From: Emma Stanford
To: Council, City
Subject: Bike safety in Palo Alto
Date: Monday, April 29, 2024 10:58:02 AM
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Dear City Council,
I've commuted by bike for fifteen years, but I never feared for my life until I started commuting through Palo Alto. I work on Stanford campus, and my commute takes me down Willow, Bryant, University and Palm Drive. If you commute by bike you already know the hazards on this route. Willow has a bike lane, but bikes still have to negotiate a queue of right- turning cars to get into it, and it's often full of debris. Bryant is supposedly Palo Alto's Bike Boulevard, but about once a week a car blows through a stop sign and almost runs me over (this morning it was a Cybertruck). On University Ave, there are no bike lanes but there are signs telling me I can't bike on the sidewalk, and traffic is often backed up for entire blocks, so bikes are forced to weave through cars. There are frequent traffic jams due to cars pulling into or out of parking spaces, or due to cars stopping in the middle of the street to let passengers in or out. The worst part is the Caltrain underpass, with no bike lanes, poor lighting, and a steady stream of fast-moving cars.
I wear a high-visibility helmet and when it's dark out I have very bright lights. With all of this, I do not feel like drivers are seeing me or respecting my presence. I've had cars honk at me while I'm stopped at a green light waiting for an opening to turn left (this is especially scary because it's exactly how another Stanford bike commuter recently died). I've had cars honk right next to me because they're annoyed that the car in front of them isn't turning right into a stream of traffic. I've had cars cut me off by turning right through the bike lane. And I've had many cars pull out into me when they should be stopping at a stop sign. Where bike lanes do exist (and they're never physically separated from the road, which they would need to be in order to really improve safety) they are routinely obstructed by roots, potholes, garbage bins, road work signs, parked or idling cars, and piles of leaves and other debris. Finally, there are the traffic lights, most of which don't recognize a bicycle as traffic, so if there happens not to be a car behind you, you have to wait until one shows up.
I'm lucky enough to also have the option of commuting to work by bus, but biking is much faster. However, it's starting to feel like a selfish indulgence, the sort of thing you do as a death-defying twentysomething but have to swear off when you have children. It's Bike To Work Day soon and Stanford is sending out emails encouraging staff to commute by bike, and I want to write back asking, How? Exactly what route do you recommend? As I negotiate the Caltrain underpass I wonder: Is this really what you have in mind? Biking through Palo Alto shouldn't be like this. Come to think of it, walking through Palo Alto shouldn't be like this.
Why is every block of University Ave dominated by on-street parking and a constant stream of cars?
Making our streets safe for bikes requires significant change, and I'm disappointed that Palo Alto wasted the opportunity to keep University Ave partially closed to cars after COVID lockdown, the way it did for Cal Ave and the way Menlo Park did for Santa Cruz. I don't know when we can expect real change--or how many people will have to die before it happens. In the meantime, I would like to see more signs on Bryant warning cars that cross traffic doesn't stop. I'd like to see better accommodation for bicycles in the Caltrain underpass.
I'd like drivers to be educated about their responsibilities towards bicyclists (I just checked the California DMV website, and the only question on the practice theory test that mentions bicycles at all is one pointing out that bicyclists aren't pedestrians). Finally, I'd love to hear from the City Council about what bike commuters like me can do to help bring about change.
Thanks,
Emma
From: Natalie Geise
To: Council, City
Subject: Item 1: BPTP Update - Stronger Protections for Bikers and Pedestrians Date: Monday, April 29, 2024 10:41:24 AM
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Honorable Council Members,
The letter below asks for stronger bike and pedestrian protections/infrastructure and is signed by more than twenty of my colleagues, some with personal stories about their choices about active commutes in our area. I am resending as the Bike and Pedestrian Transportation Plan Update comes before you this evening.
As a city, we have many goals tied to the walkability and bikeability of our city. I am supportive of thoughtful efforts to integrate those efforts, decide on the metrics we need to get there, and implement solutions and improvements. This includes better tracking of active transit trips and collisions, so that we can understand both total incidents as well as incident rates, given our goals of both increasing active transit trips and decreasing (and ideally to zero) traffic fatalities and critical injuries.
Thanks,
Natalie Geise (Palo Alto resident)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- We are reaching out as employees of SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory* in relation to the Bike and Pedestrian Transportation Plan Update. Many of the undersigned bike to work and go from or through Palo Alto to get there.
We are encouraged by and supportive of Palo Alto’s goal of being a pedestrian and bike friendly community. We encourage you to adopt the specific goal of reducing traffic fatalities and critical injuries.
Many of us are familiar with the challenges of biking along roads with faster-moving traffic as both entrances to SLAC are along such ones (Alpine Road and Sand Hill Road).
We advocate for safer infrastructure to protect pedestrians and bikers along roads like those in Palo Alto, such as Sand Hill, Foothill Expressway, Embarcadero Road, Page Mill, and El Camino.
Those roads serve as the most direct ways to get across the area and we note that many other large employers like SLAC are along those roads, leaving workers who bike to those employers little/no choice but to bike along those roads.
Particularly along roads like this, we have noticed:
Difficulty with left turns where bikes must cross two lanes of traffic.
We advocate for bike boxes at intersections
Cars, trucks, debris, buses stopping or parking in bike lanes, forcing bikes into the main lanes
We advocate for protected bike lanes and improved maintenance With the Plan Update, we broadly encourage the City to prioritize the safety of those using the public roads and infrastructure over faster access to destinations.
Sincerely,
22 SLAC Employees
*Our views represent that of the undersigned, not of our employer.
Natalie Geise: Palo Alto resident and student/employee at SLAC for 5+ years “I bike to work from Palo Alto almost everyday. I drafted a similar letter to Menlo Park and San Mateo County (given where SLAC’s entrances are) in the late fall, making the same two specific points above. I am devastated to see those same points as possible contributors to the recent cyclist fatalities.” Meriame Berboucha, SLAC employee for 5+ years
I was hit by a car in the area. It was a hit-and-run and I’m still paying for my medical bills now which I cannot afford because I’m a student. Since then I’ve had debt collectors phone me and I still have many scars from the accident. It’s also led me to be very scared to take my bike or electric scooter to work and now I don’t do it anymore.
Ryan McClanahan, employee at SLAC (2.5 years)
“I routinely bike to work from Palo Alto to SLAC. I use Sandhill because there are wide designated bike lanes. However, I see daily mis-use of the bike lanes by motorists, from pulling into the lane too early for a right turn, to parking in the bike lane and forcing me and other cyclists into the street or sidewalk.
Protecting the bike lanes with concrete bollards, or a full curb, would be a huge boon to bicycle commuters on Sandhill, and would assist with car traffic as more people would commute by bicycle because they feel safe doing so. The break away flex posts are not enough, because drivers can still drive through these and hit a cyclist”
Paul Jones, SLAC employee and Palo Alto resident
“I have stopped cycling to work due to road safety concerns, specifically the lack of protection for cyclists crossing Sand Hill Road and Alpine Road.”
Brendan O’Shea:
I bike to and from work along Foothill Expressway and enter and exit SLAC through the Alpine Road gate.
I’ve been a SLAC employee for 9+ years and a biker for the last two. Bike infrastructure is key to meeting the world’s carbon emission goals. One reason people do not bike is they do not feel safe . Prioritizing
biker safety is an admirable goal in and of itself, but the effects of robust and safe bike infrastructure help everyone, not just the people riding bikes.
Stefan Moeller, SLAC employee
I used to bike from Palo Alto Caltrain station to SLAC for many years and have had several close calls with cars. I eventually stopped riding my bike to work mainly due to safety concerns.
Sarah Gaiser, student at SLAC
I bike to SLAC multiple times per week, usually along Sand Hill Road. Recently, the bike lane has been blocked by debris or cars which left me feeling vulnerable having to bike in the car lanes.
Philip Mansfield, employee at SLAC for four years
I periodically will try to bike to work along Sand Hill Road as my main form of commuting. I usually manage for a few months before having a frightening encounter with a car and swearing off it for half a year.
David Agyeman-Budu, employee at SLAC (4.5 years)
I bike to SLAC using Sand Hill Road for most of my commute and the state of the bike lanes has steadily not been as safe as it has been before. There is vegetation that is on the path which is not routinely cleaned. Parts of the path have ongoing construction work, which is a nuisance especially at nighttime.
Christina Eshelman, employee at SLAC for 5+ years
Anthony Fong: SLAC employee for 5+ years
Eric Konzelmann, SLAC employee for 3 years
Shamin Chowdhury, SLAC employee
Sathya Chitturi, student at SLAC (5 years)
Sydney Erickson, student at SLAC (3 years)
Diling Zhu, employee at SLAC (15+ years)
Rhoda Kentin, employee at SLAC (2 years)
Xiao Cui, student at SLAC (4 years)
Vivek Lam, student at SLAC (4 years)
Diego Rivera, student at SLAC (2 years)
Eddie Barks, student at SLAC (6 years)
Sander Breur, staff scientist at SLAC (5 years)
From: Pat Marriot
To: Council, City
Subject: road diets/bike lanes/Vision Zero
Date: Monday, April 29, 2024 9:47:03 AM
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Council Members:
This is a great little video showing how all the safety “improvements” are only making things worse.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-Pjyp3G5ek
Pat Marriott
From: Ann Balin
To: Council, City
Subject: Baylands trails are unsafe/need for separate cyclist path away from pedestrians Date: Sunday, April 28, 2024 5:39:26 PM
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________________________________
Dear Mayor Stone, Vice Mayor Lauing and council members, Yesterday’s lead article in the Palo Alto Daily Post describes the tragic deaths of two dogs whose leashes were caught by cyclists and dragged on the Baylands trail. Two cyclists rode into leashes and killed these pets according to ranger Lisa Myers. She added, “The conflicts we have seen, a lot of them have been due to speeding and inattentiveness by bicyclists. We have had a number of older individuals who have been hit by bicyclists." I urge you the council to act and correct this use that has increased in the Lucy Evans Nature Preserve. Lucy Evans fought long and hard with the city to get the preserve established. She was a teacher who lived next door to my grandmother here in town. I knew her as a child. Her dedication to our community in preserving the Baylands was visionary. It was never established to prioritize a commuter corridor for cyclists.
I am a long time visitor to the Lucy Evans Nature Preserve and have been stunned at the use of the trail by cyclists where there are many more using it as a commuter corridor. A month ago my neighbor and I were walking north on the trail alongside the wetlands parallel to the airport. We had to jump out of our way several times because approaching cyclists were upon us. They rode way too fast and saw the pedestrians as impediments. Imagine you are walking on a sidewalk in Palo Alto minding your own business and suddenly and often bikes come upon you. You have to dodge the reckless cyclists in order to save your life.
My friend and I were shocked at the volume of cyclists on the trail and we have concluded that the Lucy Evans Nature Preserve is no longer serving the community who enjoy walking on trails.
We feel our SAFETY is threatened and the preserve is being co-opted by a certain demographic.
Please listen to constituents and emphasize keeping this special nature preserve intact for residents to enjoy.
You know well the important place this nature preserve holds for our community. It is a respite from the traffic and other pressures of living in SV. It is a mental health boost. It is where educators teach about bird migrations, flora and fauna. There are photographers, painters, birdwatchers, families, couples, kids and others who enjoy greatly the trails. We in Palo Alto are fortunate to live near this special nature preserve. Sheila Brady, a wildlife photographer told the Daily Post reporter that she has had to yank her camera tripod out of the way of speeding cyclists. Brady said, “I don’t think a nature preserve is the appropriate place to be on point all the time — that somebody any minute is going to yell at you, ‘ON YOUR RIGHT!’ and you have to leap out of the way." As stated in the article hiring more rangers is unrealistic. What could be done to remedy this urgent problem is for the city to provide a separate trail solely for cyclists. The width of the trail is unsafe for cyclists and pedestrians with or without dogs. The Lucy Evans Nature Preserve’s trail cannot accommodate both bicyclists and pedestrians on the same trail. Again, the trails need to be unshared to ensure safety.
A new separate path away from the existing pedestrian trail for cyclists appears to be the only way to avoid collisions. Perhaps it is the only way to avoid litigation as well.
I had been meaning to write you about my experience at the Baylands but now with the deaths of these two dogs I am compelled to do so.
Thank you for considering my proposal for a separate path for cyclists.
Respectfully,
Ann Lafargue Balin
From: Ken Joye
To: Council, City
Subject: Study session 29 April
Date: Friday, April 26, 2024 8:29:38 AM
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________________________________
I would like to offer some comments about Staff Report 2402-2619, part of the 29 April 2024 study session. pg 3-of-35 refers to “Based on location data modeled by Replica” Please ask staff and consultants to explain how the “synthetic population” used by Replica fails to reflect the hundreds of PAUSD students who use the Safe Routes To School program. The impression given by the Replica model deviates dramatically from observed reality. The Replica maps should not be part of the BPTP without calibration of the model. Please push staff and consultants on this point. pg 8-of-35 begins a “Level of Traffic Stress” discussion When this was presented to PABAC and the PTC, there were some subtleties which were lost. A roadway such as Middlefield Rd may have facilities which offer a low LTS but at intersections such as Middlefield & San Antonio, those facilities disappear where turn lanes are placed, resulting in a much higher LTS. Please ask staff and consultants to discuss LTS at intersections as well as along roadways. Also, consider whether Embarcadero Rd should have a high LTS score; posted speed limits may not be observed but may be used to compute the LTS scores presented in the staff report. Please ask about the methodology used. pg 9-of-35 includes references to Adobe Creek crossings The emphasis upon the lack of crossing between the Los Altos-Palo Alto Bike Path and the Foothill Expressway suggests a lack of nuanced understanding of the issue. To be sure, cross-jurisdiction connections are important and have been under emphasized in the past. Mentioning that particular segment of Adobe Creek suggests overuse of geospatial tools to generate the report. Please ask about methodology. pg 22-of-35 Existing Facilities
The map does not mark Castilleja/Park/Wilkie as a bicycle boulevard but I believe Council designated it as such some point between 2012 and now (don’t have a citation immediately at hand). What other facilities may be overlooked?
Thank you for considering how the Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan can be a tool to help us meet our S/CAP goals. Please consider the relative importance of mode shift and safety. thank you for your service,
Ken Joye
Ventura neighborhood
From: [email protected]
To: Council, City; Shikada, Ed
Subject: 800 San Antonio Road
Date: Thursday, April 25, 2024 9:51:54 PM
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Honorable City Council and City Manager Shikada,
I am looking at the plans for 800 San Antonio. My recollection is Mr. Lait had said a special setback would be incorporated in projects on San Antonio Road to provide room for future bike/ped facilities. I see a reference to the setback in the plans, but I also see a walking space, trees and plantings shown in areas where one might put bike facilities. Exactly how will this setback be used
for bikes/peds/transit facilities?
San Antonio Road currently provides sharrows which are completely unsafe facilities on a multi-lane arterial posted 35MPH. These buildings have bike parking, but no way to safely ride a bike into town to school or to anywhere else—even for very skilled and fearless bicyclists.
I would appreciate the favor of a reply. With the number of large housing and hotel projects in the pipeline and already approved for this area, I am worried that too little has been done to plan for transportation and other needs, and soon it may be too late. Good planning is not reactive and piecemeal. The recent report by college students was very nice, but it was a learning exercise for a nice group of kids who had very shallow knowledge of the area. It was not a substitute for a comprehensive professional planning process.
What is the PLAN for bike and pedestrian and transit facilities on San Antonio Road? What is the community services facility plan for Cubberley?
As a south Palo Alto resident, I am concerned about transformative changes that are being made rapidly to this part of town with little meaningful planning or engagement of citizens.
Thank you for considering my comments.
Sincerely,
Penny Ellson
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