98 replies to this topic

[camay2327]

I'm sorta older, and I know that not everyone can or will bike (although more should try).

 

I am in favor of making it easier for those that do choose cycling can do it safely.

 

I don't want to shut the streets down, just make them safer for people who aren't in cars.

Steve, how many people walk from their homes to the downtown area, or actually bike down town shopping?

 

They can get out on the trails and bike all they want to.

[Rich_T]

At first I was confused by the "between Riley and Glenn" reference, since for me those are perpendicular streets (I typically drive on Riley, not E. Bidwell), but then I recalled that E. Bidwell bends around to hit Riley.  I was going to to say "no way, there's too much traffic to reduce the lanes", but I was thinking of the area around Lowe's.  I so very rarely drive past Glenn on E. Bidwell towards Sutter Middle School that I've almost forgotten it exists - not a happy prospect for business owners.  I think it would be a good thing to improve the appearance of the area, adding safe bike lanes for students, and hopefully giving impetus for eliminating the overall blight of that stretch.  As long as school traffic can handle just having one lane, then it sounds good to me.

[ducky]

How do you all feel about the rest of the plan?  The rail corridor, mixed use, the interchange at Oak Avenue & 50?  The CBD is the most contentious part, but the concept will include East Bidwell Street all the way out to 50.  On the link above are different choices for the look or branding of the street for things such as benches, archways, etc.

We have some creative people in town.  Now would be a good time to give your input.

[Steve Heard]

Steve, how many people walk from their homes to the downtown area, or actually bike down town shopping?

 

They can get out on the trails and bike all they want to.

 

I don't know, but I'm betting that more would if it were safer. I'm one of 'em.

 

The trails don't cover the whole town, and it would be great if I could run errands, go get something to eat, shop, or just take a leisurely ride through town without worrying about getting run over. 

 

I sure wouldn't send my kids to school on their bikes.

 

I've walked from Sutter to my home (about 2 miles) quite a few times.

 

I just want bikes, feet and cars to co-exist.  

[camay2327]

How many bikes have been hit by vehicles here in Folsom?  I don't think very many. They have bike paths along most of the roads, what more do they need?

 

Seems the city has done enough. If they close these streets down to one lane in each direction, it's really going to suck.

 

I have traveled from Blue Ravine up E. Bidwell to Riley many times and a lot of the time it is bumper to bumper and that

is with two lanes in each direction.

 

I can only imagine how backed up the traffic will be if only one lane in each direction exists.

 

Also how are the fire trucks, ambulances and police vehicles going to get past in emergency situations?

[cw68]

I haven't had time tonight to comment fully on this, but there are a few things I want to say.

 

It's not bike vs. cars - it's about how they work well together. Bike don't only belong on trails, they are methods of transportation and not just an activity.

 

We need to make the approach to a middle school MUCH more approachable for the students who attend. East Bidwell is fairly useless, as is Riley, so that leaves only two small streets as somewhat reasonable approaches to the school. We owe it to the students to make their school safely accessible to them, whether they arrive on foot, on bike, on bus or via auto.

 

Additionally, Bidwell is a very unfriendly street in the area in question and definitely could use improvement. There is nothing about a four lane street with a middle divide that means that's better for the businesses that flank it. (Five lanes? What kind of traffic needs this many lanes?) No bikes, no pedestrians and streets only designed to drive traffic through the district instead of for the district. 

 

Cutting down lanes doesn't mean that all of a sudden you'll see back ups and more residential traffic. I see all four lanes full down by Blue Ravine, but never in the area in question.

 

Cars do not trump everything else. Let's figure out a way to integrate traffic, school drop off, pedestrian use, vehicle use and better methods of traffic control (roundabouts vs lights).

[4thgenFolsomite]

If I were a business owner or commercial property owner on this section of e. bidwell I would be concerned. I dont know what most lease for, but If the businesses that are there don't make it, what kind of businesses will go in? If its narrowed to two lanes, it will definately be a challenge to get there. Is the DMV going to remain in Folsom? The B of A?

Why not just added an additional stop light between the school and Glenn for traffic calming and landscape the right of way?

[Rich_T]

If I were a business owner or commercial property owner on this section of e. bidwell I would be concerned. I dont know what most lease for, but If the businesses that are there don't make it, what kind of businesses will go in? If its narrowed to two lanes, it will definately be a challenge to get there. Is the DMV going to remain in Folsom? The B of A?

Why not just added an additional stop light between the school and Glenn for traffic calming and landscape the right of way?

 

I am having trouble believing that the businesses on that stretch of road are benefiting from four lanes vs. two.

[cw68]

 
I am having trouble believing that the businesses on that stretch of road are benefiting from four lanes vs. two.

Or that just throwing in an additional stop light solves any problem.

[4thgenFolsomite]

that is a long stretch of road with no break, so traffic speeds up.  another stop sign or light would slow traffic down and encourage people to use Riley as a more direct throughway. it also allows pedestrians and cyclists another place to cross the street safely.

 

if its two lanes, then cars are going to be impeded by other cars exiting businesses and parking lots.  or people leaving parking lots are going to have to wait a long time to get out.  with four lanes, at least you have a chance of getting out.

[kcrides99]

Sorry 4thgen, but you contradict your self... in one post you say going from four lanes to two will result in "a challenge to get there" but then the next post you say, add a light and more people will go to Riley instead... This is what those businesses are concerned with.

 

A light does not solve the blighted conditions that exist on that stretch. Narrowing the lanes to add landscaping, wide sidewalks, bike lanes, etc. is the first step to improving the area. Allowing for a variety of uses including residential and mixed use in that area will increase the property values and give the property/business owners in the area more financial opportunity to do more with their property (ie sell it and/or take some money out and fix the buildings up... or at least the 40 years of deferred maintenance most of those buildings are showing).

[ducky]

I think both 4thgen and cw68 have valid points.  Throwing in a traffic light or stop sign doesn't address all the problems, but it might help with the speed problem, which would make it safer.  If the school can find a way to make pick-ups and drop-offs less hectic it would help.  I mentioned before maybe something could be done to take part of the land where the old district office is that is to be sold at the corner where EB intersects with Riley and then swapping it with where the street currently exists to create a pick-up and drop-off roundabout that is separate from the through street.  I know that would mean less real estate to sell so it probably wouldn't fly. 

 

So, cw68, do you think it should be one lane each direction starting at Blue Ravine so there can be a continuous bike lane or just the section from Glenn or Wales to Sutter Middle?  If only that section, why?  It won't help make it any safer on the other stretch for cyclists if that is indeed the goal.  Also, most of the children that ride bicycles to Sutter Middle go up Riley or come from the neighborhoods behind.  The only time I see them on East Bidwell is to get to their parents waiting in parking lots at either the DMV center or B of A or on Fridays when they get out early and go to the fast food places along East Bidwell St.

 

I'm trying to figure out how it would work to whittle down to one lane from two in that section.  People don't know how to take turns merging.  Think about what happens with that second lane that disappears after Oak Avenue Parkway along East Bidwell that exists right now.  People use it to try and race around traffic.

 

Again, I never heard anyone at those meetings say nothing should be done and that improvements aren't needed.

[Howdy]

Seems like a waste of money without a bigger picture in place. That's a forgotten part of town and unless you have to go to the DMV or FLB there is no reason to be down there. If people are not shopping at those business's now, putting in some pretty trees and wider sidewalks isn't going to draw anyone to that area. If they are not going to revamp that whole section and bring in some business's people want to go to, why bother? Its like throwing high end rims and tires on an old project car that doesn't run. Its a start, but there is still so much more left to do and unless you are going to go all in and redo the whole thing the money could have been used in a better use somewhere else.

[kcrides99]

Ducky - The meeting I was at, people voiced concerns with landscaping in that area because it would block views into their buildings...They were very opposed to reducing the lanes, and they were very opposed to roundabouts at Coloma and at Riley.

 

I guess my bigger question is.... It DOES sound like some of you out there care... but it doesn't seem like all of us have been involved. Right now the path the project is on is more along the status quo in the area between Riley and Glenn. Do people care enough to go to the next meeting and speak up for improving safety in this area?

Howdy- This is the first step. It is a plan. The plan includes a short discussion on allowing different uses in the area which is a step in the right direction. You have to start somewhere. The City's (and Caltrans $$$) investment thus far is necessary to get the ball rolling so to speak.

[ducky]

Ducky - The meeting I was at, people voiced concerns with landscaping in that area because it would block views into their buildings...They were very opposed to reducing the lanes, and they were very opposed to roundabouts at Coloma and at Riley.

 

 

 

I do remember the concern about the landscaping if it was going to go onto their property and the opposition to reducing lanes and diverting traffic.  I didn't hear opposition to roundabouts.