May 21: Show Your Support for Safer Streets!

by | May 5, 2013 | California Street, City Council, Council Meeting, Escuela Avenue, Events

The time has come! On Tuesday, May 21 at City Hall, Council will be voting on funding for improving safety on two streets in the Rengstorff Park area and we need you to be there!

Like safer streets? This is the place to be on the evening of Tuesday May 21!

That evening, City Council will be voting on a number of projects as part of the Capital Improvement Program List.  This list is only chosen every two years and typically includes projects that are over $50,000 and are upgrades of city infrastructure.  Included are a handful of projects that will elevate street safety in the Rengstorff Park neighborhood  and other parts of the city. Together with projects such as the Castro Street road diet, Council will be considering a project labeled as the California Street/Escuela Avenue Improvement Study.

This study is the first step towards a safer, more beautiful California Street and Escuela Avenue– and the first step towards great streets in the Rengstorff Park neighborhood! Here’s the project description– it reflects a lot of the ideas put forth by Great Streets Rengstorff Park.

California Street/Escuela Avenue Improvement Study: This project would study options to improve the bicycling and pedestrian environment along and across California Street. Improvements would be explored with and without reducing a travel lane in each direction. Examples of possible improvements include elimination or narrowing of vehicle lanes, increased area for bicyclists, curb bulbs to reduce crossing width for pedestrians, and improved lighting and signage. An analysis of the traffic impacts associated with lane reduction (road diet) will be included. The study would also consider pedestrian and bicycle activity to facilities on Escuela Avenue (e.g., Castro Elementary School, Senior Center, Teen Center). 

City Council have made street safety efforts a high priority as part of their 2013 goal-setting initiative but, we must demonstrate that there’s strong support from those who live near and use these streets everyday.

Please join us on May 21 and voice support for the California Street/Escuela Avenue Improvement Study. Specifically, show support for analyzing the California Street road diet as part of the study. We’re confident that it can work, and would welcome the more detailed analysis that comes with the traffic study, but Council could choose to eliminate it from the study during the May 21 meeting.

The road diet has the strongest potential to reduce crashes and make the street a more inviting place, and we hope that you will join us in voicing support for the study and the road diet.

The date and time once again–                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Tuesday, May 21; Approximately 5:30PM; 500 Castro Street, Downtown Mountain View

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If you can’t make the meeting, please send council an e-mail expressing support for the California Street/Escuela Avenue study, including the California Street road diet alternative.

As always, sign up for our Newsletter for the latest information.

California Street Road Diet Rolling Forward

by | Feb 6, 2013 | Uncategorized

Picture by: Mark Notari in Zacatecas, Zacatecas, MX.

Members of Great Streets Rengstorff Park were gratified as we attended two successful meetings this week.

 GSRP was informed several months ago, that the next step to move the California Street road diet from an idea to reality was to have it placed on the Capital Improvement Project (CIP) list. City Council has the final word on the CIP list, but input from the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (B/PAC) is important for council’s decision. Only a handful of projects make it into the 2 year CIP list cycle due to limited city funding.

With this in mind, GSRP attended the January 30th B/PAC meeting and asked them to recommend the California Street road diet for the CIP list.  Following public comment from supporters and an engaging debate on the merits of many projects eligible for the CIP, Bruce England called for California Street road diet to be included with B/PAC’s recommendations. Mr. Purdon seconded, adding that the corner of Escuela and California Street is important due to nearby Castro Elementary and other services.  After some discussion, California Street road diet was unanimously placed on their short list and headed for Council!

January 31st, City Council met for a study session to set city-wide priorities for next year. With the support of GSRP friends and supporters, our campaign to make our streets safe and healthy for everyone took flight. The majority of councilmembers showed support for making Mountain View bicycle and pedestrian safety a priority.  We send a sincere THANK YOU to every councilmember!

With these successes, what is next?  The CIP City Council meeting!  We will need you to write emails or letters, attend this meeting or call city council to show your support for Pedestrian and Bicycle safety.  We need you to support the California Street road diet!

We know that the key Capital Improvement Project council meeting will be in March, but do not yet have a date.   Keep an eye on your mailbox as you will know the date as soon as we do.

We look forward to seeing you in March!