Modern Transit Society

web site:   moderntransit.org        PO Box 5582, San Jose CA 95150        408-221-0694

March 13, 2006

Kevin Moore, Chair, Bicycle Advisory Committee
Rajeev Batra, P.E., City Engineer, City of Santa Clara
David Pitton, Traffic Engineer

BAC Agenda: Repeal of Resolution 5603; compliance with County Expressway Master Plan

Gentlemen:

The County Expressway Master Plan needs to be the starting point of this BAC agenda item, because this Master Plan was endorsed by the City Council and approved by the County Board of Supervisors. These steps are needed to achieve compliance:
    (1) City repeal of the pedestrian prohibition, Resolution 5603;
    (2) County trimming of shrubbery at intersection areas to create a dirt path as specified in the Master Plan (typically, extending 300 feet beyond the crosswalks) [see, attachment].
    (3) County removal of prohibitory signs;

County staff refuse to do (2) and (3) until (1) is accomplished by the City Council.

The staff report need not consist of much more than a statement that repeal of the prohibition would achieve compliance with the Master Plan, citing the dates of Council endorsement and BOS approval. Two months would have been plenty to accomplish that, and the BAC in August placed this on their October agenda. Instead, staff delayed in October, January, and last week at the Council meeting.

I made copies (attached) and underlined excerpts of the County Expressway Master Plan so it would not again be ignored by staff, as it was last January. This Master Plan can also be downloaded from the County’s website (www.expressways.info) .

Furthermore, there is no reason to delay a City Council vote to May as Mr. Batra indicated to me by email. That vote can be accomplished one or two weeks after the BAC vote. People are being unfairly ticketed, others endangered by unnecessary intersection crossings caused by forced detours, and the City risks losing free sidewalks along San Tomas as a result of all the delays.

There is an apparent unstated opposition by City staff to achieve compliance, fairness, safety, and free sidewalks in this regard. Behind the scenes, County Roads Department is also in opposition, but they lost every vote (total of six, since 1988) before the Board of Supervisors (BOS). Two recent unanimous votes by the BOS in support of pedestrians and bicycles on expressways (in 2004 and 2006) over-ruled County Roads opposition. [ For details, see   moderntransit.org/expy ]

Sincerely,

Akos Szoboszlay, President

attachments: excerpt pages from County Expressway Master Plan

cc: Rod Diridon, Jr., City Clerk
      Councilmember Jamie Mathews