Contrary to Patricia Bell’s highly biased opinion,as a board member of L101MA, Streetscape for 101 through Leucadia was NOT fully “vetted.” It is still going through the process of getting a CDP (Coastal Development Permit) through our LCP, and getting all the required amendments. Our General and 101 Specific Plans are part of our LCP!

Our Council should be intelligent enough, and have enough integrity to stick by the rules, not change them “mid-game” as Kristin Gaspar charged the CCC of doing. Quite the opposite is true!

Lane elimination also did not go through the Planning, Traffic or Environmental Commissions, to allow public hearings. Sharrows did go before the Traffic and Environmental Commissions, at least.

The “workshops,” held by Peltz and Associates, were mainly participated in by so-called STAKEHOLDERS, with L101MA and Leucadia Town Council, both of which Fred belongs to, were top on the list, as well as a bicyclist group? Adjacent residents were NOT listed as STAKEHOLDERS.

The workshop’s “surveys” were tweaked. When the initial “survey” showed that the majority of business owners and nearly two thirds of others attending the 2009 meeting at City Hall were OPPOSED to roundabouts and a lane elimination, that survey was discarded. Another one was held, about a year later? which was less well attended, less noticed, by and to opposition.

People who, on this final survey, which was chosen to be the one “that counts” voted that we do not want traffic signals OR 5 roundabouts and lane elimination, were counted as DID NOT RESPOND! We had the option of voting for “none of the above” in the previous City Hall Survey. People who voted having ANY roundabouts “deserves consideration” were counted as being in favor of “enhanced Plan 4A” with 5 roundabouts and lane elimination.

The Community Center Survey was held after a couple of “open houses” at the library, where no public comments were allowed, not even through a “suggestion box.” Through these bogus open houses, which were not workshops, some in the community and Council were “sold” on a cartoon that is much different than the actual engineered drawings. Peltz and Associates rolled out their “conceptual drawings” which are deceiving, and are actually a kind of “bait and switch” between them and the actual engineered plans.

Many more trees would have to be removed. The trees that are being planted as replacements are SAPLINGS, which will not reach full growth in at least twenty years, or more. The medians would have to be narrowed for the proposed roundabouts to fit in, along with angled parking and dedicated bicycle lanes on both sides of the highway.

There would also be another lane elimination, southbound, as four of the five planned roundabouts are within 4/5 of a mile. Four of the five roundabouts, with the exception of the one planned at La Costa, are for 3 way intersections, only, when the U.S. Dept. of Transportation does not recommend roundabouts along railway corridors or where cross traffic is significantly less than the main thoroughfare’s traffic.

Roundabouts, for those who have traveled them, especially in Europe, as I spoke to one Encinitas resident, don’t work when the traffic is very uneven on the cross street and the “main street.” They are unheard of when there is not a through intersection, crossing. Peltz and Associates could not come up with a SINGLE INSTANCE of roundabouts along a railway corridor, ANYWHERE! They were asked the question, at one of their bogus, biased toward roundabouts “workshops” and gave no response!

But even if the study is wrong and you’re right, because the lane diet is being implemented now, even as I type, everyone will know for sure either way well before Streetscape development begins. The current lane diet scheme can be easily reversed… it’s only a matter of paint. And, of course, future plans for Streetscape can be adjusted accordingly if the lane diet proves to be problematic.

Speculation and hand-wringing always seem to have their role when changes are planned, but here we have an actual experiment in place to determine what is actually the situation. We’ll soon find out, and, either way, Leucadia will benefit. It’s a good thing.