From: Michelle Checketts
Sent: Monday, April 1, 2024 11:50 AM
To: City Clerk Group
Subject: Storke Road comment for City Council Meeting
Dear City Council Members,
I am writing to express my strong support for improvements to Storke Road.
Storke Road has seen massive changes in development over the last few years, and there are more changes on the way. The safety of drivers, bikers, and pedestrians has not kept up with this development.
As a resident living off of Storke Road, I see bikers biking in the wrong direction on the road at all hours of the day and night. I would love to see a continuation of the UCSB bike path from Isla Vista continuing up Storke Road into the Target and Camino Real shopping centers. I am impressed with the recently completed Modoc/Las Positas road bike lane project and would love to see a similar attractive, safe, and useable bike/walking path on Storke Road.
The parking lots in the Target and Camino Real shopping centers would also benefit from adding sidewalks and bike lanes as having bikes, pedestrians, and cars all navigating those intersections is treacherous and unpleasant. The exits onto Storke Road from these shopping centers are no longer capable of handling the volume of traffic--and will only get worse as the Medical facility and gas station get added to the street. A dedicated right turn lane out of the Camino Real Shopping Center would help, and a complete redesign of the Target parking lot entrance/exit from Storke Road seems necessary.
Phelps Road in front of Girsh Park is also in great need of being repaved as it is filled with potholes.
These are areas of town that people from Santa Barbara, Goleta, and the surrounding cities use frequently. Updating them would benefit thousands of people on a daily basis.
Thank you for considering my input on this matter.
Michelle Checketts
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