HomeMy WebLinkAbout9/4/2018 Item 15, Hanlon
From:jhanlon <
To:E-mail Council Website
Cc:Fukushima, Adam
Subject:Broad Street Bike Blvd - Anholm
Dear Council, thank you for your attention to the issues of transportation mode shift, parking, traffic, neighborhood
wellness, and associated issues that contribute to our great community.
As a long time Anholm resident, father of a cycling four year old, and one-time bike commuter, I would like to share my
opinions for your consideration.
I rode my bike from West Street to work downtown every day for eleven years (approximately 2002-2013). I never had a
problem on my commute through Anholm (down West and Lincoln), though I had a few close calls on Chorro between
101 and Monterey Street. I now have a 4 year old, so bicycle safety is more important to me now than ever.
To the question “Is accepting volume increases by virtue of street reclassification an acceptable trade off to improve the
cycling environments along Broad Street as a means to increase ridership?”, my opinion is "NO." Amending the General
Plan to reclassify neighborhood streets as collectors and arterials (to the detriment of the reclassified areas), neither
meets the wishes of the residents, nor is necessary to meet the goals of a modal shift.
The reality is that a safe bike route already exists for the middle section. Lincoln and West Streets are already there for
the taking to any cyclist who wishes to ride on a wide street in a traffic-free environment. It is no-cost, already available,
and is in fact already utilized by those who want that riding environment. I do not believe that it is necessary to improve
a street that is ill-suited for cyclists, when a suitable street already exists. The proposed project appears to make the rest
of Anholm LESS bike and pedestrian friendly. The option of routing cyclists to an already existing bike-friendly route
seems a better choice.
Some cyclists could still choose to take a more direct route, e.g. Chorro or Broad. Those direct routes will still be viable
alternatives under existing traffic patterns, but may not be safe alternatives if traffic volumes are increased on the scale
predicted by the current proposal.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment. My son and I will continue cycling on Lincoln and West and we hope to see
more riders join us! Chorro Street from Lincoln to downtown, however, needs some help!
thank you,
Jon Hanlon
West Street
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