Response to OakDOT March 19th 2018 Letter
A March 19th communication from OakDOT (which was dated March 8th) set out to “correct misunderstandings”and “clarify the actual status of potential improvements” for the “Park Boulevard Pedestrian, Bicycle and School Safety Study”, so here we will review what they said and correlate to what we actually see, have read and have been told through email and conversation with community meetings, exchanges with planners, OakDOT staff, and council representatives.
Correct Misunderstandings
OakDOT Said:
OakDOT evaluated a road diet and concluded a bike lane would improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists and not increase travel times in the corridor
We Say:
- They did not study speed
- They did not study important intersections.
- They did not study volumes in connecting streets
- They said to work it would require closing off medians at many intersections, causing “micro-shifts” to other roads
- They had not assessed how traffic would divert though Oakmore and Trestle Glen to reach current destinations once medians are closed
- They did not review existing incident data to show the reported problems they were trying to fix even existed (they do not )
OakDOT Said:
If funding is identified, the city would then conduct a detailed traffic study
We Say:
- So, they concluded that travel times would not be effected, but now say they have not done a detailed traffic study – so, basically they cannot conclude anything at all at this time.
- Yet they say more planning required to avoid “serious delays” – what delays – they already concluded there would not be any ?
- Also, don’t be fooled when they say there are no funds – there is funding such as KK and Senate Bill 1 which will take gas tax and use to fund other projects.
Current Status of Potential Improvements to Middle Park Boulevard
OakDOT Said:
Developed options based on what community members asked to study in 2016 and 2017
We Say:
- No, they did not. The majority of the community members asked them to study why the project was required, provide evidence of the issues, and how this would impact the adjoining neighbors – none of which they did since they did not do comprehensive studies
- They did not study all viable options including Speed Sensitive Signals which would improve safety without reducing capacity
Next Steps on Middle Park Boulevard
OakDOT Said:
Community walkthorugh
We Say:
- We are waiting – hopefully this will include real action based on what the community is asking – and that is spot improvements to target some cross-walks by schools, and provide the maximum benefit to the majority – not the minority
Next Steps on Trestle Glen Road
OakDOT Said:
The concerns are one of the reasons the city embarked on community outreach
We Say:
- No the city did community outreach only because an enraged community constantly fought OakDOT and the council to be heard
- Why are you not mentioning this anger has now grown – where is Oakmore mentioned – they were also engaged thanks to us fighting back
Upper Park Boulevard
OakDOT Said:
Road-diet would slow down traffic without creating delays
We Say:
- Not true – the way a road-diet slows traffic is through congestion
- Planners already said (for Middle Park Blvd) a road-diet will not slow traffic without signals every 1200 feet
- The single lane will create a backup (proven by Caltrans work), and the only way to reduce this is to increase signal timing at Highway 13, causing more dangerous backups there
- And all of the despite the fact that THE ACCIDENT DATA DOES NOT PROVE IT IS REQUIRED
Lower Park Boulevard
OakDOT Said:
The project will go ahead in 2017, a road-diet to improve safety
We Say:
- Yet the vast number of incidents on Lower Park Blvd are pedestrian by the school, where they will not add light controlled crossings, and the road will remain 3 lanes