HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/6/2018 Item 12, Bennett
Christian, Kevin
From:Mike Bennett <mike@bikeslocounty.org>
Sent:Tuesday, February
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:An Alternative to the Alternatives
Attachments:Recommended Alternative to the Alternatives.docx
Good morning Madam Mayor and City Council Members,
I am hoping that you have a moment to consider a Hybrid Alternative to the Anholm Bike Route before tonight’s
meeting. I have been speaking with people on both sides of this issue for the last few months and I have been reviewing
the process, the proposals and the comments which have brought us to where we are today.
Tonight in my comments I will say that if you must vote this evening for one of the two proposed alternatives, then I
must ask you to vote for the Preferred Alternative. It is far from what the cycling community had wanted from a Broad
Street Bike Blvd, but it is far better than the Lincoln Alternative which, as written, doesn’t really do anything more than
add some Sharrows and some speed bumps.
I will also say that I would prefer that you consider taking the time to consider a Hybrid Alternative.
I can not ask you to do this without providing a recommendation. That recommendation is attached. It too is not
perfect, but both myself as Executive Director of Bike SLO County and the President of our Board of Directors think that
it better achieves the goal of providing a safer corridor for bicyclist of all ages and abilities through this portion of the
city than currently exists or that the two other Alternatives provide and it does so largely without affecting on street
parking on Broad or Chorro.
Respectfully submitted,
Mike
Mike Bennett
LtCol USMC, Retired
Executive Director | Bike SLO County
Managing Director | CCDDAP
mike@bikeslocounty.org W:805.547.2055 | C:760.815.4069
www.bikeslocounty.org
www.CCDDAP.org
1
Recommended Alternative to the Alternatives:
‐Focus on the Safe Routes to School goal of this project. (children on bikes are the most
vulnerable and least experienced people who will utilize a route through this area, so direct
your efforts toward their safety and the other objectives will inherently be achieved.)
‐Leave the Sharrows on Chorro from Lincoln to Foothill. (People heading to/fm Cal Poly are
going to take this route no matter what and the reality is that many of them, and most of the
recreational cyclists travelling this route will not bother to use a cycletrack if one is installed
only from Lincoln to Mission, I know that I wouldn’t)
‐Create a True Anholm Area Bike Blvd by connecting Lincoln, Mission and North Broad Streets
to a Two‐way cycle track on Ramona terminating at the Class 1 Path which will connect to the
SRTS crossing of Foothill at Ferrini. (utilize Green paint along the entire route in both directions
from downtown to Pacheco School.) (Yes, some people will not use this route because it will
take them about an extra minute. That is their choice. Our responsibility is to provide as safe a
route as is possible to the people who desire one and are willing to make prudent decisions
about their own wellbeing and that of their family and friends.)
‐Place a Traffic diverter at the intersection of Mission and Lincoln. This will slow traffic on
Lincoln and encourage bicyclist to use this route because it will create an actual Bike Blvd.
‐Make the northern portion of Broad Street a True Bike Blvd by placing a traffic diverter at
Murray. This will reduce the speed of vehicles in the area where there is likely to be the
greatest speed differential between cars and bikes because of the slight incline when travelling
north bound. (yes, this will likely increase the traffic on Chorro, but not as much as creating a
full Broad Street Bike Blvd would and it certainly will increase traffic a bit on Murray, but
Murray is a divided street and as such is best positioned to absorb additional traffic while
retaining its’ on street parking.)
‐Install a two‐way cycle track on Ramona from Broad to the Class 1 SRTS trail as depicted in the
Preferred Alternative.
‐Install attractive but very visible signage directing cyclists to utilize this route. Call it the SLO‐
Anholm Bike Blvd