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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCORRESPONDENCE - 55CMitre- Ramirez, Norma From: Huizar, Maria Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2014 2:13 PM Cc: Mitre - Ramirez, Norma; Trujillo, Rose Ann Subject: AGENDA ITEM 55C - Bike Lanes on 4th Street Categories: CA Correspondence Please enter correspondence as part of the record. Thank you. Begin forwarded message: From: "Martinez, Michele" <MiMartinez@,santa- ana.org> Date: August 5, 2014 at 2:08:09 PM PDT To: "Cavazos, David" <DCavazosgsanta- ana.org> Cc: City Council <CityCouncil2(cr�,santa- ana.org> Subject: Re: Bike Lanes on 4th Street First off, I am not asking for OCTA position because it is the city decision to have bike facilities. My concern is the recommendation being provided to the council this evening as it pertains to keeping the on street parking on 4th street. If we were to allow the current parkina on 4th street as it is today, this would not make it possible for the city to include all modes of transportation. On that note, This fixed guideway conversation should have been aligned with the Circulation Element and Complete Street guidelines that I had suggested from the very beginning because it would have required staff to view all transportation projects from a multimodal, complete streets perspective, control higher -level government agencies (OCTA, OC, CalTrans, etc.) to conform to the city's multimodal standards, 3) require developers to integrate all modes of travel. Please note, not including bicycle infrastructure will result in the following regardless of who job it is( the city should dictate this process not OCTA). We are the owners and operators of the road. So let's keep that in mind. 1. reduced transportation efficiency:recall the legislative findings from California's Complete Streets Act: 2/3 of all trips 1 mile or less are made by automobile and 3/4 of all trips are 4 miles or less. By eliminating or not including bicycle infrastructure in favor of on- street parking, they'll definitely increase vehicular traffic congestion and motorist frustration. Motorist frustration is bad for public safety and will severely limit the city's ability to embrace complete streets and multimodal transportation. It also sends the message that bikes are NOT welcome or a legitimate form of transportation. In the Downtown we already created a culture that bikes are not welcomed by the street design( narrow streets and the on- street parking we currently have). 2. keep in mind the lessons from Long Beach: each vehicle parking space = 1 -2 customers by car, but 12+ customers by bicycle. Long Beach shops and restaurants within their bicycle friendly business districts have increased their business volume and # jobs by 300 -400 %. Restaurants that once had 3 -4 employees now have 15. Santa Ana's unemployment rate is 8% and cannot afford to limit the number of jobs it provides to residents. Not including bicycle t CCM 08/05/2014 55C infrastructure in this transportation project will limit, not catalyze or enhance, economic development capacity. How many people do we have riding bikes now and the demand for bike huts. 3. public safety will be undermined if we move forward with the street car and no bike infrastructure :bicyclists and motorists will be competing for the same roadway space which can be dangerous for bicyclist because of the street car tracks. This will also cause right -of -way conflicts which will discourage people from using non - motorized transportation. I am sure this is not our intent for the Downtown? Finally, if we move forward without any bike infrastructure, It will cause the city increased litigation costs as bicyclists will get injured. Fed Hwy Administration safety site:http: / /www.fhwa.dot.gov /livability /fact sheets /transandsafety.cfrn To conclude on a good note, I am supportive of on street - parking if we use reverse- angle- head - out parking and add bike lanes. Please note, several cities across the country have been using reverse -angle- head -out parking for decades. Tuscon did this in/around the Univ. of AZ and dropped car/bike collisions by 80 or so percent. Michele Martinez 714 - 887 -9845 *please excuse any misspellings. I composed this email via my iPhone* On Aug 5, 2014, at 11:41 AM, "Cavazos, David" <DCavazos@santa- ana.org> wrote: Fyi. david From: Cathy Higley [mailto chialeyCa�cordobacorp com] Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2014 11:21 AM To: Cavazos, David; Galvez, William E.; City Council Cc: George Pla; Gabriel, Jason Subject: RE: Bike Lanes on 4th Street I think we need to clarify that bicycle facilities are not an element of the streetcar project; FTA and OCTA would agree and would not willing fund bicycle lanes as part of the project. However, implementing streetcar on 4 "' Street opens up the opportunity to incorporate bicycles on 4`" Street that would not be possible without streetcar — bicycles and diagonal parking are not compatible. The elimination of diagonal parking along the south side, provides a safer environment and the space to accommodate a bicycle facility. A vote in support of streetcar, with or without bike lanes included, furthers the cause of bicycles on 4 `" Street. From: Cavazos, David [mai Ito: DCavazosCcbsanta -ana org] Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2014 10:50 AM To: Galvez, William E.; City Council Cc: George Pla; Cathy Higley (chigley(cbcordobacoro.com) (chialey0cordobacorp.com); Gabriel, Jason Subject: RE: Bike Lanes on 4th Street George, Cathy? Any input? Thank you. david From: Galvez, William E. Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2014 10:44 AM To: Cavazos, David Cc: George Pla; Cathy Higley (chialey(&cordobacorp.com) (chialey6bcordobaccrp.com); Gabriel, Jason Subject: RE: Bike Lanes on 4th Street Hi David, Jason and I are preparing a memo /email for her. We will make note of the information we discuss this morning at our streetcar presentation update meeting. I think the graphics we developed look good and are appropriate. We can stress that what the team has developed to this point for the City (and City Council) is an LPA level document, and that we did not yet develop design details. As you know, the input we received on this project had no concerns with bike lanes, and many concerns on parking. Staff (we) know that parking needs in the future may wane, and that will provide us with the opportunity to make 4`h street or 5th street more walkable, people, and business friendly. Thanks, William From: Cavazos, David Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2014 10:33 AM To: Galvez, William E. Cc: George Pla; Cathy Higley (chigley(acordobacorp com) (chigley(0)cordobacorp.com) Subject: FW: Bike Lanes on 4th Street What is the response to Michele Martinez. She is very disappointed. Please provide me with background. Thanks. David From Martinez, Michele Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2014 10:18 AM To: Cavazos, David Cc: Cathy Higley; Gabriel, Jason; Galvez, William E.; George Pla; City Council Subject: Re: Bike Lanes on 4th Street These considerations should have been proposed during the previous workshops not at the 11th hour. Very disappointed! Michele Martinez 714 - 887 -9845 On Aug 5, 2014, at 9:23 AM, "Cavazos, David" <DCavazosn anta- ana.org> wrote: Thank you Cathy. Best, david From: Cathy Higley [ mailto :chigley(cbcordobacorp.com] Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2014 9:16 AM To: Gabriel, Jason; Galvez, William E. Cc: Cavazos, David; George Pla Subject: Bike Lanes on 4th Street I think the answer is that with the conversions of the diagonal parking along the south side of 4th Street there is the opportunity to widen the sidewalk, or use that 12 - 14 feet to provide for both parallel parking and a eastbound bike lane. The streetcar is not proposing to alter the parking on the north side of 4th Street so a westbound bike lane would need to be the subject of a future 4th Street project. Maybe this could be part of a near - future workshop with the community and business owners to work through all issues streetcar on 4th Street. Just a thought. Cathy Michele Martinez 714 - 887 -9845 On Aug 5, 2014, at 11:41 AM, "Cavazos, David" <DCavazosasanta- ana.org> wrote: Fyi. david From: Cathy Higley [ mailto :chigley(a)cordobacorp.com] Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2014 11:21 AM To: Cavazos, David; Galvez, William E.; City Council Cc: George Pla; Gabriel, Jason Subject: RE: Bike Lanes on 4th Street I think we need to clarify that bicycle facilities are not an element of the streetcar project; FTA and OCTA would agree and would not willing fund bicycle lanes as part of the project. However, implementing streetcar on 4th Street opens up the opportunity to incorporate bicycles on 4th Street that would not be possible without streetcar — bicycles and diagonal parking are not compatible. The elimination of diagonal parking along the south side, provides a safer environment and the space to accommodate a bicycle facility. A vote in support of streetcar, with or without bike lanes included, furthers the cause of bicycles on 4th Street. From: Cavazos, David [ mailto:DCavazos(&santa- ana.org] Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2014 10:50 AM To: Galvez, William E.; City Council Cc: George Pla; Cathy Higley (chigley( cordobacorp com) (chigleygcordobacoro.com); Gabriel, Jason Subject: RE: Bike Lanes on 4th Street George, Cathy? Any input? Thank you. david From: Galvez, William E. Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2014 10:44 AM To: Cavazos, David Cc: George Pla; Cathy Higley ( ; Gabriel, Jason Subject: RE: Bike Lanes on 4th Street Hi David, Jason and I are preparing a memo /email for her. We will make note of the information we discuss this morning at our streetcar presentation update meeting. I think the graphics we developed look good and are appropriate. We can stress that what the team has developed to this point for the City (and City Council) is an LPA level document, and that we did not yet develop design details. As you know, the input we received on this project had no concerns with bike lanes, and many concerns on parking. Staff (we) know that parking needs in the future may wane, and that will provide us with the opportunity to make 4th street or 5th street more walkable, people, and business friendly. Thanks, William From: Cavazos, David Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2014 10:33 AM To: Galvez, William E. Cc: George Pla; Cathy Higley ( Subject: FW: Bike Lanes on 4th Street What is the response to Michele Martinez. She is very disappointed. Please provide me with background. Thanks. David From: Martinez, Michele Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2014 10:18 AM To: Cavazos, David Cc: Cathy Higley; Gabriel, Jason; Galvez, William E.; George Pla; City Council Subject: Re: Bike Lanes on 4th Street These considerations should have been proposed during the previous workshops not at the 11th hour. Very disappointed! Michele Martinez 714 - 887 -9845 On Aug 5, 2014, at 9:23 AM, "Cavazos, David" <DCavazosgsanta- ana.org> wrote: Thank you Cathy. Best, david From: Cathy Higley [ Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2014 9:16 AM To: Gabriel, Jason; Galvez, William E. Cc: Cavazos, David; George Pla Subject: Bike Lanes on 4th Street I think the answer is that with the conversions of the diagonal parking along the south side of 4th Street there is the opportunity to widen the sidewalk, or use that 12 - 14 feet to provide for both parallel parking and a eastbound bike lane. The streetcar is not proposing to alter the parking on the north side of 4th Street so a westbound bike lane would need to be the subject of a future 4th Street project. Maybe this could be part of a near - future workshop with the community and business owners to work through all issues streetcar on 4th Street. Just a thought. Cathy Mitre - Ramirez, Norma From: Huizar. Maria Sent: Wednesday, August 06, 2014 12:24 PM To: Mitre - Ramirez, Norma Cc: Trujillo, Rose Ann Subject: FW: Street Car Please enter letter into the record. Thank you From: LuterLutz(abaol.com [mailto:LuterLutz(alaol.coml Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2014 4:24 PM To: Huizar, Maria Subject: Street Car To: Mayor and City Council, Subj.: Street Car I would like to express my support for the proposed street car project though with a third alternative route. I was on a ride along of the two currently proposed lines last year and followed up with a letter for a third alternative route. It would have been east bound on 4th St. and west bound on SA Blvd from the Transportation Center turning right on Spurgeon St. and cutting over to Civic Center Drive then west again to Flower St. and south to SA Blvd. The reason for this route is there is virtually no businesses along 5th St. which would benefit from that proposed route. Fourth St. with the businesses would be better served with the street car on it. Otherwise 4th St. would be ignored as people pass through town on 5th St. to the Transportation Center. The westerly direction on SA Blvd cutting over on Spurgeon to CC Drive would eliminate the street car in the residential portion of Historic French Park and would serve the court house and offices that front CC Drive between French and Flower. The under utilized parking lot of the post office on Spurgeon could furnish the needed property for the street car tracts. With this proposed line it would then tie the loop back from CC Drive to SA Blvd and would provide direct access with the SA Stadium and it's future events. I was unable to attend the June 17th planning meeting held at the police community room to present this idea again due to a death in the family. Sincerely Tom Lutz CM 8/5/)q 55C.