Relative to the Streetscape/lane elimination for motorists plan, access and egress to the Coastline is part of our community character here, in Leucadia. Roundabouts were voted down in Del Mar (with the help of Pam Slater-Price) and the City of Cotati, California, during the last General Election. Roundabouts have been removed in the City of Santa Rosa, California. Solana Beach, as you know, without voting on it at the election, but due to cost concerns, and after public outcry, also decided against installing roundabouts, there.

The reporter could have personally interviewed some of the bicyclists, questioning them, since Council didn’t, about whether or not the accident referred to on North Highway 101 was related to a bicyclist going southbound or northbound on the highway? That is relevant, as the community objecting to the lane closure northbound were recommending sharrows on both sides of the highway, for bicyclists and motorists going northbound and southbound, which would further slow down traffic. I understand that the accident was caused by a drunk driver “drifting over?” That could have happened anyway, even if there was a bicycle lane, because the driver drifted from lane one, closer to the center divide, into lane 2.

Our statements that the speed limit on North Highway 101 has recently reduced to 35 MPH were also not covered. Bicycle safety would be enhanced, as we all would like to see, were the speed limit enforced, and sharrows installed on BOTH sides of the highway, rather than forcing lane closure and creating a choke point for traffic, causing more danger, as frustrated, “road rage” drivers, might swerve into the 8 foot wide bicycle lane, trying to get out of gridlock, striking an unsuspecting cyclist, going “full bore.”

My understanding is that most accidents or near collisions with bicyclists, along the corridor, have concerned cars and bicycles traveling southbound on North Highway 101. The bicyclists could have been asked what their typical routes are, and asked in what city they reside, do they bicycle to or from work on North Highway 101? Many of the accidents mentioned may not have occurred at all on the highway in Leucadia? These pertinent questions went unasked and unanswered, relative, specifically to lane closure on North Highway 101, northbound, from Leucadia Blvd. to La Costa. I have been told this morning that many of the bicyclists were referring to the same drunk driver accident, repeating it over and over. This wasn’t made clear, at the Jan 30 Council Meeting.

I have lived in Encinitas since 1978, and at my present location since 1991. I have never seen Charles Marvin cycling; I have seen him, in the past, walking to Beacons beach from his home which is several blocks south, in the 200 block, Old Encinitas. I mention his general location, as he has shared, publicly, at Council Meetings, because Marvin’s access and egress to the highway would not be affected by the lane closure, as would residents’ who live adjacent to the North 101 Corridor, in Leucadia. His neighborhood would not be subjected to more cut through traffic, when traffic backs up during peak periods, as streets further north would, on Neptune, and connecting streets west of the highway, as well as on Vulcan, a school zone!

Leucadia is being singled out for an “experiment” designed to mitigate a roundabout project, that would install 5 roundabouts, 4 of them with narrower diameters and less safety features than defined for true roundabouts, according by the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, which recommends against roundabouts next to a railway corridor, or where cross traffic is significantly less than the main thoroughfare’s traffic, as is the case for these 4 roundabouts’ 3-way intersections.

I hope Coast News will follow through with coverage on this issue. Glenn Sabine, our current City attorney, up for review, could have been questioned, about his opinion of the legal ramifications involved re staff not following City protocol and environmental law with respect to to completing analysis, measuring and qualifying both motorists’ and bicyclists’ traffic impact, and balancing their needs with the residents and the elderly and disabled, as required. Sabine’s snide remark, “I won’t use the words, ‘it depends’ anymore,” is insufficient; his “legal opinion” was an insult to Council and the public.

If the lines are immediately redrawn, forcing lane closure on motorists, including locals, I hope Coast News will document and take photos of the resulting, increased congested conditions during peak periods, when motorist traffic is already backed up, many days. Photos could have taken photos of congested, backed-up traffic conditions during the recent slurry sealing process, when one lane was closed northbound, and morning traffic going northbound was terrible. Also, Coast News will be following through, I’m sure, by reporting any actions taken by the Coastal Commission.

Marvin, as an attorney, also a a commercial property owner along the North 101 Corridor, who would benefit, disproportionately, were the Streetscape Project to go through, even though he, Morgan Mallory and Fred Caldwell pay very low property taxes, as they’ve owned their properties for so long, should not have encouraged the City to break its own rules and to defy Coastal Act law. We the taxpayers and adjacent residents suffer the consequences. Any fines to the City will also be at our expense.