Want Vehicle PARITY on El Camino Real?
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Jeffrey Tong
Aug 8, 2021, 6:24:45 PM8/8/21
to SF2G
Want El Camino Real to be like Market Street, SF?
Four years ago, Adam Cozzette rallied San Bruno residents to successfully oppose Caltrans expansion plan on Skyline Blvd. That effectively killed Caltran's vision for a 4-lane highway between Millbrae and San Francisco.
2017/10/16/san-bruno-says-no-to-a-wasteful-highway-widening
Since then, Caltrans has been open to change - but not local cities. NOW, during Covid, when there are fewer cars on the road is the best time to ask cities in the suburbs to restore Vehicle PARITY on El Camino Real.
Redwood City is the first Peninsula city to adopt bike lanes on El Camino Real.
Now Assemblyman Scott Wiener wants more housing (Transit Oriented Development), yet my survey of residents indicated a vast majority (75%) will NOT abandon their cars - even if public transit were convenient (easily accessible, frequent, and goes where they want to go)! So... the assumption that TOD residents will only use public transit is false 🎲🎲 - adding more housing will only add more cars, and more traffic congestion!
The only solution possible is to redistribute priority on the existing road space. Partly because there is a 4.5 mile Bay Trail Gap @ SFO, the most critical need is for a protected bicycle transit route between San Bruno Ave and Millbrae Ave (a 2.7 mile stretch). So I asked Caltrans what objections they would have? Surprisingly, Caltrans stated that they are willing to change, but they require city council to first pass a resolution to repurpose on-street parking.
I am appealing through San Bruno Traffic and Safety Committee, and Millbrae Mayor that San Bruno and Millbrae city councils agendize discussion and vote to pass a JOINT RESOLUTION to repurpose the on-street parking lane for manual bicycles, and dedicate travel lane #3 for any 2-wheeled motor bike, for the 2.7 mile section of El Camino Real between San Bruno Ave and Millbrae Ave - because BICYCLISTS HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE! (See attachments)
ECR is an auto expressway that Caltrans admitted has failed, creating life-threatening safety issues for motorists and non-motorists alike. Achieving Grand Blvd Initiative (people friendly) and Vision Zero (Ø deaths) are impossible unless traffic speed slows down, which is opposite Caltran's original design for an auto expressway.
PS: This proposal will not reduce number of travel lanes - it merely asks city council(s) to (1) repurpose the parking lane to prioritize a different vehicle type in each lane: #1 for cars, #2 for buses, #3 for two-wheeled motor bikes, and #4 parking lane for manual bikes, and (2) prioritize movement over parking.
Of course, motorists can transition to any lane they want... But the natural rule is slower lanes outward ⬅️➡️. Absent a traffic cop, 10' outer cycle lanes permit cars, but slow traffic down passively.
TRANSITION is relatively easy - erect plastic bollards ( i ) between lane #2 and lane #3, and paint sharrow markings on lane #3 and #4.
Illustration = 100'
🚲 🛵 i 🚍 🚘 ____ 🚘 🚍 i 🛵 🚲
10' 10' i 12' 12' 12 12' 12' i 10' 10'
VISION Because Caltrans abandoned LOS (Level Of Service) for Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT), the expressway made possible with double-wide center turn-lanes is obsolete. If they are removed and replaced with a 2' wide highway crash barrier ( i ), two innermost lanes can shift towards center, allowing temporary bollards to be replaced with a 5' raised arbor or shrub median, which can double duty as a bus stop, passenger loading, and pedestrian island.
Illustration = 100'
🚲 🛵 🌳 🚍 🚘 i 🚘 🚍 🌳 🛵 🚲
10' 10' 5' 12' 12' 2' 12' 12' 5' 10' 10'
Center crash barrier specs
https://findanyanswer.com/how-much-does-a-concrete-barrier-block-weigh
Question & Answer:
Q: How will businesses make money with no on-street parking?
A: Retail merchants make money with (slow) foot traffic - not (fast) automobile traffic. But they falsely equate car = revenue, because that is their current reality. They just want revenue any way possible!
On-street parking is counter-productive! Every patron wants to park directly in front of merchant, requiring subsequent patrons to park farther and farther away. If situation is multiplied by number of retailers on same block, patrons circle around endlessly looking for a parking spot.
https://morphocode.com/the-5-minute-walk/ Using the 5 minute walk rule, I surmised that motorists will likely give up if they must circle 5 min or longer for parking. To my surprise, I have seen motorists circle for 15-20 minutes in vain. This in itself increases traffic congestion. So the status quo is broken.
Empty shopping center parking lots prove that building expensive multi-story parking lots does not solve the problem. The irony is that people are willing to walk great distances within a shopping center (ie: window shopping), but not to it.
But if their car contains a foldable micro-mobility device, they can park farther away, and still reach the merchant within 5 minutes - if protected bike and micro-mobility lanes exist (because micro-mobility devices can travel one mile in 5 minutes - regardless of terrain). In addition, micro-mobility device lanes will increase accessibility to and ridership of public transit. Even if motorists will never give up their car, bike and micro-mobility device lanes offer OPTIONS currently not available.
Q: How will delivery vehicles make deliveries?
A: Reason bollards must be located between lane #2 and lane #3 (to be replaced by 🌳 median), is because if bike lane is temporarily blocked by loading trucks, manual bikers can share lane #3 with motor bikes.
Q: How will the disabled reach merchants?
A: Disabled passengers can be dropped off at the door just like delivery vehicles, by car or Samtrans Redi-Wheel pickup (24 advance notice).
Q: How to access mid-block parking lots?
A: Raised median will have several mid-block openings for cars to enter/exit.
CONCLUSION
Development along ECR has already broken ground up/down the Peninsula. The disaster is imminent unless Millbrae and San Bruno city councils initiate emergency meetings with ECR merchants to address the crisis!
Caltrans used Level Of Service (LOS) to justify widening El Camino Real into an auto expressway. But during peak commute hours, there is no amount of space that can accommodate existing cars - let alone more cars. Carrying capacity has already been reached - yesterday! Caltrans admitted widened roads was a mistake - it merely INDUCES DEMAND!
Now Assemblyman Scott Wiener wants more housing (Transit Oriented Development), yet my survey of residents indicated a vast majority (75%) will NOT abandon their cars - even if public transit were convenient (easily accessible, frequent, and goes where they want to go)! So... the assumption that TOD residents will only use public transit is false 🎲🎲 - adding more housing will only add more cars, and more traffic congestion!
The only solution possible is to redistribute priority on the existing road space. Partly because there is a 4.5 mile Bay Trail Gap @ SFO, the most critical need is for a protected bicycle transit route between San Bruno Ave and Millbrae Ave (a 2.7 mile stretch). So I asked Caltrans what objections they would have? Surprisingly, Caltrans stated that they are willing to change, but they require city council to first pass a resolution to repurpose on-street parking.
I am appealing through San Bruno Traffic and Safety Committee, and Millbrae Mayor that San Bruno and Millbrae city councils agendize discussion and vote to pass a JOINT RESOLUTION to repurpose the on-street parking lane for manual bicycles, and dedicate travel lane #3 for any 2-wheeled motor bike, for the 2.7 mile section of El Camino Real between San Bruno Ave and Millbrae Ave - because BICYCLISTS HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE! (See attachments)
ECR is an auto expressway that Caltrans admitted has failed, creating life-threatening safety issues for motorists and non-motorists alike. Achieving Grand Blvd Initiative (people friendly) and Vision Zero (Ø deaths) are impossible unless traffic speed slows down, which is opposite Caltran's original design for an auto expressway.
PS: This proposal will not reduce number of travel lanes - it merely asks city council(s) to (1) repurpose the parking lane to prioritize a different vehicle type in each lane: #1 for cars, #2 for buses, #3 for two-wheeled motor bikes, and #4 parking lane for manual bikes, and (2) prioritize movement over parking.
Of course, motorists can transition to any lane they want... But the natural rule is slower lanes outward ⬅️➡️. Absent a traffic cop, 10' outer cycle lanes permit cars, but slow traffic down passively.
TRANSITION is relatively easy - erect plastic bollards ( i ) between lane #2 and lane #3, and paint sharrow markings on lane #3 and #4.
Illustration = 100'
🚲 🛵 i 🚍 🚘 ____ 🚘 🚍 i 🛵 🚲
10' 10' i 12' 12' 12 12' 12' i 10' 10'
VISION Because Caltrans abandoned LOS (Level Of Service) for Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT), the expressway made possible with double-wide center turn-lanes is obsolete. If they are removed and replaced with a 2' wide highway crash barrier ( i ), two innermost lanes can shift towards center, allowing temporary bollards to be replaced with a 5' raised arbor or shrub median, which can double duty as a bus stop, passenger loading, and pedestrian island.
Illustration = 100'
🚲 🛵 🌳 🚍 🚘 i 🚘 🚍 🌳 🛵 🚲
10' 10' 5' 12' 12' 2' 12' 12' 5' 10' 10'
Center crash barrier specs
https://findanyanswer.com/how-much-does-a-concrete-barrier-block-weigh
Question & Answer:
Q: How will businesses make money with no on-street parking?
A: Retail merchants make money with (slow) foot traffic - not (fast) automobile traffic. But they falsely equate car = revenue, because that is their current reality. They just want revenue any way possible!
On-street parking is counter-productive! Every patron wants to park directly in front of merchant, requiring subsequent patrons to park farther and farther away. If situation is multiplied by number of retailers on same block, patrons circle around endlessly looking for a parking spot.
https://morphocode.com/the-5-minute-walk/ Using the 5 minute walk rule, I surmised that motorists will likely give up if they must circle 5 min or longer for parking. To my surprise, I have seen motorists circle for 15-20 minutes in vain. This in itself increases traffic congestion. So the status quo is broken.
Empty shopping center parking lots prove that building expensive multi-story parking lots does not solve the problem. The irony is that people are willing to walk great distances within a shopping center (ie: window shopping), but not to it.
But if their car contains a foldable micro-mobility device, they can park farther away, and still reach the merchant within 5 minutes - if protected bike and micro-mobility lanes exist (because micro-mobility devices can travel one mile in 5 minutes - regardless of terrain). In addition, micro-mobility device lanes will increase accessibility to and ridership of public transit. Even if motorists will never give up their car, bike and micro-mobility device lanes offer OPTIONS currently not available.
Q: How will delivery vehicles make deliveries?
A: Reason bollards must be located between lane #2 and lane #3 (to be replaced by 🌳 median), is because if bike lane is temporarily blocked by loading trucks, manual bikers can share lane #3 with motor bikes.
Q: How will the disabled reach merchants?
A: Disabled passengers can be dropped off at the door just like delivery vehicles, by car or Samtrans Redi-Wheel pickup (24 advance notice).
Q: How to access mid-block parking lots?
A: Raised median will have several mid-block openings for cars to enter/exit.
CONCLUSION
Development along ECR has already broken ground up/down the Peninsula. The disaster is imminent unless Millbrae and San Bruno city councils initiate emergency meetings with ECR merchants to address the crisis!
Caltrans said "Improvements that increase access for people walking, biking, and taking transit are in line with Caltrans goals for the State transportation network. Caltrans is also no longer relying on automobile Level of Service (LOS) to measure future transportation project impacts. Caltrans is committed to working with our local partners to develop shared visions for State Highway corridors such as El Camino Real"
That is good in theory! But in practice, local city governments are intimidated by the large hoard of unruly motorists who are always in a hurry, and won't tolerate any traffic signal delays to accommodate bicyclists or pedestrian.
MOTORISTS ARE GREEDY, SELFISH, VIOLENT, AND ENTRENCHED! To US Americans, more is always better - nothing is ever enough! If you give them an inch, they take a foot. If you give them a foot, they want a mile.
In the Peninsula, we have urban sprawl. The great distances require pedestrians to own a micro-mobility device (bike, scooter, skateboard, etc) in order to use public transit. But city government have always denied funding for bicyclists, claiming a lack of demand - make it too dangerous, so everyone is forced to buy a car!
If bicyclists and walkers want to prove there is a demand, we can stage a protest rally - a CRITICAL MASS. Then the city will be caught in a CARS vs Bikes WAR!
Since all city council meetings are now online, this is relatively easy. If a 1000 bikers just log-in to the Zoom meeting, after the bike spokesperson gives his/her presentation threatening a critical mass, everybody can log off. No one is pissed, and impact is felt by city clerk immediately. Agree?
If city government does not ensure Vehicle PARITY, it is violating pedestrian and bicylists' legal rights!
Jeffrey Tong, co-founder
Colinas Costeras
Community Wildlife Habitat
"The miracle of the coastal hills is fog"
Fog = H₂O = Life
https://www.bonfire.com/store/colinas-costeras/
Colinas Costeras
Community Wildlife Habitat
"The miracle of the coastal hills is fog"
Fog = H₂O = Life
https://www.bonfire.com/store/colinas-costeras/
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