HUMBOLDT STREET
CONGRATULATIONS---THIS IS WHAT WINNING LOOKS LIKE IN SANTA ROSA!
After 18 months of a 'trial' bike boulevard, the efforts of the Santa Rosa Neighborhood Coalition have been rewarded with the planned removal of the dangerous traffic circles---all of them---and the reinstallation of crosswalks and some stop signs. Of course they said they'd remove them in January 2011, weather permitting, but now the date is being pushed out to 'Late Spring, weather permitting' according to the City's website. KEEP THE PRESSURE ON. WRITE TO MAYOR OLIVARES. We've offered to assist with sledgehammers if the City needs help.
The 684 signators to our petition to RESTORE HUMBOLDT were finally heard by the City Council, at the first meeting of the newly elected council. Staff had recommended the removal of the traffic circles, but ADDED the installation of seven speed humps. Although speed humps had never been an option, had not been a part of the trial, and had been rejected by a majority of the neighbors on Humboldt, they suddenly popped up as a 'compromise' at the end. The supporters of the Bike Boulevard, including paid lobbyists Jenny Bard (Lung Association), Tanya Narath (Leadership Institute Ecology and Economy), and Christine Culver (Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition), finally had to experience the result of the collision between ideology and reality.
What now?
ARE YOU A RESIDENT OF HUMBOLDT STREET? READ THIS
The city sent out a survey to the 258 property owners on the stretch between College and Lewis and asked if those property owners wanted a speed hump in their block. They sent this survey twice: once in August 2010, and again in October 2010. Why did they send it twice? Because 9 blocks out of 10 in the August survey DID NOT WANT SPEED HUMPS. So, the city, presumably not liking the answer they got, sent it out again.
At the City Council meeting we were shocked to hear the city's staffer on the job, Nancy Adams, say that if you did not respond to your survey notice asking whether you wanted a speed hump on your block THE CITY ASSUMES YOU WANT SPEED HUMPS. The staffer said that the city does not want to install them in front of properties where the owners don't want them.
Of the 258 surveys sent out, 67 were returned. That is less than 25%. Of that 25% who did respond, a large number did not want speed humps. So only a small minority did want them but now the city is going to install SEVEN.
This is your last chance to weigh in on whether or not you want a 22 foot long speed hump in front of your property. There's a good chance that they won't put it in front of your house if you don't want it.
If you email the city regarding this, be sure to copy us on the email so that there is a verifiable record of your comments. Our email: [email protected], City Staffer Nancy Adams: NAdams@ci.santa-rosa.ca.us
A quote from one of our supporters: The way I see it is you saved the City of Santa Rosa, and the Tax Payers of Santa Rosa $650,000. Your group saved the neighborhood and City Emergency services who knows what kind of grief and loss. I do not think our society can afford the grand schemes promised by new urbanism.
