Thursday, September 3, 2009

Letter submitted to San Rafael BPAC - July 6, 2009

Date:   July 6, 2009                                                        c/o Five Upper Oak Drive, San Rafael, CA 94903
 
To:       Preston McCoy, Chairman
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC)
750 Pine Lane, San Rafael CA 94903-2334
 
From:   Safe Passage along Lucas Valley Road (Ray Lorber and Carolyn Lenert, CoPresidents)
A Project of the North San Rafael Coalition of Residents and MarinLink
 
Re:       Include Lucas Valley Road ─ from Las Gallinas Avenue to Los Gamos Road ─
In the San Rafael Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan 2009 Update
 
MULTI-USE CLASS I PATHWAY FOR LUCAS VALLEY ROAD...PLUS
With the increasing number of pedestrians walking along Lucas Valley Road between Miller Creek and Los Gamos Roads, a Multi-use Class I pathway (separated from the vehicular traffic) is sorely needed along this corridor.  CalTrans standards per Section 1003.5 apply.  Also, we recommend the redesign the intersection of Lucas Valley and Los Gamos Roads to improve pedestrian safety---to possibly include right turn lane and bulbouts, etc.  Note that there is a similar problem at 101 Lucas Valley Road where a private driveway does not allow for safe passage.
 
FIVE ACCIDENTS BETWEEN MILLER CREEK AND LOS GAMOS ROADS IN 2 YEARS
The County of Marin and the City of San Rafael must not continue to expose themselves to the liability incurred by car/pedestrian/cyclist injury accidents such as those experienced by Mark MacMillan on March 23, 2007 and by Emma Ramshaw in January 2009.
 
ONLY MARIN EAST-WEST ARTERY THAT LACKS PEDESTRIAN/BICYCLE PATHWAY
Tiburon Boulevard, Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, Ignacio Boulevard and Novato Boulevard each have a separate pathway for pedestrians and bicycles.  Freitas Parkway has a separate pathway for pedestrians.  Due to volume and usage, it is time that this northernmost gateway to our City has pedestrian/bicycle accommodation.  This will connect the neighborhood residents to the new McInnis Park.
 
THE SAN RAFAEL BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PLAN 2009 UPDATE.  The City/County boundaries need to be clarified.  We want the revised Bicycle and pedestrian Plan to call for a survey that will resolve cross-jurisdictional issues. The Plan needs to address this issue and offer a solution.  For schools, for recreation, for health and for safety:  The community supports your transportation safety efforts in this important connector corridor.
 
cc:        City of San Rafael: Hon. Mayor and Council Members
            Nader Mansourian – City Traffic Engineer (August 4, 2008 letter attached)
            Leslie Morris – City Associate Engineer (Traffic)
            Kel Harris – Safe Routes to Schools
            Patrick Seidler – Transportation Alternatives for Marin (TAM)
            David Hoffman – Marin County Bicycle Coalition (MCBC)
            Diane Steinhauser – Transportation Authority of Marin
            Patsy White - YMCA
            North San Rafael Coalition of Residents
            Nancy Boyce - MarinLink