Dear City Councilmembers,
Thank you for your work on the Complete Streets project. I am writing again to question several elements of the Middle Avenue Complete Street project.
Removing parking from both sides of Middle: Ive written before to ask consideration for the impact on gardeners and house cleaners, who dont get dispensations, unlike delivery drivers. Will they have to schlep their equipment from wherever theyre able to find parking, on side streets?
Stop sign on Middle at San Mateo Drive: You approved a lighted beacon on Middle at SMD in January. City staff announced at a public meeting in March that it was going to be installed “in a couple of weeks.” Staff has now chosen a far more aggressive course of action instead. Many have spoken against it, because of the added car traffic to Wallea in particular:
* Wallea is part of the Peninsula Bikeway, and bringing more cars in close proximity to cyclists seems unwise;
* Wallea also has two intersections with San Mateo Drive which are only protected by a yield sign, routinely ignored. The additional traffic will bring more opportunities for collisions for SMD residents. Who on SMD hasnt had a close call by someone flying through Wallea and ignoring the Yield sign?
I’m concerned that staff has opted for the most drastic measures available, when it seems like a more measured approach should be tried. Some suggestions:
Speed:
* Lower the speed limit all along Middle to 25mph and install speed limit signs.
* Budget for enforcement for some time
* Install signs flashing the speed of approaching vehicles to bring people into compliance
Middle @ San Mateo Drive:
* Start with the lighted beacon that was promised. I’m unclear about the process that unfolded after the announcement was made
* There has been zero notification of the proposed stop sign to anyone on San Mateo or Wallea, or the properties along Middle that will suffer the burden of the backed-up traffic
Parking elimination:
Before taking such a drastic step, could you consider eliminating parking on the north side on Middle between 7:30 - 8:30 am and on the south side between 2:30 - 3:30, Mon-Fri, or such similar approach. Why opt for the more restrictive measures from the get-go?
Roundabout:
I’m agnostic on this one but very familiar with many of the roundabouts at Stanford. I’m glad to hear that this is still being evaluated. Mixing bikes and cars in a flow of traffic would be a poor choice. In most instances, Stanford had the space to build paths that keep cars separate from bikes. Great for bikes, but hard to navigate for pedestrians. In at least one instance, there wasn’t enough space, so the center of the roundabout is paved with different materials for visibility but only slightly raised. As a result, carts and bikes routinely drive over and through it, or make left turns without following the roundabout. To allow for buses and emergency vehicles to move through the roundabout, and because of the space constraints, I’d think that we’d end up with a slightly raised center as well, which adds to the confusion when people drive through it while others use the roundabout properly.
I’d urge the Council and city staff to take a measured approach rather than jump to the most radical options, and improve the notification process (mailers in every mailbox).
I appreciate the opportunity to write and thank you for your service to the city.
Catherine McMillan
(District 5)
