Overview
These two projects are categorized together but are two different sections of Park Blvd. Upper Park Blvd is between Monterey Blvd and Hollywood Avenue, Middle Park Blvd is between Hollywood Avenue and Grosvenor Place.
Why Are Changes Being Proposed
The overall argument is one of safety, specific problems reported are:
- High number of pedestrian incidents
- Claims of high-speed vehicles being the cause of injuries
- Claims that more cyclists will use this section of road if bicycle lanes are added
What Are the Proposed Changes
- Removing two travel lanes
- Adding bike lanes
- Adding 5 additional sets of traffic signals
What Supporting Evidence Is There
Simply stated – none ! The captured data does not indicate speed to be an issue – at least not vehicle speed. The only incident on Middle Park Blvd which was speed related was a solo cyclist, and only one incident on Lower Park Blvd was speed related. The below data shows the incidents on Upper, Middle and Lower Park Blvd between 2006 and 2016, with details of the type and who was at fault:
Upper Park Blvd
Car driver was at fault
2 bike/car – cause improper passing, turning
1 pedestrian/car – cause pedestrian right of way
Middle Park Blvd
Car driver was at fault
1 pedestrian/car – cause pedestrian right of way
1 pedestrian/car – cause unsafe backing or starting
Cyclist was at fault
2 bike/car – cause improper turning
1 bike/car – cause wrong side of road
1 bike solo – cause unsafe speed
Pedestrian was at fault
1 pedestrian/car – cause pedestrian violation
Lower Park Blvd
Car driver was at fault
13 pedestrian/car – cause pedestrian right of way – 6 of these are by the school where they plan to keep two lanes uphill so still a problem
1 pedestrian/car – cause unsafe speed
1 pedestrian/car – cause traffic signals
1 car/car – cause following too closely
1 car/car – cause right of way
Cyclist was at fault
2 bike/car – cause wrong side of road
1 bike/car – cause right of way
Pedestrian was at fault
2 pedestrian/car – cause pedestrian violation
What are the Consequences
Assuming that speed is truly a problem, which is a difficult assumption to make, given the lack of any supporting data, we must consider that only a solution which limits the speed at all times of the day and night will work. The current plan of road diets and traffic signals will only reduce speed when there is congestion – at other times, the traffic will flow as it does today – at the “alleged high speeds”. So, unless we have a solution that addresses this 24 hours a day, we are not addressing safety at all – what happens on Saturday morning, light traffic, no congestion, kids on their way to synagogue, who will protect their safety, or off-peak-hour, light traffic, elderly, mothers with children, disabled trying to visit business districts? Is OakDOT really addressing the problems – the answer is NO!
The supporters of road-diets, suggest that post road diet will have a “minimal” effect on traffic, and approximately 10% of vehicles will divert to other roads. What does this mean for Park Blvd and surrounding neighborhoods? The average total vehicle volume per day is 21,000 cars on Park Blvd, so a 10% diversion would be 2100 cars a day would use alternative routes, with Trestle Glen Road being a likely option. The current total volume of traffic on Trestle Glen ranges from 1000 at the upper part joining Park Blvd, to 3000 at the lower part joining Lakeshore, so just a 10% diversion from Park Blvd will potentially mean a possible 66% to 200% increase on traffic on Trestle Glen Road – which are narrow, lower speed streets, not designed to support this flow, and also used regularly by cyclists. Is this an improvement in safety – by any standard NO!
Are There Better Options?
Yes – holistic options that consider the safety of all road users – car, bike, and pedestrians, including consideration of current demand, projected future demands, and impact of surrounding neighborhoods.