Thursday, May 9, 2013

PH1A hopes Caltrans will reassess their "inadequate" fully researched traffic solution


Did someone read the Caltrans DEIR?
The PH1A Highway 1 "community" meeting (separate from SMCTA/CalTrans) request was placed on the 3/25/13 city council agenda by councilmember Digre. Following staff and council discussion, councilmember Digre withdrew her request.  In discussion, councilmember Digre mentioned the forum she had in mind would include "not widening the highway" and a conflict resolution requirement.  City Council Meeting Agenda and Minutes, 3/25/13. Item 7, Minutes pages 4-23. 

Pacifica Tribune, Letters to the Editor, 5/7/13.  "PH1A opinion" by PH1A members (below) 

"Editor:  Pacificans for Highway One Alternatives (PH1A) wishes to express its concerns and hopes regarding Pacifica government leadership on Highway 1 congestion options. PH1A is concerned that the City Council, on March 25, refused to take action to review the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the Caltrans Highway 1 widening project. Public comments, including an "Open Letter" to the City Council signed by almost 40 people, encouraged City Council consideration of the DEIR. Yet the City Council took no action, despite the number of speakers in favor of thorough City review of Caltrans' plans. Speakers in favor of review outnumbered those favoring "no Council action" by approximately 4 to 1. Since that meeting, individual City Council members have affirmed their commitment to a full review of the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) when it is released. 

PH1A hopes that the City Council will fully and adequately review the FEIR, due to be issued this June. Full review of the FEIR by the Pacifica City Council should include, but not be limited to:
•A review of construction impacts: traffic delay, noise, dust, project duration, impacts on local business, etc. •A review of options to mitigate congestion:  --Synchronized and interconnected traffic lights; --Improved signal timing; --Expansion of existing road shoulders, for improving emergency: --Roundabouts; access: -- Auto and pedestrian underpasses; --Changing school schedules; --Providing school commuters; --Enhanced SamTrans options during rush hour/congestion periods.
Commerce begins where the congested road dead-ends
•A review of impacts of the proposed highway widening on businesses in Rockaway Beach and on the east side of the highway and on pedestrians.  •The impact of possible sound walls on the visibility and access of residents and visitors to Rockaway Beach and future businesses and amenities in the area.

PH1A looks forward to a full review of Caltrans' plans by the Pacifica City Council in order to facilitate the broadest possible discussion regarding Highway 1 congestion relief, with due consideration given to the quality of life for Pacificans and visitors, traffic, pedestrian access, business, neighborhood, and environmental concerns.
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Reference PH1A website/members lists the following as "steering committee": Pete Shoemaker, chair, Hal Bohner, Peter Loeb, Mike Ferreira, Leo Leon, Todd Bray, Andrew Leone, Mitch Reid, Carlos Davidson, Ron Maykel.  And the "open letter" 3/6/19 signed by 39.  

Reference - Calera Parkway DEIRA Report (287 pdf pages).  The final DEIR is pending, due late this month, or in June.  And  San Mateo County Transportation Authority. 

Related Fix Pacifica articles search:  San Mateo Transportation, and Highway 1 articles. 

Posted by Kathy Meeh

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

These opponents to the safety widening offer all sorts of suggestions, none of which is a decision...All their "suggestions" lead to more study, and years of delay. I get stuck in this traffic jam every morning. I cannot take the bus; can't walk or bike to work; don't expect the schools to buy buses because they cannot afford them; don't want an overpass because that is way too Los Angeles industrial and neighbors would go ape.
Let's fess up folks: some people will never support the safety widening. Thousands of other Pacifica commuters anticipate the project completion.

Steve Sinai said...

The alternatives offered by PH1A (sounds like a flu virus) were studied and rejected by Caltrans and the SMCTA.

Anonymous said...

@939 Oh man that's so funny. So, now we're calling it 'the safety widening'? Awesome.

Anonymous said...

so all this harping on alternatives and "lack" of study is really sabotage? And we continue to get stuck in traffic?
Ignore for the moment no one takes a bus. Wasn't one of the safety widening opponents Cynthia Kaufman on the school board for 4 years? Did Ms. Kaufman get any discussion about the schools buying buses or changing start times, or this too just hot air? Would love to hear Ms. Kaufman's reply about forcing the school community to pay for buses they cannot afford...
Talk about garden variety paralysis by analysis!!

Anonymous said...

It's not a "safety widening." It's to decrease traffic congestion. Read the DEIR.

And no, all the alternatives offered by PH1A were not studied and rejected by Caltrans. Read the DEIR.

Anonymous said...

Oh, we're calling it a Safety Widening? Wow. Those creative juices are really flowing. Who needs Madison Ave? Are we going to get a cute little mascot and a theme song, too?

Anonymous said...

good, this keeps the hippies busy while we slyly replace them on the planning commish. DOH!

not a bus fan said...

I'm with the prior poster on commute safety. Why would anyone let 40 letter signers or even 200 outweigh the requirements of thousands who suffer this stretch of road--the only way out of town. If this isn't a safety issue, I don't know what is. I guess I am going to have to rummage thru the newspaper to find that letter from the firefighters supporting the widening. Some folks simply don't want to recognize the truth about travel safety...or the fact that Pacifica commuters are never going to do what the opponents want.
Here's a suggestion for the opponents to make their point--- get all your folks to take the bus or a skate board . Take the bus for the next 6 months. Daily. If traffic evaporates, you win. If not I win.
Put your butt where your mouth is...vehicularly speaking that is...

Anonymous said...

547 don't bother with your rummage. everyone read the letter. not a surprise to anyone. most public safety professionals want more room on the roads. that's neither a revelation, nor, in itself, a compelling argument for widening. if the traffic congestion is relieved by some method other than widening will the firemen protest? doubtful. although others might.

still, that letter has take on epic, even mythical, importance in your campaign to widen that road.

work it, baby, work it!

Anonymous said...

@528 Funny place for a confession of deceitful or unethical behavior. Or are you just an admirer of such? You're in the right town!

Anonymous said...

Ha, public safety. If Caltrans were at all interested in public safety why isn't the SE and SW corners of SR1 and Fasslar ADA compliant? Furthermore why is crossing any of the SR1 intersections in town such a traumatizing experience for every pedestrian. No, Caltrans isn't doing the widening for public safety, it's doing it because the guy at the top of District 4, Bijan Sartipi was once a lowly project manager and one of his projects was the widening, his signature is on several documents from the 1990's as the project manager for the widening idea, and now he wants to finish the job.

Caltrans doesn't do public safety.

Anonymous said...

9:49 5 dollar fine for whining!

Anonymous said...

Don't know about Bijan Sartipi and his personal mission, but anyone who believes Caltrans is a benevolent behemoth on a mission to provide happy motoring and public service is naive.
Simply follow the money and the egos for the truth about how large-scale highway projects happen or don't happen. When roads and real estate intersect it's always about the money.

Anonymous said...

Bijan wants to be big on the coast. Tunnel? Done. Highway 1? Looks like some trouble with the natives. If he can just get this part done, the rest will be easy.

Plaque, maybe a statue, at Caltrans World HQ for the man who opened up the SMC Coast, project by project.

Anonymous said...

Keep pissing off Caltrans Hippies and they will send Pacifica all the faulty bolts from the Bay Bridge.