HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-03-2016 Item Public Comment, KienowCOUNCIL. MLETINU: Sy3 7_Uk b
ITEM NO.: Fvko,��
To: Maier, John Paul
Subject: RE: Please make riding bikes on certain SLO sidewalks legal.
APR 2 2 ?U16
Public Comment — 05/03/2016
From: Marx, Jan
Sent: Friday, April 22, 2016 1:34 PM
To: Ken Kienow
Cc: Maier, John Paul
Subject: RE: Please make riding bikes on certain SLO sidewalks legal.
Thank you for your comments about this important safety issue, Ken. I am including our assistant city clerk in
this response, so that your message is posted on our city website as Public Comment not on the agenda for
our May 3 meeting.
All the Best
Jan
From: Ken Kienow [
Sent: Friday, April 22, 2016 1:07 PM
To: Rivoire, Dan; Marx, Jan; Carpenter, Dan; Ashbaugh, John; Christianson, Carlyn
Cc: Grigsby, Daryl; Johnson, Derek; Lichtig, Katie; Eric Meyer; Hudson, Jake; Codron, Michael; Jonathan Roberts
Subject: Please make riding bikes on certain SLO sidewalks legal.
Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, and City Staff -
I live near Laguna Middle School. If I were to ride downtown legally, I would need to have my 8 and 5 year old children in bike lanes on
LOVR, Madonna, and Marsh. All of those roads are high volume, multi -lane roads with nothing but a few feet of air separating us from
distracted drivers.
I've got friends who live in the neighborhoods near Trader Joe's that would love to ride bikes to CL Smith, but doing so would mean being in
a bike lane on LOVR so they don't. One of them actually puts her bikes in the car, drives across the LOVR interchange and parks at Target,
unloads the bikes, then rides safe neighborhood streets to CL Smith. She believes in alternative transportation enough to go through that
trouble, but isn't willing to be in the bike lane on LOVR.
Please make riding on sidewalks in SLO legal where no protected bicycle facilities exist on busy connective corridors. By "protected bicycle
facility" I mean any bicycle facility that incorporates a physical buffer between bike riders and cars (curb, separate path, bollards, etc.).
A few example sidewalks that create hugely beneficial connective routes for novice cyclists are:
1) The sidewalk on LOVR on the north/east side of the road, especially between South Higuera and Calle Joaquin and continuing to
Madonna Road. With the new interchange, it's a fully connected stretch of beautiful sidewalk that would be amazing for kids and novice bike
riders.
2) The sidewalk on the north side of Madonna Road between Oceanaire and the Madonna Bike Path. Many people already ride this stretch
on the sidewalk, and it would serve as a safe route to school for many students and commuters.
I don't want bikes on all of our city's sidewalks. They certainly don't belong on the sidewalks downtown. I'm asking if it would be possible
to make certain sidewalks available to bikes, or make them legal to ride citywide but not in certain prohibited zones (such as downtown).
Allowing bikes to ride courteously on sidewalks would solve major connectivity issues in SLO with a minimal financial outlay until we're
able to build out more connective protected bicycle facilities.
Please direct staff to modify our "bikes on sidewalks" ordinance in such a way that regulates riding bikes on sidewalks where no protected
bicycle facilities exist if bicyclists are uncomfortable in the bike lane. I'm sure certain details (dismounting or stopping to cross driveways,
speed limit of 7mph, prohibited zones, pedestrians always have right-of-way, etc.) can be added to ensure the safety of bike riders and
pedestrians.
I don't want to feel guilty for riding with my kids on the sidewalk anymore, and I don't want it to be a barrier to citizens looking to make
active, healthy transportation choices.
Please make this happen until we can get connective, protected bicycle infrastructure in more places. Thanks!
Ken Kienow