From: Dave Rhoads
Sent: Monday, February 17, 2025 10:39 AM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]>; Maika Llorens Gulati <[email protected]>; Eli Hill <[email protected]>; Mayor Kate <[email protected]>; Rachel Kertz <[email protected]>; Maribeth Bushey <[email protected]>
Subject: Public Comment - City Council 2/18/2024 - Support of Item 5.a Speed Limits Dear Mayor Kate and Members of the City Council,
I am writing in support of the adoption of Item 5.a to lower the speed limit of various streets in our city. By making it illegal to travel faster than the new, lowered, speed limit, our streets will be safer for driving, riding or walking. This is especially personal to me, as I drive my car, ride my bike with my son on the back, and walk on our local streets often. Too many of our residents have been severely injured or killed on our streets and we need to take safety seriously in our community.
I also ask that you take this opportunity (which you have the power to do) to lower the speed limits on the following segments not recommended in the report:
1. First Street: Lower speed limit to 20 MPH for the entire length of the street because the recommended Mission to 1st section omits the section near the Community Center, Parkside Children's Center and various school bus stops where there are lots of cyclist and pedestrians.
2. Segment 8: Andersen Drive from 35 to 30 mph, aligning it with Andersen Drive Segment 9 immediately to the west, in order to improve safety for the high volume of bicyclists on the road.
3. Fifth Street: Near Sun Valley School, such as from California Avenue to the terminus, due to the school.
Thank you!
Best,
Dave
Dave Rhoads
Co-Chair, Walk/Bike San Rafael, A Marin County Bicycle Coalition Local Team P: 702-630-2423
W: www.walkbikesanrafael.org
From: Jana Zanetto
Sent: Monday, February 17, 2025 5:55 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]>; Maika Llorens Gulati <[email protected]>; Eli Hill <[email protected]>; Mayor Kate <[email protected]>; Rachel Kertz <[email protected]>; Maribeth Bushey <[email protected]>
Subject: Public Comment for city council 2/18/2024 - Item 5.a Speed Limit Dear Mayor Kate and Members of the City Council,
I am writing to urge adoption of Item 5.a to lower the speed limit of various streets in our city. By making it illegal to travel faster than the new, lowered, speed limit, our streets will be safer for driving, riding or walking.
I also would like to take this opportunity to urge you to lower the speed limits on the following segments not recommended in the report:
1. On First Street, lower speed limit to 20 MPH for the entire length of the street because the recommended Mission to 1st section omits the section near the Community Center, Parkside Children's Center and various school bus stops, where there are lots of cyclist and pedestrians.
2. On Segment 8, Andersen Drive, lower the speed from 35 to 30 mph, aligning it with Andersen Drive Segment 9 immediately to the west, to improve safety for the large number of cyclists on the road.
3. On Fifth Street near Sun Valley School, please lower the speed limit because of the school,from California Avenue to the terminus.
Thank you very much for your consideration of my suggestions.
Janet Zanetto
San Rafael resident
Driver, cyclist, pedestrian
-----Original Message-----
From: Lezley Blair
Sent: Sunday, February 16, 2025 2:55 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]>; Maika Llorens Gulati <[email protected]>; Eli Hill <[email protected]>; Mayor Kate <[email protected]>; Rachel Kertz <[email protected]>; Maribeth Bushey <[email protected]>
Subject: Public Comment - City Council 2/18/2024 - Item 5.a Speed Limits Dear Mayor Kate and Members of the City Council, I am writing in support of the adoption of Item 5.a to lower the speed limit of various streets in our city. By making it illegal to travel faster than the new, lowered, speed limit, our streets will be safer for walking, riding or driving.
I also ask that you take this opportunity (which you have the power to do) to lower the speed limits on the following segments not recommended in the report:
1. First Street: Lower speed limit to 20 MPH for the entire length of the street because the recommended Mission to 1st section omits the section near the Community Center, Parkside Children's Center and various school bus stops where there are lots of cyclist and pedestrians.
2. Segment 8: Andersen Drive from 35 to 30 mph, aligning it with Andersen Drive Segment 9 immediately to the west, in order to improve safety for the high volume of bicyclists on the road.
3. Fifth Street: Near Sun Valley School, such as from California Avenue to the terminus, due to the school.
Thank you!
Lezley Blair
From: Odin
Sent: Saturday, February 15, 2025 8:55 AM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Public Comment - 2/18 City Council Meeting - Item 5 Dear Members of the City Council,
I am writing to express my support for the proposed reduced speed limits on key highcollision streets across the city. As someone who cycles and walks on these streets very often, I too often see drivers speeding and putting others at risk, especially in Downtown.
Pedestrians have a much greater chance of being killed as speeds rise, so this new policy will save lives. While there is a need for protected bike facilities along major roads such as 4th Street, lowering the speed limits to reduce the likelihood and severity of crashes is a great first step. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Odin Palen
From: Pete Bachant
Sent: Monday, February 17, 2025 12:40 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]>; Maika Llorens Gulati <[email protected]>; Eli Hill <[email protected]>; Mayor Kate <[email protected]>; Rachel Kertz <[email protected]>; Maribeth Bushey <[email protected]>
Subject: Public Comment - City Council 2/18/2024 - Item 5.a Speed Limits Dear Mayor Kate and Members of the City Council,
I am writing in support of the adoption of Item 5.a to lower the speed limit of various streets in our city. By making it illegal to travel faster than the new, lowered, speed limit, our streets will be safer for driving, riding or walking.
I also ask that you take this opportunity (which you have the power to do) to lower the speed limits on the following segments not recommended in the report:
1. First Street: Lower speed limit to 20 MPH for the entire length of the street because the recommended Mission to 1st section omits the section near the Community Center, Parkside Children's Center and various school bus stops where there are lots of cyclist and pedestrians.
2. Segment 8: Andersen Drive from 35 to 30 mph, aligning it with Andersen Drive Segment 9 immediately to the west, in order to improve safety for the high volume of bicyclists on the road.
3. Fifth Street: Near Sun Valley School, such as from California Avenue to the terminus, due to the school.
Sincerely,
Peter Bachant
-----Original Message-----
From: Susan Nawbary
Sent: Sunday, February 16, 2025 3:34 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]>; Maika Llorens Gulati <[email protected]>; Eli Hill <[email protected]>; Mayor Kate <[email protected]>; Rachel Kertz <[email protected]>; Maribeth Bushey <[email protected]>
Subject: Public Comment - City Council 2/18/2024 - Item 5.a Speed Limits Dear Mayor Kate and Members of the City Council, I am writing in support of the adoption of Item 5.a to lower the speed limit of various streets in our city. By making it illegal to travel faster than the new, lowered, speed limit, our streets will be safer for driving, riding or walking.
I also ask that you take this opportunity (which you have the power to do) to lower the speed limits on the following segments not recommended in the report:
1. First Street: Lower speed limit to 20 MPH for the entire length of the street because the recommended Mission to 1st section omits the section near the Community Center, Parkside Children's Center and various school bus stops where there are lots of cyclist and pedestrians.
2. Segment 8: Andersen Drive from 35 to 30 mph, aligning it with Andersen Drive Segment 9 immediately to the west, in order to improve safety for the high volume of bicyclists on the road.
3. Fifth Street: Near Sun Valley School, such as from California Avenue to the terminus, due to the school.
Thank you!
Sent from my iPhone
From: Warren Wells <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, February 14, 2025 4:15 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Cc: Maika Llorens Gulati <[email protected]>
Subject: Public Comment - City Council 2/18/2024 - Item 5.a Mayor Kate and Members of the City Council,
I am writing to express my organization's strong support for adoption of lower speed limits throughout the downtown area of San Rafael, as well as some of the city's arterial and collector streets. This change, allowed through recent state law but carried by staff at the DPW, will make the city safer for people regardless of their mode of travel, and will result in a more liveable and pleasant experience for people using the city's streets.
I would urge one change to the limits recommended by W-Trans. The segment of Andersen Drive between Bellam Boulevard and the Sanitary Treatment Plant has a posted speed limit of 35 mph, equivalent to the critical speed found in the Engineering and Traffic Study.
However, California Vehicle Code section 22358.7(2) allows a local authority to lower the posted limit an additional 5 mph if "the portion of highway is adjacent to any land or facility that generates high concentrations of bicyclists..." This segment of Andersen Drive is the only continuous bicycle facility connecting San Rafael (and thereby the rest of Marin) to the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, and thus sees a relatively large volume of bicycle traffic given the surrounding uses.
Its current configuration is unsafe and is at odds with the bikeway selection guide published by Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), which recommends Class II bicycle lanes only on streets where speeds are 30 mph or lower.
Such a limit would not be out of alignment with other segments in the city, such as:
• Segment 39: N San Pedro Road, critical speed 36 mph, posted speed 30 mph • Segment 42: Redwood Highway, critical speed 37 mph, posted speed 30 mph • Segment 46: Smith Ranch Road, critical speed 35 mph, posted speed lowered from 35 mph to 30 mph
MCBC recommends lowering the posted speed limit on Andersen Drive Segment 8 from 35 to 30 mph, aligning it with Andersen Drive Segment 9 immediately to the west, in order to improve safety for the high volume of bicyclists on the road.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
--
Warren J. Wells, AICP
Policy & Planning Director
Marin County Bicycle Coalition
phone/text (415) 456-3469 | marinbike.org
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