Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout8/15/2017 Item 16, Brooks Christian, Kevin From:Lea Brooks <leabrooks332@gmail.com> Sent:Monday, To:E-mail Council Website Subject:Broad Street Bicycle Boulevard Attachments:BAC and Broad Street Bike Blvd.docx Dear Mayor Harmon and City Council Members: Please see the attached letter from your Bicycle Advisory Committee that explains why we voted unanimously to recommend Alternative 2. Thank you. Lea Brooks, Chair BAC 1 To: Mayor Harmon and Council Members Christianson, Gomez, Pease and Rivoire From: Lea Brooks, Chair of the Bicycle Advisory Committee, on behalf of the BAC Re: Why the BAC unanimously recommended Alternative 2 for the Broad Street Bicycle Boulevard Aug. 14, 2017 The San Luis Obispo 2013 Bicycle Transportation Plan’s stated intent for the proposed Broad Street Bicycle Boulevard from Monterey Street to Ramona Drive is straightforward: “Provide the primary low-traffic impact north-south through route for bicyclists and pedestrians serving the downtown core for neighborhoods north of downtown core.” Implementing the project is complicated because it involves retrofitting two narrow neighborhood streets that have become popular commute routes for motorists into streets that are safer for pedestrians and people on bikes. When the Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) voted unanimously on July 20 to recommend the second of three alternatives proposed for the bicycle boulevard to the City Council, members stated that they selected the option they believe will help the city best achieve its 20 percent trips- by-bike goal. Of the three options, Alternative 2 is the most complex because it is a couplet system that would convert Broad Street to one-way southbound and Chorro Street to one-way northbound between Meinecke and Lincoln to provide a buffered bike lane on Broad and protected bikeway on Chorro. The BAC’s decision was influenced by several factors: -A growing number of parents who bicycle with their children to Pacheco and Bishop’s Peak elementary schools. These parents were instrumental in encouraging the city to add buffers to the bike lanes on Chorro Street between Mill and Walnut streets and to fund the feasibility study for the Broad Street Bicycle Boulevard. In addition to making Broad and Chorro streets a safer route to these school, Alternative 2 is designed to encourage more residents of the north side of the city to bicycle to destinations in the downtown area. -Alternative 1 is similar to the city’s first and still only bicycle boulevard on Morro Street. While Alternative 1 would reduce vehicle speeds and traffic on Broad Street, traffic analysis indicates that most of the traffic would be diverted to Chorro Street. Broad Street is the best choice for a traditional bicycle boulevard given Caltrans’ future plans to close its antiquated on- and off-ramps at Highway 101. The Bicycle Transportation Plan proposes a bicycle and pedestrian crossing of the highway when the ramps are closed. City staff reported the reality is that the Broad Street ramps will not be closed any time soon because Caltrans has determined their closure would result in too much traffic congestion unless the Santa Rosa Street/Highway 101 interchange is modernized to accommodate more vehicles. That means bicyclists and pedestrians must continue to divert to Chorro Street to cross under Highway 101, and connecting the north and south segments of Broad Street will remain a far-off vision. -Alternative 3 would focus on traffic calming on Broad and Chorro without traffic diversion. -Each alternative has pros and cons, including the loss of street parking to provide more space for bikes and improve visibility at intersections. Loss of parking is understandably a major concern for the neighborhood. -A San Luis Obispo Council of Governments 2013 survey that found the majority of county bicycle riders fall into three major categories underscores why Alternative 2 would encourage more people to ride bikes: a) Strong and Fearless (14.6 percent): Defined as someone comfortable riding on almost any road or intersection in the county regardless of road conditions, traffic speed and volume. b) Enthused and Confident (31.3 percent): Defined as someone comfortable riding on certain roads with wide shoulders, bicycle lanes and easy-to-navigate intersections. c) Interested but Concerned (27.9 percent): Defined as someone only comfortable riding away from motor vehicles or on roads with bicycle lanes, neighborhood streets with low traffic speed and volume, and on bicycle paths. The full survey is available at: http://slocog.org/sites/default/files/SLOCOG-Bike-Barriers-Survey-Analysis-Report.pdf -There was similar opposition to creation of the Morro Street Bicycle Boulevard, which was built in phases and completed around 2008. San Luis Obispo’s commitment to increase bike trips by expanding the bicycle transportation network was recognized in 2015 by its designation as a gold-level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. The BAC commends city staff for the excellent outreach efforts to inform the community about these proposals, including three community meetings and a Website developed specifically for this project.