Description
Traffic and speeding are a n increasing issue in Alameda, with the influx of more cars and the ever changing, hurried driving habits. I live at the corner of Alameda avenue and Chestnut street , not too far from where I grew up, for over 10 years. Our neighborhood is home to St. Joseph's Elementary and Basilica, a well attended ballet school, and a population of families with small children, as well as dog walkers, and elderly and young pedestrians. In the 10 years I have lived here, I have witnessed many close calls between pedestrians and cars, cars who race up and down between Encinal Ave. and Central Ave., a two block stretch that is bookended by a stop light at Encinal and Chestnut, and a 4 way stop at Chestnut and Central Avenue. There is no reason these cars need to speed through our neighborhood, yet they see the opportunity to cut through our pedestrian utilized area, often with kids present, and often not even stoppoing for them at Chestnut and Alameda Avenue to let them cross. There is a stop sign at Alameda Ave. and Chestnut, shown in the first photo running NW to SE as shown in the first photo, but not one running NE to SW as shown in the second photo. I can see and hear speeders racing up Chestnut from my home and ave witnessed many close calls since I have lived here, especially during the Fall and Winter months when the it gets darker in the evenings sooner. In fact, my wife was struck by a speeding car, right up the street from our home, on Chestnut. This is unacceptable, considering the amount of foot traffic. This intersection is not a speedway, nor is it deserve to be a health and safety hazard.
I propose that either an additional stop sign be placed at Chestnut and Alameda Avenue, making this intersection a 4 way stop like the one at Chestnut and Central (where there has been a measurable decline in pedestrian/car and car/car altercations since it's installation), a speed bump, or some other appropriate, cost effective traffic calming method be installed. There is a 4 way stop at Chestnut and Santa Clara, where there resides a church and school. The intersection at Chestnut and Alameda Avenue should have one as well. There are just as many pedestrians, especially children and families that are at risk for injury or death due to cars speeding down our street. If motorists want to use a main thoroughfare, they can use Grand Avenue, which has a designated crosswalk, traffic light, and greater visibility for pedestrians.
Our intersection is not an opportunity to "make up time" or "beat the light" for motorists. We can't change current driving habits in Alameda, but we can deter those who choose to use our quiet neighborhood as a speedway and make it safe for pedestrians to walk safely.
also asked...
A. General Traffic Calming
4 Comments
City of Alameda (Verified Official)
Acknowledged Public Works Transportation Alan (Verified Official)
Requests for many transportation issues, including stop signs, curb painting, and traffic calming measures, typically require 8-12 weeks to complete before staff can develop a recommendation. These requests involve review of current plans and policies, compilation of accident and/or other history, coordinating with Alameda Police and other stakeholders, outreach to residents or others who may be affected by the proposed change, on-site data collection and analysis, and sometimes consultation with outside experts.
I will follow up with you about your request when your request is at the top of the queue. Unfortunately, due to limited funding, there is a backlog of these requests and they are being handled in the order of receipt. Due to that backlog, some requests may take six months to a year to complete the analysis and recommendation.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
roger (Registered User)
Thank you for your acknowledgement. This is a growing issue and just last evening saw many episodes where families weren’t given the right of way at our intersection, where drivers simply sped through without stopping. I hope the city can see there way to consider this issue soon to avoid any incidents that could have been avoided.
Regards
Roger Chandler
Transportation Engineer (Registered User)
Thank you for your request to improve roadway, pedestrian and bike safety in Alameda. We appreciate your feedback and value your input. At the direction of City Council in November 2019, the City is working to address safety for all modes of travel around the City in accordance with its Vision Zero Action Plan and Active Transportation Plan. Please visit the following link to learn more about how we are Building Safer Streets: https://www.alamedaca.gov/Departments/Public-Works/Building-Safer-Streets.
The City has created a new SeeClickFix category specifically for identifying safety issues - “Street Safety Concern.” Concerns will be used to identify safety trends citywide, which will inform the development of safety projects and initiatives to address these trends. Per City Council direction, prioritization of resources and work is to be guided by Vision Zero and the defined high injury network corridors and intersections. Locations that are not on the high injury network will still be considered for safety and solutions will be integrated into future Capital Improvements Programs. We have added this concern to that category for you. If you continue to feel unsafe at this location, please feel free to report it again using the link below.
Click here to report your Street Safety Concern: https://seeclickfix.com/web_portal/Gvn1p3WRLo52iziy7HaYwdUc/report/category/33342/location
Again, thank you for your feedback and patience with this matter. We look forward to implementing the appropriate measures to help address the concerns you have brought our attention.