Simon: SamTrans safety is priority

A letter that appeared in your newspaper questioned the ability of SamTrans bus drivers to negotiate a road safely at the same time the road is being used by cyclists ("SamTrans bus drivers" in the Oct. 27 edition of the Daily Journal).

Indeed, several other letters have appeared in your newspaper challenging the decision of SamTrans to close a gate on Pico Boulevard in Redwood City, eliminating through traffic on this road. This, understandably, upset many cyclists who were accustomed to using Pico to access the nearby Bay Trail.

Safety is a continuing and unhesitating priority at SamTrans - first, last and always - and it is with safety in mind that we decided to close Pico Boulevard to through traffic.

Safety depends on many things - not just whether a bus driver can negotiate a road, but also whether conditions are allowed to exist that compromise safety. We will not compromise safety. There are some fundamental facts that must be part of this discussion: Pico Boulevard is an unimproved, privately owned road leased by SamTrans. It is the only entrance and exit from the SamTrans bus facility in San Carlos; hundreds of buses travel on Pico Boulevard in a single day. Pico Boulevard is also the principal location for parking for the bus operators and mechanics who work at the base, which means additional traffic throughout the day. After several frightening near-collisions between buses and cyclists and automobile traffic, SamTrans safety officials closed the gate at the east end, effectively prohibiting through traffic on Pico. At the same time, a preliminary safety review was undertaken. The preliminary review indicates that Pico Boulevard does not meet the minimum state standards for a roadway serving through traffic. It lacks appropriate signage, including speed limit signs, lacks adequate road width, lacks adequate lighting, has no marked bike lane and has no roadway markings to direct traffic in a safe and effective manner. The review has been posted on our website and can be found at http://www.samtrans.com/misc.html.

More importantly, Pico Boulevard does not meet SamTrans' safety standards. Upon the recommendation of the preliminary safety review, we are preparing to hire a certified traffic and roadway engineer to do a more complete study of the road and determine what improvements will have to made for Pico to be reopened to through traffic. Once that study is completed, we will assess the cost and determine if it is an appropriate use of public funds to expend precious resources on improving a private road.

We are prepared and committed to working with the City of Redwood City to facilitate a meeting with cyclists to address safety improvements on adjacent Redwood Shores Parkway, which provides the same access to the Bay Trail. Alarmingly, cyclists protest that Redwood Shores is considerably less safe than Pico, despite the presence of a well-marked bike lane.

Additionally, the City/County Association of Governments is updating its Comprehensive Bicycle Route Plan, originally adopted in 2000. This would seem an excellent venue to address questions of adequate, appropriate and safe access to the Bay Trail. The plan will identify bicycle and pedestrian projects with countywide significance.

While all these avenues are pursued, safety demands that Pico remain closed. We prefer this to the alternative - waiting until someone is seriously injured or killed in a collision with a bus on Pico Boulevard.

There is a culture of safety that permeates SamTrans. Safety is the object of extensive training and continuing reinforcement.

SamTrans' record and reputation for safety is a matter of substantial pride among the men and women responsible for delivering the public to their jobs, to the doctor, to the grocery store and to other destinations. We will not settle for anything less.

Mark Simon is the executive officer for public affairs for the San Mateo County Transit District.