject: Widened Path /Bicycle Passage Project on LOVR
Dear Council Members,
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I am a long term resident of San Luis Obispo and have lived in the Laguna Lake area since 2000. While Los
Osos Valley Road has been a busy thoroughfare for a long time, the addition of multiple shopping centers and
residential neighborhoods at the east end has created many problems for all who must travel through this area.
Laguna Middle School is one piece of this puzzle.
The "Safe Passage to School" project attempts to address the issue of pedestrians and bicyclists at Laguna Lane
and LOVR. This project has been on the books for several years but never seems to have had true, well
researched plan with meaningful data and thorough public input. Over the years I have asked many times what
the objective of the project is. The answer has been expressed in a variety of ways. Originally when it was a
bridge over Prefumo Creek, the goal was to improve health and wellness of children by encouraging exercise - -a
project that optimistically changed future behavior of the children at the middle school and elementary school.
It has also been stated that the goal was to unify the neighborhoods from Oceannaire to Laguna Lane. Now the
stated objective is to improve safety of the pedestrians and bicyclists between CL Smith and Laguna Middle
School.
This project does not really improve safety of pedestrians. It widens the walking area somewhat but that does
not seems particularly critical to safety. It has a two -way bicycle path. It will have the bicyclists going east on
the west bound side of LOVR. Then when the bicyclists get to Oceannaire from LOVR they are supposed to
dismount, and walk to across Oceanniare to? Continue the rest of the way to Maddona Road or Royal Way? Or,
cross on foot and turn on to Oceannaire and remount? That might be acceptable, but it is prudent to remember
that the amount of traffic on Oceannaire has increased tremendously with the developments I mentioned above.
Vehicles have created a "shortcut" on Oceannaire to avoid the tremendous congestion at the corner of LOVR
and Madonna.
The plan is to use a "treatment" at LOVR and Oceannaire at the end of the path to stop the bicyclist. It has been
described to me as an island, with bumps and signage. A bicyclist would need to dismount, cross Oceannaire,
then either continue walking the bicycle on LOVR (as they've run out of path) or turn on to Oceannaire and
remount. A design was not available at the open house at the Golf Course as it was still in progress. I question
whether the design of bumps and signs is adequate to ensure compliance by a seventh and eighth graders. If you
doubt my conclusion, I suggest you see the movie "Bully" that explores middle school behavior.
I have continually questioned the methodology used to determine the number of children who reside in the
neighborhood that would be eligible to use this path. It seems that the number has been drawn by observing the
existing number of walkers/bikers. It would be a relatively straightforward process to work with the school
district to actually count the number of families and view them on a map (GIS) who reside in the area being
addressed by this proposal. If you analyze the project and the design carefully, the only children/families who
truly benefit from the proposed expanded path are those residing in the Oceannaire /CL Smith neighborhood
who bicycle. They are protected fro.,a having to cross over LOVR from and 1�.en cross back. This is a definite
benefit, but using the City's data in the original proposal, and observing, there are about eight children who
come from this area on bicycles. And again, re- integrating the cyclist into the existing traffic flow still remains
unclear.
I am very concerned about diverting the walking and bicycling traffic from the corner of Laguna Lane and
LOVR with its street light and the controlled supervision of the crossing guard to Oceannaire, where there is
neither a street light nor a crossing guard. If the plan works as predicted, there will be an increased number of
children on bicycles going the wrong direction at this intersection.
We all know that from Diablo to Highway 101 the traffic on LOVR is difficult. This one block project does not
adequately address many, if any of the genuine safety issues for children or anyone else. It may, in fact create
new perils by removing driving space for vehicles from LOVR (4 to 5 feet); encouraging children on bicycles to
ride on the wrong side of the road; and creating and adding traffic distractions of bicycles going the wrong way;
and forced lane changes by vehicles approaching Laguna Lane at the Middle School. The vehicles dropping off
children at the Middle School would need to watch for child bicyclists going the wrong way. It should be kept
in mind that school children would probably use this project for about 10 minutes a day, twice a day, for about 9
months of the year. The vehicles, however, would be forced permanently to navigate the lane changes and
reduced space for cars on LOVR, 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
I recommend the City not proceed with this project as designed. It was a response to a failed bridge design, is
piecemeal, and does not accomplish its goals of improving safety. It may create obstructions to future
improvements of the larger LOVR issues. Let us step back and analyze the big picture of overall
pedestrian/vehicle traffic on LOVR and develop an integrated plan that is the best interest of all of us who use
this very heavily trafficked road. I realize the City will probably lose access to the federal dollars, but it is the
responsibility of the Council to spend all tax dollars wisely.
Suzanne Heitzman
San Luis Obispo, CA