“SLO Streets - Near & Dear to My Heart”
January 1999
 

In the May 1998 issue of San Luis Obispo Magazine, my article reviewed recent history of SLO street maintenance, deploring the minimal program for the past 6 years, and expressing my opinion that safe, well-maintained streets with adequate capacity to handle our traffic needs are one of our most important "Quality of Life" indicators. It was a pleasant surprise when I read that citizens responding to a recent City survey ranked "Maintenance/repair of streets" as the top concern and "Reduce/improve traffic" tied for 6th among the top 22 concerns listed.

On April 14, 1998 the City Council adopted a Pavement Management Plan which, IF FUNDING IS SUSTAINED, will bring all of our streets up to a good (not perfect) level within 10 years. This winter the City contracted for a $425,000 seal coat project in the area east of Santa Rosa St. extending from US 101 out Johnson Ave. to Orcutt Rd. This week the City awarded a $750,000 paving contract in the same area to be conducted later this winter. City staff is currently working on plans for two $1,000,000 paving and street reconstruction projects for next summer. We're finally making some progress!

One unusual quirk in the adopted plan is that work will be conducted in turn in each of 8 areas outside of downtown over an 8 year period regardless of the condition of the streets in that area. Thus, the City may be doing major maintenance work on streets that appear to be in perfectly good condition. This is in contrast to past practice of setting priorities to work on the WORST streets every year. If the current plan is followed, major maintenance work will not be conducted in the N Chorro/Foothill area till 2004, and in the areas North of Highland Drive and near Grand Ave. North of US 101 till 2005. If you have misgivings about this approach, as I do, let the City Council know of your concerns.

A December 8, 1998 Agenda Report from the City Finance Director outlined funds which will be available for Capital Improvement in 1999-01. The report contained this statement, "And this does not include the $1.1 million increase for street maintenance and reconstruction recommended in the recently adopted Pavement Management Plan." This scares the heck out of me. If street maintenance does not show up as a high goal in our coming Goal Setting and Budget process, we might be starting back down the deteriorating spiral where everybody (bike riders, bus riders,pedestrians and motorists)suffer.

Projects to reduce traffic congestion have been almost non-existent in SLO during the past few years. In the spring of 1995 the City adopted a goal "to continue acquisition and street widening on the West side of Higuera between High and Marsh Streets." In my opinion, this may be the most congested area in the City. Since that time City staff has made virtually no progress on acquiring property. However they are working on a master plan study of the area, and this may be completed by summer or fall. Meanwhile the City has been allocated $675,000 from the Federal Government ( thanks to Lois Capps) and $500,000 from State Transportation Improvement Funds, with the possibility of an additional $500,000 from that account. The entire widening project is preliminarily estimated at around $2 million, so there is hope for congestion relief here within the next couple of years.

On June 16, 1998 the City Council directed staff "to study short term solutions for the traffic congestion on Santa Barbara Street." These solutions were to be carried out within the existing right-of-way and extend from Osos to South Street. The study is now overdue but may be submitted for Council consideration prior to budget approval the end of June. This would allow allocation of funds to conduct this relatively minor work to relieve congestion along this street next year.

The City recently received an allocation of $500,000 from State Transportation Funds to build a soundwall along US 101 near Brizzolara Street. This soundwall was justified by Caltrans studies in 1991, but funds were vetoed by the governor. On January 5, 1999 the Council authorized staff to hire a consultant to study design options, environmental impacts and costs for the wall. My preliminary studies lead me to believe we can build an attractive, unobtrusive wall within the allocated funds and not spend City funds. We'll know in a few months.