South San Francisco, CA January 20, 2020 by Jeffrey Tong
PREFACE: We have been asked to publish this letter to editor which was originally sent to SSF Councilmember, Former Mayor Matsumoto, as she currently is the Board President of the San Mateo County Transportation District (SamTrans). Through the decades on our Council, Councilmember Matsumoto has also served continuously on many Boards including Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee (B/PAC), San Mateo County Transportation Authority (SMCTA), City/County Association of Governments (C/CAG), and is identified as the person who can move this concern forward to resolution. P
lease see the May 2019 Letter to Editor for more background on this issue.
NOTE: 1.20.2020 updated 3:15pm per J Tong including title name change from Letter to Editor: Sidewalks are needed at Junipero Serra and Westborough (Part 2)
Dear Mayor Matsumoto
I have a simple request – (1) extend the sidewalk at Westborough Blvd 100 meters (roughly 300 feet) into the southbound exit curve, and diagonally through the island.(2) Paint a ZEBRA crosswalk at beginning of I-280 exit curve – where pedestrians can SEEtraffic coming down the exit BEFORE crossing, and (3) paint ZEBRA crosswalks at intersection of Junipero Serra and Westborough.
THIS HAS BEEN A DECADE LONG REQUEST !▪ This request was entered into your General Plan update.
▪ This request was emailed to you on 20 May 2019, and recorded at city clerks office on 28 May 2019.Documentation▪ As a member of SB’s and C/CAG’s BPAC from 2012-2018, I conveyed this danger numerous times to the SSF Bike & Ped Advisory Committee. I suggested wayfaring signs to SSF BART and SSF High School to detour this dangerous intersection, all of which were denied by TAC! *UPDATE: TAC = Transportation Advisory Committee (SSF technical staff only. No public members allowed)▪ This request was also brought to then Assemblyman Jerry Hill’s office, and then SSF councilmember Kevin Mullin’s attention.▪ Nothing was ever done!Why is fixing the Westborough x I-280 to accommodate pedestrians important?ALL public transit connectors are east of I-280. SSF shuttle, which serves eastside of I-280, does not cross I-280 into Westborough. Except for Routes ECR and 122 into Stonestown SF, Samtrans does not serve the people – particularly in the Hills of the SF Peninsula (Millbrae southward) – Where it does serve (SB northward), it is infrequent and doesn’t go where people need to go. Residents who depend on public transit need a PMD (Personal Mobility Device) to close the HUGE gaps left by Samtrans, yet Samtran buses accommodate at most 3 bikes on its rack – regardless of bus size.Auto-centric city planning after WWII is partially to blame, but facts remain – pedestrians on westside of I-280 can not safely cross I-280 to reach eastside!Thank you!Jeffrey Tong
Images from the May 2019 published piece offered below, read more CLICK HERE:
