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OWN VOICE. ~ InPerspective by Gregg Dieguez —
The MCC will be holding a community Zoom workshop in collaboration with the County Department of Public Works on Tues. Nov. 1st @ 1:30. Khoa Vo, DPW Deputy Director – Road Services, will speak to alternative solutions available to address community road safety concerns near Farallone View Elementary School in Montara.
School staff and parents have been concerned about child safety on the streets near the school, which are largely without both sidewalks and street sign controls. An accident with a small child on a bicycle, which was fortunately only a close call, was a recent example galvanizing action. In Feb., 2022 the community and MCC Vice Chair Gregg Dieguez filed a request with DPW for stop signs at five intersections near the school used by transiting children. [Click to view the 5 application forms] The MCC discussed this issue at the Feb. 23rd, 2022 meeting, and the Council issued a letter unanimously supporting the request.
Following a DPW study, it was concluded that the intersections do not meet the code requirements for stop signs, in spite of 2 of the intersections being identified in the County Connect the Coastside Study for ‘Safe Routes to School’ signage. The County is bound by legal requirements on when it can erect certain types of street signs and traffic controls. What is frustrating to residents is that the LACK of traffic, which makes the intersections fail the procedures tests for stop signs, is EXACTLY the problem. Without a lot of traffic and without any signs, drivers too often cruise through the intersections, and with the variety of new transportation modes these days, it’s easy to not hear or see students buzzing about on their new gadgets.
The workshop will discuss alternatives available to improve traffic safety near the school, community feedback thereon, and steps to funding and implementation as necessary.
To attend: Tues. Nov. 1st @ 1:30
via Zoom link:
https://www.google.com/url?q=https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83392647681?pwd%3DdmRaVnhXT00yRW5QZStsWXJQendnQT09&sa=D&source=calendar&usd=2&usg=AOvVaw3qZS2fejI1a3C4EYR1zFKf
More From Gregg Dieguez ~ InPerspective
Mr. Dieguez is a native San Franciscan, longtime San Mateo County resident, and semi-retired entrepreneur who causes occasional controversy on the Coastside. He is a member of the MCC, but his opinions here are his own, and not those of the Council. In 2003 he co-founded MIT’s Clean Tech Program here in NorCal, which became MIT’s largest alumni speaker program. He lives in Montara. He loves a productive dialog in search of shared understanding.