Jon Elson, Branch Manager, Traffic and Electrical Operations
Santa Clara County Roads and Airports
1505 Schallenberger Rd.; San Jose CA 95131
July 8, 2002
Subject: Inexpensive actions for pedestrian safety
Dear Sir:
The Highway and Bridge Design Dept. eliminated pedestrian facilities, the wide shoulders, on portions of eastern Montague Expressway in 1989, despite the fact that pedestrians are allowed, and always have been. Where pedestrians today must walk in the traffic lane, which we believe to be unsafe, we ask that shrubbery be trimmed to permit walking along the expressway other than in the traffic lane. In some cases, this may involve use of trail building techniques to cut into an embankment (made for ornamental reasons). Pedestrian use will further increase with completion of the LRT line.
For further information, please see
moderntransit.org/expy/repeal.html#montague
In 1991, County Policy was approved by the Board of Supervisors that requires trimming of shrubbery at expressway intersections for pedestrians. The only locations where the Policy was complied with was on Lawrence Expressway in the early 1990s. We ask that your department promptly comply with the County Policy for the sake of pedestrian safety.
For further information, please see
moderntransit.org/expy/repeal.html#extremely
Please forward this letter to other departments that would be involved in the effort. For questions, please call my cell phone at 408-221-0694 or reply by email.
Sincerely,
Akos Szoboszlay
Vice-President
Modern Transit Society
cc:
Supervisor Jim Beall, County Board of Supervisors and Chair,
Expressway Study
Allen Jones, Branch Manager, Road and Fleet Operations
Dan Collen, Expressway Study, Highway and Bridge Design
Dawn Cameron, Pedestrians along Expressways Study
For a comprehensive report, see Analyses of Pedestrians along Expressways