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HomeMy WebLinkAbout9/4/2018 Item 15, Otto Christian, Kevin From:Garrett Otto Sent:Thursday, To:E-mail Council Website Subject:Anholm Bikeway Protected bike Lanes Attachments:cycle track with parking removed - GNO.pdf Dear Mayor and Council, I am a resident of the Anholm neighborhood and live on Lincoln St. I think you should support Option C to have protected bike lanes via the removal of on street parking as presented by staff. My reasoning is below, and there are many more reasons than what I have stated. The following is my suggestion for adopting a resolution: Adopt Option C - Protected bike lanes with the removal of parking. I would ask that you make the following additional request of staff to look at options during the design phase to extend a northbound bike lane between Mission and Meinecke to better accommodate many of the students using Murray to get to campus or to the new student housing on Chorro. This extension can be accomplished WITHOUT removal of parking or any adjustment to circulation! I have vetted this with staff and it is feasible. Without getting into the specifics, I see a simple resolution asking staff to "Adopt option C and consider additional improvements along Chorro north of Mission that could be accomplished with minimal impact to parking or circulation." However, some members of the community are worried about the learning curve with the two-way cycle track. Protected bike lanes has the highest likelihood of attracting new riders and the main feature that has gained a lot of support. However, the best option would have protected bike lanes on either side of the street, and this would have required removal of all on-street parking. The two-way cycle track is a compromise to minimize loss of on-street parking. Two-way cycle tracks are something most drivers are not yet familiar with because they are a new concept in the US. But people will never learn if we never try. It will take political willpower to maintain this configuration past the learning curve. Given the contentious nature of this project, any one incident that results from this new configuration could bring additional scrutiny and could compromise long term implementation of this project and future projects. Do not get misinterpret this. I still feel protected bike lanes as proposed are still safer than typical class II bike lanes. It is only a matter of time before someone is hurt by an aggressive or distracted driver, so protected bike lanes will ultimately be safer than to current configuration of the corridor. I am supportive the staff's proposed variation shown in Figure E of the staff report for Class II bike lanes, if that is the way you are leaning. It is a viable option that should be ALMOST as effective at attracting new riders, but does lack some of the safety I like most with protected bike lanes. This option does mimic typical roadways design, and may be more appropriate for this corridor considering all the variables. It would still be a huge improvement over the existing conditions. 2nd choice option: Adopt Option C with Class II bike lanes in lieu of Class IV along Chorro street. I would also ask that additional protective bollards, posts, rolled curb, or "bot dot", or "armadillos" be added to the traffic side of the bike lane to alert drivers who swerve into the bike lane. I would also ask the same for the same extension of the northbound bike lane on Chorro street north of Mission. Further explanations: I have spent a lot of time reaching out to fellow neighbors and community members and this option C is well supported for the simple reason that many people would feel safer if they had protected bike facilities. This is the main feature that 1 is widely supported. This is not about the current confident and fearless riders already using the streets as is, it is about getting more people out of their car and onto a bike which is widely supported in our town and general plan. I have heard many times over the past couple of years advocating for this project that they won't ride on the streets because they do not feel safe, or they use to ride but no longer do because they have had too many close calls or encounters with aggressive drivers unwilling to share the street. Some of our most confident families riding through this corridor are now considering driving their kids to school out of increasing number of conflicts. Simply moving people on bikes to a dedicated lane will allow people in cars to move more freely and will alleviate frustration on the drivers part. Reducing frustration of impatient drivers will help reduce unsafe passes that put people's lives at risk. Ultimately this becomes a more pleasant experience for both riders and drivers. I cannot express the need for swift and urgent climate action. I think you are all aware of the need to address this issue, and with transportation being the single largest contributor to GHG, this seems like a noble effort to make serious strides on this issue. Those of us advocating for these bike improvements also want better sidewalks, street crossings, and lighting. We have always been supportive of this option. We believe in complete streets, which means all modes of travel car, bike, and walking. I do feel that some people have taken advantage of our human emotional response to change to promote unhealthy fear around some of these issues. Honestly, I think that the loss of parking is being blown out of proportion. The numbers show that several sections will still be under-utilized and all but a couple houses have their own dedicated driveways and garages. Residents have the choice whether they want to use those or not, but the public right of way should be used for the public. The houses that do not have off-street parking asked for that variance themselves, and the parking in front of their houses is not being removed as part of this proposed plan. In fact, the staff has pretty much said that they are willing to put in a dedicated ADA parking spot for them. Finally, I would like to express my sympathy for the growing divide among those of us in the neighborhood. For whatever reason it does seem have come down to a generational divide, which was never our intentions. I know many of my neighbors are nice and caring people, despite our difference of opinions. But the reality is you generally have two groups one trying to protect something they have been accustomed to, and anther that is trying to make meaningful change. We are not blaming any one group for the situation we currently face, most of our convictions are a product of experiences, upbringing, and social influences. I understand the desire to protect what we have. It has just been disappointing to see a lack of empathy for those of us that feel vulnerable on the streets or want to tackle climate change. Its hard to hear that people care more about their conveniences than the safety and health of our community members and environment. Its frustrating to be called names and bullied for wanting having a vision of a more sustainable community. I get that change is hard, and it is especially hard to deal with when its out of your hands. Regardless, change happens. Its been happening and will continue to happen. We have the ability to determine how that change occurs. We want to support you in making that change, despite the fact that not everyone sees things the same way. I am sorry that you have had to take on some of the more difficult decisions than any other council that I can remember. Thank you for your time and efforts. Sincerely, Garrett Otto 2 CITY SPECIFICATION NO.DATE:SHEET NO.DESIGNED BY:DRAWN BY:CHECKED BY:APPROVED BY:SCALE:PROJECT TITLE: ANHOLM BIKEWAY PLAN PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE SUMMARY MAP SHEET TITLE:PREFERRED ALTERNATIVEJANUARY 2018 BROADFOOTHILL CHORROSANTA ROSALINCOLNCHORROBROADRAMONA SERRANO MEINECKEMURRAYWEST VENABLEMISSIONMISSIONCENTERLINCOLNCENTERALMONDPEACHMILLPALMWALNUTUS 101BENTONMTN. VIEWCITY SPECIFICATION NO.DATE:SHEET NO.DESIGNED BY:DRAWN BY:CHECKED BY:APPROVED BY:SCALE:PROJECT TITLE: SHEET TITLE: N1" = 350'SHEET 1 SHEET 2SHEET 3SHEET 4SHEET 10SHEET 11SHEET 12 KEY MAPSHEET 8SHEET 9 SHEET 5 SHEET 7 SHEET 6 ANHOLM BIKEWAY PLANJANUARY 2018