HomeMy WebLinkAbout9/4/2018 Item 15, Pickering
From:Nancy <
To:CityClerk; E-mail Council Website
Subject:City Council. 9/4/18. Item 15. Anholm Bikeway
Dear Mayor and City Council,
Please do no harm to the Anholm area. We are a mixed group from young , middle aged and elderly. Although, I
applaud your attempt to help the environment by lowering carbon emissions, it seems that you are over-looking the
needs of a very important group. The mobility challenged.
Unfortunately, there are many people who need their vehicle. And as stated before this Anholm track was designed
many years ago and it was never intended for the volume of traffic we have now, let alone more traffic you are trying to
impose on us. Driveways are narrow and heaven forbid we park in the front yard. I need my car to care for my
father. My husband needs his car to provide for us in his construction job.
On August 14 we (The Anholm District) asked the planning commission is to deny staff’s suggestion to reclassify our
neighborhood’s streets, which would have allowed more traffic on Chorro and Lincoln/West in a trade off to reduce
traffic on Broad. This increase would make Chorro 90% busier with vehicular traffic.
Houses are not set that far off the street. The increase in noise and pollutants seem an unacceptable trade off. Our
Planning Commission agreed that the impact was not in the best interest of the area.
Many of us agree with traffic calming, with speed bumps, lower (enforced) speed limits, and diffusers that would make
drivers passing through our neighborhood SLOW DOWN. This is what we need for all, pedestrians, cyclists and wheel
chairs who cannot maneuver the sidewalks now.
Our neighborhood need improvements now. The bike community is saying these improvements will come with the bike
track. Translation after the cyclists get their wants first. These improvements, continuous sidewalks, utility poles that
block side walks, street lighting etc... Should and must come first. Isn't our safety as important as those who support an
isolated bike track?
Many people who live in Anholm loved the idea of Lincoln/West be the bike lane, already
SAFE and calm. This idea was scratched by cyclists because of the added time. The added time of 1 to 5 minutes
depending on your bicycle capabilities. Isn't that time worth giving up, if it keeps one safe? Why are we asked to give
up so much(more traffic) when they, the naysayers about Lincoln/West are not willing to sacrifice a few minutes?
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One of the strangest things is, is if one stops at every stop sign with their bicycle and allows other vehicles to pass, their
time almost equates the same as if they had used Lincoln/West all along. If time is used as the standard in traveling,
rather than the quickest point between two objects is a straight line philosophy, then Lincoln is the better choice.
These changes will also be impacted by the three huge developments going in, 22 Chorro, 71 Palomar and
790 Chorro. Which these three will change the flow of traffic by their pure presence and now you ask to impact us
more. To sacrifice for the good of the cause. The Planning Commission thought it was too much for our neighborhood,
and I hope you too see their reasoning.
Improvements first. Road sharing has no stats behind it, Lincoln/West better option. Please do not make Anholm an
example of forcing your will against the needs of the neighborhood.
Please make the residents of Anholm the priority for things that happen to OUR neighborhood.
Thank you for your consideration,
Nancy T. Pickering of Broad in the Anholm District of the city of San Luis Obispo
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