[SDCBC] AB1358 Transportation Bill Please help City Heights

Fri Jul 6 03:28:53 EDT 2007

As a multi-family property owner on Fairmount Ave. (at Columbine) I have  
observed a far greater need for bicycling facilities within the City  
Heights/Azalea Park neighborhood than just the construction of the I-15 pathway  to 
Mission Valley at the present time.  (The pathway plan presented to  SDCBC a few 
years ago was fraught with design problems and drew significant  opposition from 
commuter cyclists and safety officials.)

Meanwhile, Fairmount Ave. between El Cajon Blvd. and Home Ave. is dangerous  
in either direction.  The use of 43rd Street (one way southbound from El  
Cajon Blvd. to Thorn St.) would be of some help if there weren't stop signs at  
nearly every cross street.  And south of the merge of 43rd  and Fairmount (at 
Poplar St.) southbound is even more dangerous with  vehicle speeds frequently in 
excess of 45 mph, plus parking and no bike  lanes.  

A large majority of the cyclists (I'd guess up to 100 daily) passing my  
property are teens and younger who (wisely) use the west sidewalk in both  
directions (N/S) because the roadway is clearly too dangerous.   Fairmount Ave. feeds 
two elementary schools, one Jr. High, and a branch of  a Jr. College at 
Wightman St.  It's also the central route to the City  Heights library and sports 
facilities adjacent.

A practical solution for planners in City  Heights/Azalea Park would be to 
create a network of pathways  through canyons such as Hollywood and Manzanita.  
In combination with  many of the low volume roadways in the area a practical 
and efficient system of  safe routes could be developed throughout the entire 
area east of I-15 to 54th  Street and south from El Cajon Blvd. to Home Ave.

Unfortunately, when SDCBC helped develop the City of San Diego bicycle  
master plan over 10 years ago, there were few bicycle advocates from this  general 
area, and nothing has changed since.  

Creating a bicycle connection across I-15 and I-805 might be a more  
practical alternative to the I-15 / Mission Valley connection.  A  route west from 
City Heights may attract both commuter and recreational  cyclists.  Commuters to 
downtown and recreational cyclists to Balboa  Park.

Other major cities in the west are capable of developing practical routes  
for all cyclists.  It's time San Diego got the message.

Marty Jones

In a message dated 7/5/2007 6:12:10 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
jwstump at cox.net writes:

Dear  Senator Kehoe

Please support legislation that would promote greater  bicycle use in City 
Heights and the Mid City.  We are yet to have  CALTRANs complete the I-15 40th 
Street bike route from Park de La Cruz to  Mission Valley.

Bikes and Bike rider ship are indicators of a healthy  neighborhood.  Quality 
neighborhoods have active bike use 

As  you know We are trying to restore a friendly and safe community in City  
Heights.  I feel that if we first provide transportation systems for  people 
on foot or pedals the restoration of our community would be  accelerated.

Thank you for all you do
John Stump, City  Heights
---- Kathy Keehan <execdir at sdcbc.org> wrote: 
> AB1358,  the 'Complete Streets' bill, will be heard at the State Senate 
Local
>  Government Committee on July 11th. This is the bill that would make  sure
> that community plans take into consideration the needs of  bicyclists and
> pedestrians in the transportation network. So far the  bill has passed the
> State Assembly, and we hope it will make it all  the way to the Governor's
> desk, but it needs some letters of support  to encourage those senators. 
> 
> Please write a letter, email,  or call (sample letter below) our own Senator
> Christine Kehoe and let  her know you support this bill to make bicycling
> better in California.  You can contact Senator Kehoe's office at - 
> 
> phone -  619.645-3113
> 
> email - senator.kehoe at sen.ca.gov
>  
> fax - 619.645-3144
> 
> The most effective comments come  from constituents of her district (39th
> Senate District) so if you  live or work in San Diego west of I-15 or east 
of
> 15 between I-8 and  SR54, or Lemon Grove, please make the time today to
> contact Senator  Kehoe's office to support AB1358. Thanks in advance!
> 
>  Kathy
> 
> ------------------------------------------
>  
> Kathy Keehan
> 
> Executive Director
> 
> San  Diego County Bicycle Coalition
> 
> P.O. Box 34544
>  
> San Diego, CA 92163
> 
> 858.487.6063
> 
>  execdir at sdcbc.org
> 
> www.sdcbc.org
> 
>   
> 
> Please modify to make this more personal!!
> 
>  RE: SUPPORT FOR AB 1358
> 
>  
> 
> Dear Senator  Kehoe:
> 
>  
> 
> I join the California Bicycle  Coalition and the San Diego County Bicycle
> Coalition in supporting AB  1358, the Complete Streets Act of 2007, because
> it will make bicycling  and walking safer, more feasible modes of
> transportation. As  non-motorized transportation modes, bicycling and 
walking
> can help  solve a variety of the problems California faces: poor air 
quality,
>  the threat of climate change and worsening public health.
>  
>  
> 
> It is imperative that roadway design enables  motorists, bicyclists, and
> pedestrians to travel safely. AB 1358 will  result in roads that serve all
> users, not just motorists, as is now  too often the case.
> 
>  
> 
> In California,  automobiles are responsible for 40% of the carbon dioxide
> released  into the atmosphere, a percentage that does not include emissions
> from  diesel buses, trucks, trains or airplanes. Promoting the construction
>  of facilities that facilitate non-motorized travel will help California  
meet
> its climate change prevention goals without spending billions to  
investigate
> new technologies, some of which may never materialize.  Bicycling and 
walking
> are available to us now, free of charge.
>  
>  
> 
> Americans rely on automobiles for  transportation because, in many cases,
> there are no alternatives.  Driving and riding in a car, however, do not
> require physical  exertion.  By bicycling and walking, people can 
incorporate
>  physical activity into their daily routines, which can improve the health  
of
> Californians, saving the state millions of dollars in saved health  care
> costs and preventing the loss of productivity from illnesses that  result
> from sedentary lifestyles, such as obesity, diabetes and heart  attacks. AB
> 1358 will provide alternatives to driving by building  roadways that are 
safe
> and inviting for non-motorized transportation,  making it possible for more
> people to embrace active  lifestyles.
> 
>  
> 
> I urge your support of  this landmark legislation that will make California
> cities more  livable, now and in the future. 
> 
>  
> 
>  Sincerely,
> 
>   
>
_______________________________________________

You are  subscribed to the SDCBC mailing list as BIKEMARTY at aol.com
To unsubscribe or  change mailing options, go to  
http://www.bikesandiego.org/mailman/listinfo/sdcbc
List privacy information  is located at http://www.stickman-computing.org/aup
For help or to talk  with someone other than the mail robot, send e-mail to  
postmaster at stickman-computing.org

************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.bikesandiego.org/pipermail/sdcbc/attachments/20070706/adddc1c8/attachment.html 