From:
To: City Council
Cc: Sandra Maurer
Subject: Bike lanes on Bodega Ave
Date: Saturday, February 18, 2023 12:32:18 PM
Dear City Council:
I am aware that you are discussing bike lanes on Bodega Avenue, so I want to tell you of my experience of the bike lanes on Petaluma Avenue.
I live on Eleanor Avenue, so in order to go anywhere, I have to either cross or turn right onto Petaluma Avenue, and in order to come home, I either have to cross or, if I'm south of home, drive in the sometimes stop-and-go traffic on Petaluma to get to where I can turn right on Walker or Fannen to get home. I also walk daily to the post office and the Joe Rodota trail, both of which involve round trips along Petaluma Avenue from Fannen.
Here's what is important for you to know. In exchange for having created massive traffic jams by eliminating a lane of traffic on Petaluma, I almost never see anyone using the bike lane that has created this mess. One reason, I suppose, is that it is not protected -- any car could accidentally cross over and hit someone. Indeed, had parking been eliminated on the east side of Petaluma Avenue and a protected bike lane installed, it would have inconvenienced a few families (most of whom have alley access and parking behind their homes) and a few businesses, most of which have parking lots anyway, and the two traffic lanes could have been maintained.
Now, Bodega Avenue -- I can't imagine riding a bike on such a busy thoroughfare, with two-way traffic, and, with drivers climbing the hill toward Pleasant Hill in the late afternoon, with the sun shining directly in their eyes -- this is just a bad idea.
Thank you,
Aamil Targow