Report from North Coast Highway 101 Streetscape Project

Kate, our reader in Encinitas attended the most recent North Coast Highway 101 Streetscape Project and sent us this update:

This presentation was a really tight, succinct presentation that gave great detail along the entire 2 mile stretch between La Costa and Encinitas Boulevard. The presentation compared the new Alternate 5 with the Alternate 4A (newly modified from 4) big picture items:

  • 3 versus 4 lanes
  • Roundabout
  • Reverse angle parking

The goals for all have always been a balance of use in the right of way – an approximate width of 90 feet – for a walkable stretch with slower traffic. Additional parking plus the community demands for tree canopy, sustainable design, fixed drainage in a walkable and bike friendly streetscape. The 4A was the best balance of all users and 5 placed the emphasis on motor vehicles. The Leucadia Blog has some good summary points on the streetscape project, though again I caution that this is an unmediated blog with anonymous comments veering often into personal attack, rude and uninformed opinions.

I made a point to seek out people and conversations regarding biking. The 7-8′ wide bike lanes of 4A were clearly superior to 5′ widths of alternate 5. I spoke to one biker who had a leg injury, I introduced myself and let him now I was a beginner wanting safety to re-learn my bike riding skills. We had a brief but good chat and he told me that Kathy Keehan of San Diego Bike Coalition was present, but I didn’t find her in the crowd. I was pleased when this man, Randy Roberts stood up during the Q and A portion and talked about getting doored recently and hearing in the emergency room that this was the number one injury for bikers in the emergency room. He stressed that this Streetscape project is vitally important for the bikers in shadows, afraid to bike through our community. He was talking about me and I was pleased he stressed this. And, today I had the proof. Leucadia isn’t safe and maybe what I heard at last week’s workshop is true; Leucadia is the worst stretch of highway for San Diego County bikers.

Thank you Kate for sending us this update.

Once approved, construction work for Phase 1 of the Streetscape project is scheduled to begin within the next two years. From what we’ve learned so far, the goals of the organizers promoting walkable, people-centric design in Leucadia will also benefit bicyclists. An excerpt from the FAQ follows (emphasis is ours):

How do you create a “walkable” community?
1. Reduce the highway design speed to 25 to 30 mph. At the present time, the North Coast highway 101 is a raceway for drivers. The excessive speed encourages cut through commuter traffic diverting from Interstate 5. It is not safe for drivers, persons parking their cars, bicycle riders or pedestrians. 25 to 30 miles an hour is the same speed as downtown Encinitas’ new streetscape area.
2. Reduce the drive lane widths to 10 feet. Traffic studies demonstrate that reducing lane widths slows traffic down. Narrower driving means will also add right of way to provide for wider bike lanes and space for diagonal parking, street popouts for increased landscaping and sitting areas, and sidewalk widening.
3. Wider sidewalks. This will lead to more sidewalk oriented retail and outside dining. It also will increase the distance between pedestrians walking on the sidewalks and the traffic drive lanes, as well as permitting enhanced landscaping, more outside public seating and the display of public art.
4. Diagonal parking. The separation of this type of parking enhances walkability. The pedestrians feel safe and more secure. The diagonal parking also increases the number of parking spaces that are available. Providing sufficient public parking will be a major challenge in planning our streetscape. Wide bicycle lanes will also offer additional space for diagonal parking maneuvering.
5. Creating safer pedestrian crossings. Lane width reduction results in shorter distances for pedestrians crossing the highway.
6. The addition of street lights. Negotiating the Highway 101 corridor at night, even in the areas where sidewalks have recently been added, is still a daunting adventure because of the lack of street lighting. Once lighting of the sidewalks has been installed, more pedestrian traffic will be encouraged to walk through the corridor at night to enjoy the corridor’s outstanding restaurants, art galleries and retail shops.