Stevenson, Garrett
Subject:
Attachments:
FW: Letter for Municipal Services Committee
greenways-letter-msc.pdf
From: Jonah Kanner < >
Sent: Sunday, July 24, 2022 10:42 AM
To: Stevenson, Garrett <[email protected]>
Subject: Letter for Municipal Services Committee
CAUTION: This email was delivered from the Internet. Do not click links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe. Report phish using the Phish Alert Button. Learn more....
Hi,
I would like to submit written correspondence for the next Municipal Services Committee meeting on July
26. This is regarding agenda item:
3. IMPLEMENTING A SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR TRANSPORTATION The letter may be viewed at:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/lmtS09NzkflShv7QFz6YgiwgteVAkvvkn/view?usp=:sharing I will also attach it to this e-mail.
If possible, please reply to acknowledge that this letter will be circulated. Thank you for your help.
Best,
Jonah Kanner
1 E.A SAJD.ENAJ
Ill
•^
2 COMPLETE STREETS COALITION
June 27, 2022
TO: Pasadena Municipal Services Committee
CouncilmemberAndy Wilson, Chair
CouncilmemberTyron Hampton
Councilmember Felicia Williams
Councilmember Jessica Rivas
Pasadena's Bicycle Transportation Action Plan, or BTAP, was approved by City Council in 2015 and identifies 9 "high priority" bicycle routes in Pasadena. As of this week, 1 of the 9 bicycle routes is under construction, and a 2nd route may be awarded a contract later this year. We thank staff and Council members for the effort it took to reach this milestone.
As we celebrate the start of construction on the Union Street Protected Bike Lane, we urge the City to take action NOW to create a timeline for the remaining 7 high priority routes in the BTAP, particularly a plan to complete the 4 North/South Neighborhood Greenways that have been under study by staff for the past 16 months.
The Neighborhood Greenways, if properly implemented, will make these streets much safer for the people who live on them, and for everyone who uses them. These changes would support the Safe Systems Approach that DOT staff presented to the Transportation Advisory Commission last week.
Here are our requests:
1. The Municipal Services Committee agendize the discussion of a timeline for the completion of the BTAP, and request staff to set target dates for completing each of the 7 remaining projects, with regular reports on progress to City Council.
2. A portion of the $230 Million available through Measure R funding be used towards completing projects in the BTAP. This should provide sufficient funding to complete the Neighborhood Greenways on El Molino, Witson, and Sierra Bonita. We've been waiting 7 years for these projects - it is time to get them done.
3. The Municipal Services Committee to direct staff to review and respond to the 8 recommendations for strengthening the design of the 4 North/South Neighborhood Greenways (attached). Over 440 of our neighbors have signed a petition in support of making these designs as safe and bike friendly as possible.
In addition to the recommendations, please find the text of the petition supporting a safe design and rapid completion of the four North/South Neighborhood Greenways, along with the names and zip codes of 440 people who have expressed their support.
Thank you for your time, and for all the work you are doing for our city.
Sincerely,
Jonah Kanner
for the Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition
ec: Cynthia Kurtz, Interim City Manager
Laura Cornejo, Director of Transportation
2 resign Recommendations
Based on our study ride and community feedback, we have 8 recommendations:
Traffic Diverters or Partial Closures: The use of traffic diverters or partial closures is critical to making the neighborhood 'Greenways' comfortable, quiet, and safe. Traffic diverters and partial closures allow residents to drive to and from their homes and preserve parking, but limit "cut- through" traffic in neighborhoods. The City's 2015 Plan included them on all four Greenways, and they have been successfully deployed on other streets in the City, including El Molino and Marengo.
Roundabouts: We support the inclusion of roundabouts in the current proposal. We requestthat you add additional roundabouts to the plan. Not only have roundabouts proven to reduce severe traffic collisions and slow down motor vehicle drivers, but they also help reduce emissions. 210 Freeway Crossings: Near these crossings the roads widen, and drivers often move at fast, unsafe speeds. Strong traffic calming (e.g., speed tables, raised crosswalks, neckdowns) should be added near the dangerous freeway crossings to manage existing issues with unsafe speeding.
We also recommend that the proposed bike lanes be upgraded with bollards or flex posts to make them protected bike lanes and to prevent drivers from using them as a passing lane.
Speed Humps or Tables: The inclusion of speed humps with cut-throughs (similar to what is found on Hotliston St in Altadena) or speed tables (such as the one on El Molino in front of the Playhouse) in combination with the other recommended traffic calming measures greatly reduces unsafe speeding. Speed humps with cut-throughs also allow fire trucks to move at speed, as the cut-throughs are set at the proper width for larger trucks.
Signage: The current concept uses green "Bike Route" signs. These signs are vague and convey no information about how to behave on the road. Instead, they should be coupled with more effective "Bicycles May Use Full Lane" signs. These signs provide clear guidance to road users and improve safety.
Use Paint to Increase Visibility: The Greenways can be upgraded with green paint! The City's current proposal includes standard white painted sharrows, but the City can easily upgrade to greenbacked "super" sharrows increasing the visibility of the road markings.
Upgrade Existing Bike Lanes: Wilson Ave near Caltech and Villa St at the Sierra Bonita Ave transition already have bike lanes. We recommend upgrading the existing bike lanes on Wilson to buffered bike lanes and extending them to Cordova St and adding bike boxes where appropriate. Green conflict paint and a bike intersection crossing and way-findings should be added to help prevent collisions and keep people on bikes on the route. 3 Bike Intersection Crossings: Most of the City's existing bike lanes end before the intersection. It is critical for both drivers and cyclists to know where and how to move through the intersection safely. We recommend that this plan include bike intersection crossings at major intersections along the Greenways corridors.
Petition Text
Create safe neighborhoods with Pasadena Greenways
The city of Pasadena, CA is currently discussing plans to add safety enhancements along four North/South residential streets and designate them as "Greenways". The Greenways will support all forms of mobility, including both driving and active transportation like walking and hiking, by adding safety features to El Molino Avenue, Wilson Avenue, Sierra Bonita Avenue, and Craig Avenue.
No one wants dangerous, high speed traffic in front of their home! The Greenways are a simple, common-sense approach to traffic management that will benefit all road users, and will keep our neighborhoods safe and help beautify our city. The Greenways will:
Preserve driving access and parking for neighborhood residents • Reduce cut-through traffic on neighborhood streets, keeping residential areas safe and quiet.
Create options for safe, active transportation, including walking, hiking, scooters, and skateboards.
Protect our most vulnerable street users, including children and people with disabilities.
Provide safe routes to schools, including PUSD schools, Caltech, and PCC.
Support a hiking network to attract customers to local businesses These routes were first adopted by the city as part of the 2015 Pasadena Bicycle Transportation Action Plan. They have now been studied for feasibility, and are ready to move forward. After 6 years of waiting, now is the time for action! We ask city government to design, fund, and complete these important updates, using the best practices in safe street design.
In addition, we ask city council and staff to make the Greenways as safe as possible for all road users. Through outreach events, Pasadena CSC volunteers collected eight recommendations for improving the design. We ask that city staff include these safety enhancements, and complete the Greenways as soon as possible.
4