Letter to Editor: DANGER: Westborough Blvd at Junipero Serra, and Westborough Blvd at I-280 southbound exit PART 3

South San Francisco, CA  January 26, 2021  by Jeffrey Tong

PREFACE: Jeffrey Tong has continued his outreach efforts to get attention to this issue which needs to be addressed for the safety of pedestrians. As a City that prides ourselves on alternative transportation, including walking, proper crosswalks are needed, especially at dangerous intersections such as Junipero Serra.

Tong has written several letters to our Council MAY 21, 2019 and JANUARY 20, 2020 for their help upon learning from CALTRANS this issue was under the City’s jurisdiction even though JS is a State Highway. Further, Tong has checked with San Mateo County Board Supervisors and was told this was an issue for the City of South San Francisco to resolve. Efforts from Senator Hill or Assemblymember Mullin has not moved this forward either, although Tong contacted their offices as well. To date, Tong states he has not heard back from our City Council ,nor have any efforts been made to rectify this safety concern.

 

Dear SSF City Council and Ms Rosa Govea Acosta

If I am a pedestrian starting from Westborough and Gellert, and I want to walk to Orange Library, WHY can’t I simply cross the Westborough x Junipero Serra intersection from Starting Point ⚪ to Points A, B, C, D, E? 
THERE IS ALREADY A PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALK AT I-280 NORTHBOUND ENTRANCE?  
(Googlemaps recommends walking to King Dr, then to West Orange, and walking back to Junipero Serra.  Clearly there is something amiss!)
At bare minimum – it only takes a can of paint to PAINT A CROSSWALK at Westborough @ Junipero Serra!  
Safest location for pedestrian to cross Westborough Blvd traveling eastbound is diagonally through the I-280 southbound island.  Currently, the decrepid sidewalk on Wesborough is rubble, and ends at the TERMINAL END of a blind slingshot curve! 
At bare minimum, Westborough @ I-280 southbound exit requires pruning one shrub, and painting a zebra crosswalk at BEGINNING of exit curve.  

PS: I made my initial request to SSF City Council one decade ago – when Kevin Mullin was still on the city council.  Appealed when Jerry Hill was an Assemblyman. Appealed again when Kevin Mullin became Assemblyman. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE!

Jeffrey Tong, founder
NWF Community ?ildlife Habitat
Colinas.Costeras.org
###

Please note this map is from Tong’s earlier Letter to Editor showing the areas in question.

CLICK HERE for additional photos

https://secureservercdn.net/198.12.145.135/u0g.b50.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Screenshot_2019-04-29-09-28-11.png
COMMENTS;
Comment:
welcome to “not my.job” SSF, you get
what you voted for, it is, what it is,
personally, i wouldn’t walk on raceway
westborough, if my life depended on it
-Mel Perry
Comment:
I have often thought the same – that there should be a continuous and safe path from Westborough and Gellert all the way to the Orange Library without any kind of diversion to King Dr. Etc. – Dolores Piper
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David
3 years ago

What actually needed is a crossover pedestrian bike bridge. Though more costly it is vastly safer and realistically even if there were cross walk markings at the intersection of Westborough Bl and Junipera Serra Bl I would bet on numerous pedestrian auto accidents and hit and runs. Even in the day time it’s not safe for a pedestrian cross walk, let a long at night and add in the constant of rain or heavy wet fog conditions.

David Ung
David Ung
3 years ago

I brought that problem up in See It Fix It, no real good actionable reply. I fear it will take the death of a child headed across JS to Westborough Square. I’ve seen kids dodging traffic crossing JS westbound going to school at Westborough Middle School. At that intersection, the only safe route would be a pedestrian, bike bridge. A cross walk in an area where the speed limit is 50 mph is a game of chicken. A pedestrian bridge is needed

Dolores Piper
Dolores Piper
3 years ago

I have often thought the same – that there should be a continuous and safe path from Westborough and Gellert all the way to the Orange Library without any kind of diversion to King Dr. Etc.

mel perry
mel perry
3 years ago

welcome to “not my.job” SSF, you get
what you voted for, it is, what it is,
personally, i wouldn’t walk on raceway
westborough, if my life depended on it