City Council meeting March 26, 2024 Item 11.A Presentation of the General Plan Report Dear Mayor Sparks, Vice Mayor Ford and Councilmembers Lemus, Rivers and Harvey, I appreciate the review of the General Plan Implementation update.
I’m wondering when the item identified on PktPdfPg 104, Table 11-1 General Plan Implementation, Part of Action CL 1B, in “realignment of West Cotati Ave to intersect Gravenstein Highway” – [status column], “35% of the design for junction” – will be made available for public review.? When past road way plans have been put up for approval, it turned out that even minor tweaks could not be accommodated without referring it back to the funders, so I hope this plan will be available for comment before the plans are cast in metaphorical concrete.
Sincerely Neil Hancock
Background to W Cotati Ave : I’ve been advocating since 2019 for safe pedestrian connectivity from W Cotati across Hwy 116, to potential new housing in NW Cotati. It would seem to me this type of planning is essential for potential reduced VMT for new housing units. In addition the city has adopted Vision Zero, to make safer Active Transportation in Cotati.
The proposed “35% design for the Hwy 116 /W Cotati Ave” doesn’t appear to be meeting these levels of expected pedestrian safety. In past review of completed plans affecting road ways, discussion on minor tweaks has been that the plans are not changeable without funders review.
Drivers, some in potentially large vehicles, are expecting to move through this newly urbanizing area, at relatively high speeds on Hwy 116. Pedestrians are concerned for their safety and will be considering whether they can safely walk/roll across a High Stress road (Hwy 116), first from one direction and then from the other direction. Will they have a safe central median where they can pause if necessary. Is the median large enough for all users, families and wheelchairs + support? If this crossing is not perceived to have a safe protected central median with potentially large vehicles on either side, then pedestrians are unlikely to use it.
I enclose a snippet of the diagram of the “35% plans “ from the “Pavement Delineation and Sign Plan”. It seems to me a cautious pedestrian/driver, looking for a low stress crossing is going to consider four phases to using this cross walk. If they don’t feel safe they won’t use it – and will stay with a vehicle. 0) Pre-decision on safety of crossing. When driving by/through the junction, they will consider could they cross it as a pedestrian. If it looks un-safe, they will not attempt to walk into Cotati for shopping, dining, or other activities
1) If it looks safe, then arrive at the junction on the West side, visually be guided by the safety of the pedestrian bulb out. The pedestrian visually analyzes what it takes to cross 3 lanes of traffic, and can they do it. If so press the cross signal (assuming there is one) If they are not confident of crossing 3 lanes, they will consider; is it safe in the middle of the road, can they take refuge there, can they press the crossing signal again.
When a pedestrian traffic
“crossing indication” lights,
they will look left and
determine if any west bound
vehicles have stopped, giving
them the right of way, and
then consider it safe to cross
– to the center medium.
2) Proceed to the center
of the road/divide, and then
look right.
3) If vehicles traveling east
have stopped then
pedestrian will cross and
continue along W Cotati
Ave pedestrian paths.