I meant to say that cars speed down 3rd.

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I agree about having crosswalks at that intersection.

Well, since I live at the corner of Third and Santa Clara I think it's time I chimed in about all of your opinions on what needs to happen right outside my front door. This is a problem that we have been working on for 16 years with the City but the traffic situation is only getting worse. I have personally seen kids on bicycles get hit by parents driving too fast, drivers disregarding the STOP sign in front of 301 Santa Clara, high school kids walking down the middle of the street before, during and after school, impatient parents blocking intersections, and speedsters racing up/down Third all day long, even on weekends! It's annoying, frustrating, and dangerous.

First, we asked the City to send out traffic control several years ago to monitor traffic patterns throughout the day to try to fix all the problems you mentioned. I think that needs to be done again because we certainly have more traffic these days.

Second, we asked for a traffic light to be installed at the corner of Central & Third to slow down the speeders that enter Third Street from the direction. That was not an option because of the cost and high number of buses. Currently, there are only 1-2 buses in the morning and afternoon so this needs to be revisited.

Third, we suggested a round-about at Central and Third but the buses wouldn't be able to maneuver through. I don't really believe that to be true.

Fourth, we suggested speed bumps on Third Street but were advised that Third is a major thoroughfare for emergency vehicles and speed bumps would keep them from responding to emergencies in a timely manner.

Fifth, the biggest problem regarding traffic is that there are no clear markings or deterrents on Central to slow drivers down giving them a clear shot all the way to Pacific Avenue. Adding a stop sign on my corner will only back up traffic in the mornings and afternoons when kids are dropped off or picked. Cars can barely get through as it is and it is so congested that my car has been hit twice by parents trying to make U-turns on my corner! So, NO on a STOP sign on my corner because that leave way too much open space for those speedsters to crank it up before Pacific.

My suggestions are these: 1. Ask the City Manager to send out traffic control to conduct a new review of our traffic issues; 2. add a STOP sign or traffic light at Central and Third; 3. consider adding the round about at Central and Third as a option to slow down speeders; 4.add a stop sign at Third and Haight which is about halfway between Central and Pacific to slow down speeders; 5. add clear pedestrian markings on every corner on Third between Central and Appezzato Way; and, 6. clearly mark BIKE LANES on Third from Central to Appezzato Way.

I'm open to more suggestions, Thank you,

Thank you for your request to improve the safety and efficiency of Alameda’s transportation system. It has been received as #19-09-0085. 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. We 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.

Thank you for your request to help make Alameda’s transportation infrastructure as safe and efficient as possible. Your suggestion will be included in the annual review of locations where traffic calming measures may be implemented. Public Works, Alameda Police, and the City’s Transportation Planning Unit prioritize improvements based a location’s history of collisions, police citations, its relationship with existing transportation plans and improvements, cost of the improvement given budget constraints, and suggestions from members of the public, such as yours. Please find more information about the locations and improvements occurring in 2020 here:
https://www.alamedaca.gov/Departments/Public-Works/20192020-Traffic-Safety-Incidents-and-Response
and more about traffic safety and calming generally here: https://www.alamedaca.gov/Departments/Public-Works/Traffic-Safety-and-Calming

Going forward, please submit any traffic calming requests to the Traffic Calming Suggestion category.