Hello Mayor Ashcraft and members
Jestice city conere my name it • My name is
a number of people that live on
the Site to ra eve som strents that
of the barriers. I have statements
I'd like to read from them, as they were
unable to atend:
for my part, I frequently have to make
a right turn onto Santa Clara to get
home. With barriers in place, and parked
cars obstructing my view of oncoming
cars at vary forcing my car into but. speed, cyclists and. pedestrian traffic is an accident fccidat!!
ancoming to happen This was supposed
+ be a temporary setus tor CoviD
out half a deca le is NOT temporary.
please consider cemovina the sat Caro
+ 5th Street barriers.
Submitted by despica sell
unde oral corintices
3218125
MARCIt 18, 2025
EARCITY COUNCIL,
THE "SLOW STREGIS PROGRAM THAT WAS LAUNCHED
NEARLY 5 YEARS AGO BY THE SAN FRANCISCO
MUNICIPAL TRANSPORTATION AGGNCY IN RESPONSE
TO THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC WHOSE GOALWAS TO
CREATE MORE SPACE FOR POOPLE TO WALK, BIKE AND
SOCIALLY DISTANCE) HAS NOW CREATED TRAFFIL JAMS,
ARGUMENTS| FIGHTS, HORN HONKING, CARS SPEEDING
DOWN 5TH STREET COMPLETELY IGNORING STOP SIGNS,
AWID PEOPLE BEING SO FRUSTRATED WITH THE STREET
BEING BLOCKED OFf THAT THOY ARE POOLINGOUT ฿
JCRSECHING AROUND THE SIGNS ALL TOGETHER.
WE 566 IT ALLDAY LONG OUT THE WINDOWS Of OUR
DELS LOCATEDAT STOO SANTACLARA, SANTOROS
ITALIAN MARKET AND DELI. EVERY SINGLE DAY
W6 566 CARS SPEDING DOWN ST STREGT RIGHT
THROUGHO TAO STOP SIGNS AND KIDS ON THEIR E BIKES
ALSO IGNOKING THE STOP SIGNS, CROSSING TRAFFIC
WITHOUT STORING (BECAUSE OF TAG SLOW STREET SIGNS) It'S ANACUIDENT WATING TO BAPPON. OUR GUDERIN
CUSTOMERS COMPLAIN ABOUT TIDE SLOWSTREOTS SIGNS
TAKINGUP PARKING FORDUR BUSINGSS CAUSING THEM TO
HAVE TO WALKLONG DISTANCES.
PLEASE CONSIDER REMOVING THOSE BARRIERS
TO RESTORE SOME PEACE TO OURUNGIGHBOR HOOD
WE ARE AFRAID THAT WE ARE GOING TO WITNESS
AFATALITY. SINCORALY MILE HOSIDI SANTORO
March 17, 2025
Mary Ellen McMuldren
112 Santa Clara Avenue
Alameda, CA 94501-3222
Dear Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft and Members of the City Council:
PLEASE remove the "Slow Street" barrier at the intersection of Santa Clara Avenue and Pacific Avenue.
I live on the 100 block of Santa Clara Avenue which 5 years ago became a "Slow Street". This was never needed. Children do not play in the street on this block. It is an unusually wide residential block near enough to EHS and near enough to Kiddie Kampus co-op preschool that it provides parking for both when needed. This barrier was put in place during Covid quarantine with the concern that it was unsafe for people to gather in public spaces, including the nearby public parks. That rationale is no longer relevant. Several public parks are nearby and that is where children play outside of school or private backyards.
Before there was this idea of "Slow Street" barriers and before the Cross-Alameda Bike Trail was built adjacent to Ralph Appezzato Parkway Santa Clara Avenue west of Webster Street had much more bicycle traffic as the main cross-Alameda route. The constant bikes in the roadway were generally respected. The main hazards were the cross traffic at intersections which were either two-way or four-way stops. There is still some bike traffic on Santa Clara Avenue (especially on weekends in fair weather) but less of it is the commuters headed to the ferry as before. The 100 block is wide and safe enough with a "Slow Street" designation. Speed bumps would be a safer option for slowing the speed of cars on these streets.
Construction on Central Avenue began a few weeks ago and will continue for more than a year. High school students and staff parking on our block. Others are impatient with the marked detour that seems to be a one way option to pass by EHS from Main/Pacific/Central to 4th/Central. Aside from the need to actually park on streets near the school there are many ways to drive safely near to EHS to drop off students/staff if these barriers were not in the way.
It is my opinion that the dangers created by these barriers far outweigh any theoretical benefits. I have specifically illustrated here how this one barrier is a serious hazard.
I would urge the City Council to evaluate more seriously the safety of forcing two way traffic to share one lane at our residential intersections.