HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/6/2018 Item 12, Cooper (2)
Christian, Kevin
From:lkcooper64@gmail.com
Sent: 23 PM
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Proposed Anholm Bikeway
February 5, 2018
Dear City Council and Staff members,
First, thank you for all the time and work that you have already put into considering this project. I am a long-
time resident of the Anholm neighborhood in San Luis Obispo, living on Chorro Street between Lincoln and
West Streets and in general am favorably disposed to increasing bike riding and bike safety in our town.
However, I am concerned about the safety of the proposed Anholm bikeway project in its current incarnation,
about its negative impacts on quality of life for those of us living in this neighborhood and its cost.
Although, as stated in yesterday’s Tribune, “the designs are based on federal and state design guidance
and industry best practices for bicycle facility planning”, the proposed project includes key deviations from
those design guides and industry practices that will create significant safety problems for cyclists and drivers.
First, the multiple driveways that occur along the bikeway are and should be considered uncontrolled
intersections. I already have difficulty backing my car out of my driveway (and in my home--built prior to
1930—we cannot easily park both of our family vehicles in the driveway at the same time), so the idea of
people having to back across 2-way bike traffic into car traffic seems crazy-making. In addition, when friends
come to visit who have mobility needs that don’t allow them to get out of their vehicle in our narrow driveway
(those needing to use walkers, etc.), we meet them as they park in front of our house at the curb and escort them
into our home. For people living along the proposed protected bikeway, this will not be possible, either because
the parking on their side of the street will be taken away, or due to the inadequate parking that will then be
available on only one side of the street. The width of bike, car and/or parking lanes provided at various points
along the proposed route are also narrower than recommended by industry leaders. The diagonal movement of
cyclists, and the fact that many people biking to Cal Poly will not use the full route but will exit it at Mission, is
an additional safety hazard.
There are many homes in Anholm that are student rentals with 4, 5 or 6 cars per house rather than two.
Has this fact been considered when residents are being told that there will be minimal impacts on street parking
because parking will be available on streets nearby?
This very expensive proposal is creating many more problems than it solves. As our neighborhood has
discussed this issue amongst ourselves, there have been ideas exchanged about how to decrease car speeds
along Chorro and Broad. This alone will increase safety for all of us riding or driving along these streets. Last,
I’m taking this opportunity to give you my input on how to address SLO’s projected $8.9 million budget
shortfall for the 2018-19 fiscal year: vote no on this proposal!!! Please take the time to find something that is
safer, less costly and doesn’t diminish quality of life for the people living in Anholm.
Thank you for your consideration,
Laura Cooper
173 Chorro St
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
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