Jon
06-19-2007, 03:58 PM
Last week, Caltrans said it was closing the Monte Diablo Avenue pedestrian overcrossing after it already closed the Peninsula Avenue overcrossing to pedestrians without any notice and without establishing a shuttle service for those who regularly use both to get to work, school or other things.
I live in the southern end of Burlingame and use both overcrossings regularly to run on the Bayshore. Caltrans representatives said not enough people used the overcrossing to merit a shuttle service but every time I ran over the highway on both paths, I always saw people using it too. Many are minorities who I guessed didn't have a car to take them over the highway.
Now that the overcrossing will be closed this week, people like me can take their car to either Coyote Point or Seal Point Park to run on the Bayshore (which I did earlier this week).
But last week, I saw first hand the frustration of several people who were blocked by the sign saying the overcrossing was closed.
I wrote an editorial basically saying that Caltrans didn't care about the hundreds of people who use the overcrossing who would be stranded on either side. I also called for a shuttle so people would not be stranded.
A shuttle will be up and running this week.
I'm not sure if the editorial did the trick, but it was nice to think that it may have since generally speaking, certain minority groups don't necessarily understand how to navigate through City Hall or deal with Caltrans for assistance.
It also proves, I think, that large government organizations need to think about the effects of their actions and try to be responsive to the entire community it serves.
I plan on writing a follow-up editorial commending both the city and Caltrans for being responsive to the community. I like those better.
I live in the southern end of Burlingame and use both overcrossings regularly to run on the Bayshore. Caltrans representatives said not enough people used the overcrossing to merit a shuttle service but every time I ran over the highway on both paths, I always saw people using it too. Many are minorities who I guessed didn't have a car to take them over the highway.
Now that the overcrossing will be closed this week, people like me can take their car to either Coyote Point or Seal Point Park to run on the Bayshore (which I did earlier this week).
But last week, I saw first hand the frustration of several people who were blocked by the sign saying the overcrossing was closed.
I wrote an editorial basically saying that Caltrans didn't care about the hundreds of people who use the overcrossing who would be stranded on either side. I also called for a shuttle so people would not be stranded.
A shuttle will be up and running this week.
I'm not sure if the editorial did the trick, but it was nice to think that it may have since generally speaking, certain minority groups don't necessarily understand how to navigate through City Hall or deal with Caltrans for assistance.
It also proves, I think, that large government organizations need to think about the effects of their actions and try to be responsive to the entire community it serves.
I plan on writing a follow-up editorial commending both the city and Caltrans for being responsive to the community. I like those better.