We partnered with Circulate San Diego, BikeSD, and Climate Action Campaign to take a stand against SANDAG's recent actions on the Regional Uptown Bikeway Project. The current condition of the proposed alignment on University is unsafe and needs to be addressed. We are continuing to advocate as this project, as it is vital to the community and an arterial corridor that must provide safer access to people that ride.
Below is the letter we drafted with our partners. We were given the opportunity to speak on behalf of people who ride yesterday in a meeting at SANDAG. We are advocating for you and for safer bicycling. More information about the
Uptown Bikeways Project
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June 23, 2015
SANDAG
Transportation Committee,
Honorable Chair Todd Gloria
401 B Street, Suite 800
San Diego, CA 92101
RE: Uptown Bikeway Project
Chair Gloria and Transportation
Committee Members:
Since the June 5th meeting of the
Transportation Committee, information has been brought forward through the
media regarding the Regional Uptown Bikeway project. We are concerned to hear about the reported
meetings that were held with leadership of the Hillcrest Business Association,
their contracted lobbying consultant (California Strategies) and SANDAG
leadership prior to the staff recommendation that was released for the
"Constrained Option”. At no time
were members of the community who supported SANDAG’s original design concept
for the project invited to participate in these discussions and we believe the
planning process during these pre-meeting negotiations was flawed.
On behalf of those signed below,
we are requesting that the Transportation Committee reconsider their action
taken on June 5th to allow for additional public input to be considered on the
project. In addition, we feel there was
agreement on several elements of the Transforming Hillcrest plan that can be
included into an alternative that would be supported by a vast majority of all
stakeholders. We are very concerned for the unsafe and potentially liable
position that SANDAG or the City may be placed in as a result of Committee’s
action at the meeting to only provide the protected bikeway on a portion of
University Avenue. We only hope to find a solution that will avoid this unsafe
“gap” in the bikeway.
We respectfully request SANDAG to
continue to work with all stakeholders and present design alternatives that
will accomplish what they originally set out to do; increase safety, increase
mobility and bicycle ridership, decrease greenhouse gas emissions and increase
economic and place making opportunities throughout the corridor.
Our ultimate goal is to not stop
or hinder the progress of the project but rather continue to find the best possible
design alternative that will accomplish the goals for safety and increased
bicycle ridership through an adequate, transparent public process.
Finally, we welcome the
opportunity to meet with you and representatives from SANDAG so that you can
have a better understanding of our concerns and more importantly, hear our
ideas for moving forward which is a goal we all collectively share. We will reach out to you soon request a
meeting. We appreciate the continued
effort that SANDAG is putting into this incredibly important regional
transportation project.
Sincerely,
Andy Hanshaw
Samantha Ollinger
Nicole Capretz, Executive
Director
Jim Stone, Executive Director
Cc: Gary Gallegos, Executive Director, SANDAG
Charles
“Muggs” Stoll, Director of Land Use and Transportation Planning, SANDAG
