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HUMBOLDT BICYCLE BOULEVARD:
WHAT IS HAPPENING?
We Won! Look at Humboldt Blvd--Final for details, and read this page for the history
Spotted Thursday, Sept 23: Christine Culver, Executive Director of the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition posting flyers in the round-about at McConnell and Humboldt on top of opposition flyers. Seems that Ms. Culver, who was posting on city signs, has a problem with free speech if it doesn't agree with her point of view.
City's latest cost estimate to complete BB? Over $800,000.
What happened at the Tuesday, September 28 City Council Meeting? The council delayed the vote for political reasons. They'll vote after the November elections. We had more people speaking against the BB than the whole Bicycle Coalition could muster in favor, and most of the people who were 'in support of the BB' actually were not in favor of the traffic circles. Nearly everyone spoke about their concerns for safety. Susan Gorin and Veronica Jacobi are up for re-election and didn't want a yes vote for the BB to hurt their chances for re-election. What does that tell you, when a huge neighborhood turns out (715 local names on our petition), and the council won't vote because they know their vote goes against the people? And a head's up for you: The December 14 Council agenda shows that they intend to approve a negative declaration for the environmental document on the project. This is the last stage. By the way, the staff said that THERE IS NO MONEY TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT. So the 'temporary' project would then be permanent.
We will continue to fight this with you. This is REAL community action. Thank you for sending your letters, for coming to the council meeting, and for speaking out.
SIGN THE PETITION AT BILL'S FRIENDLY MARKET ON HUMBOLDT, BENTON MARKET ON BENTON, CANEVARI'S DELI OR CIRCLE C MARKET ON LEWIS
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The following is the staff recommendation to Council:
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended by the Department of Public
Works that the Council approve, by three separate resolutions, the following:
• The installation of a speed hump on Humboldt Street between Lewis Road
and Silva Avenue;
• The installation of pilot diverters that prohibit left turns by vehicles at the
intersection of Pacific Avenue and Humboldt Street and prohibit north south
through movements by vehicles on Humboldt Street at the intersection of
Pacific Avenue and Humboldt Street;
• The permanent design proposal for the Humboldt Street bike boulevard.
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The 'community' bulletin boards at Humboldt and Pacific, Benton and Orchard, are locked and only those who agree with the Bike Blvd. can post in them. Is this a democracy? If you paid your dues to the JCNA, demand that they allow you to post your opposition to the Bike Blvd in the bulletin boards. Send us a note if you have made a request. Thanks!
KEEP UP THE PRESSURE. YOUR OPINION MATTERS!
Just like Mom and apple pie, there couldn't be anything wrong with bikes, could there?
Humboldt Street, the north-south two lane road that runs from 5th Street up to Lewis was turned into a 'Bicycle Boulevard' in August 2009. The stop signs at many of the intersections in the Junior College Neighborhood have been taken out, and the center line removed. Cross walks were removed. Round-abouts have been installed. Disabled curb-cuts are now in the wrong place.
This is supposedly to make it more 'bicycle friendly'.
Just how friendly is it? Cars that used to stop at stop signs now keep going. Bicyclists don't have sightlines sufficient to see if there are cars coming from side streets. Near collisions happen daily. It was reported at a meeting that there have been NINE collisions at McConnell and Humboldt. Pedestrians are told by the police that they CANNOT CROSS THE STREET AT THE CORNER.
This is supposed to be a six month 'trial period' but public meetings were packed with bicyclists who appeared to have been recruited to turn out and shout down anyone who objected. Meetings are designed to sideline anyone who is not in favor of the project.
TO SEE COMMUNITY COMMENTS CLICK HERE
THE LATEST: If you live on King Street, Slater, Wright, Orchard, Beaver, Benton, Howard, Nason, Spencer, or Pacific, LOOK OUT. The diversion of cars to these streets will impact you.
The City plan for cars:
NO through traffic on Humboldt across College
NO left turn from College onto Humboldt, traffic diverted to King Street
NO through traffic across Pacific on Humboldt
NO left turn from Humboldt onto Pacific as you are traveling north. Right turn on Pacific, only.
NO left turn from Humboldt onto Pacific as you are traveling south. Right turn on Pacific, only.
If you shop at Bill's Friendly Market, if you use Humboldt to get home, if you go up to the Community Market or the Safeway on Humboldt, if you travel to visit friends across Pacific, if you pick your children up at school, you will be impacted.
Is it safer for BICYCLISTS? NO
Is the community listened to? NO. Bill's Friendly Market has a petition signed by more than
700 neighborhood residents saying NO
Is it safer for CAR DRIVERS? NO
Is it safer for PEDESTRIANS? NO
Does it conserve energy? NO
This 'temporary' project has been in effect since August 2009 and will continue at least through November 2010. Even though there are bike lanes TWO BLOCKS AWAY ON MENDOCINO, even though the City and the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition have greatly exaggerated the number of bike riders on Humboldt, even though this concept is being pushed as an ideology without regard for actual need and a disregard for safety, the City continues the 'experiment'.
The Santa Rosa Neighborhood Coalition sponsored a mile-long yard sale on Humboldt on Sunday, July 11, 2010. We had a very successful day. The JCNA group had sponsored a bike ride on the street for the same day, and all were able to be on the street at the same time, a much busier day than usual, without diverters. NO DIVERTERS ON HUMBOLDT. The community doesn't want them.
SPEAK OUT
CALL MAYOR GORIN 707 543-3010 or email: [email protected]
Here are some great graphic posters that one of your neighbors designed for you to display
GET INVOLVED----IT'S YOUR CITY!
