CC 2023-03-14_12c Supplemental 1MEMORANDUM
TO: CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Jessica Matson, Legislative & Information Services Director/City Clerk
SUBJECT: Supplemental Information
Agenda Item 12.c – Halcyon Complete Streets Plan Update
DATE: March 14, 2023
Attached is correspondence received before 4 PM for the above referenced item.
cc: City Manager
Assistant City Manager/Public Works Director
Community Development Director
City Attorney
City Clerk
City Website (or public review binder)
From: Jim Dececco <jim.dececco@lmusd.org>
Sent: Saturday, March 11, 2023 11:47 AM
To: Brian Pedrotti; Jim Empey; Caren Ray Russom
Cc: Andrew Perez; Steve Kahn
Subject: Re: Update for Halcyon Complete Streets Plan - Arroyo Grande
Brian and Company,
I have looked over the plan, and I have a couple of comments:
First, I hope that during any public presentation Level of Service will be minimized. LOS is an
outdated ranking system that grades the level of comfort for drivers. An example for Mr.
Empey is a Grade of A, would be for freeways where drivers are not impaired in any way.
Complete freedom to go fast without stopping. For a city street this type of grading system is
not appropriate because we don't want to grade the level of comfort for drivers. We want all
users (pedestrians, transit, bikes and motorists) to feel comfortable on the road (which later
sections of the plan do a very nice job of covering).
Second, I hate to be critical because there are some really good aspects of the plan, but the
intersection of Grand and Halcyon is dangerous before and after the redesign. A pedestrian
has to cross 60 feet (or more) of asphalt to get across Grand Ave. without an island or refuge.
Would you want your 80 year old grandmother to cross that intersection? If the answer is
"no", then there is a huge problem. If the goal is greater safety, then this intersection needs to
be improved. All lane widths leading to the intersection should be 11 feet wide, so drivers feel
the discomfort of coming to an intersection. Get rid of the "right turn" lanes, and make the
corners of the intersection extend farther into the street (bulbouts). Would I want my 12 year
old son riding home from school on Halcyon, going toward 101, trying to merge into the green
painted bike lane while cars are jockeying for position in the right turn lane? No. I want my son
to be able to ride straight and wait at a protected intersection to cross Grand Ave.
Third, I fully support a round-a-bout. As designed there is no space for cyclists. With the
volume of traffic going through that intersection, there needs to be dedicated space for
cyclists. Having cyclists go onto the sidewalk with pedestrians is dangerous for pedestrians and
should not be an option. I have included a short (20 seconds) video (below) of a roundabout
with a bike lane. Super easy.
Fourth, if a roundabout is out of the plan, then the lighted intersection needs to be upgraded.
Rather than the traffic light being on the opposite side of the intersection, the traffic light
should be in front of the crosswalk. That way motorists are forced to stay behind the
crosswalk in order to see the light
(https://link.edgepilot.com/s/0c916a95/2QsCAysjf0C5xupXnMV1tQ?
u=https://sf.streetsblog.org/2017/03/23/traffic-signal-placement-are-we-doing-it-wrong/).
Also, lane widths should be 11 feet within 1/4 mile of the intersection to slow up traffic.
Because this intersection is in front of a school, there should be a protected bike lane (class 4)
leading to the intersection with no "right hand" turn lane. That means it could be a protected
intersection like the great example you gave on page 28.
This is a very good plan that could be made into a great plan with some modification. The four
elements of traffic design as I see it are: Safety, cost, volume and speed (in those orders). I
have included some other interesting videos to keep in mind. I hope my comments have
helped.
Jim DeCecco
Former Safe Routes Director
Lucia Mar Unified School District
https://link.edgepilot.com/s/a9020784/p32iXHx5IkCpLYaBdf2aRA?
u=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knbVWXzL4-4
https://link.edgepilot.com/s/8168f172/q9zV3sRul0icix8KM_Ppaw?
u=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ByEBjf9ktY%26t=51s