San Mateo City Council, let’s change our priorities

1). Stripe locations of parking spaces on streets near Humboldt’s bike lanes;

2). Protect pedestrians and cyclists. Enforce the the state-required safety distance at intersections near Humboldt. Fund daytime towing, in addition to ticketing;

3). Tow chronically-unmoved vehicles near Humboldt, such vehicles that are now either ticketed on street-sweeping days, or are ignored by city-contracted enforcement personnel;

4). Concentrate future funding on streets where bicyclists and speeding two-wheeled motorized vehicles already travel, such as on Monte Diablo Avenue near Humboldt;

5). Install “Walk-bicycles” enforcement signing for the entrances to the Monte Diablo/Highway 101 pedestrian over-crossing to protect senior walkers on the ramps from bicyclists and motorized vehicles that are already using that route to access neighborhoods easterly of Bayshore Freeway.

One hopes future City Councils will realize that by replacing street parking with bike lanes, the well-meaning city causes many residents to pave over water-catching turf areas to continue to meet their parking needs.

With nowhere else to go, the increased water rushing into the streets from this paving will necessitate costly infrastructure improvements, necessary to protect residents from additional flooding.

And, more water will raise the levels of the Bay and lead to even more frequent dredging there.

Council, please do not defer action on urgent community requests. Please refocus funding now.

Doug Handerson

San Mateo