Conceptual blueprints aimed at reducing accidents without sacrificing traffic flow appear headed back to the drawing board after a member of the city council rescinded his support.
Councilman Randall Stone, in a letter to City Manager Mark Orme, said that owing to public outrage he could no longer support roundabouts and would like to take back his vote. Approved by a narrow 4-3 margin last Thursday, the impact would likely nix the most controversial part of the proposed redesign of The Esplanade, a major street here.
“The overwhelming response from the community was, ‘we don’t care what’s safer or better, we don’t want roundabouts on The Esplanade,” Stone said. “And I heard that loud and clear.”
The reconfiguration aimed to address problems that have arisen as the city has grown. The population has increased five-fold in the half century since the last substantial change — synchronized traffic lights. Today, deficiencies include unsafe pedestrian crossings, violations of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, heavy congestion on cross streets, hazardous bike routes and twice a day traffic jams as parents shuttle kids to and from nearby schools.
But on-line activists latched on to one element of the plan, as if it were a mortal threat to the town itself. Among the comments by some of the 2550 supporters of a petition on the website change.org:
“Things should never change”
“People in this town are too stupid to use round abouts (sic), this street is beautiful and safe as it is. You can't stop stupid people from getting hurt or killed.”
And
“Take your liberal Bay Area ideas and shove them where the sun don't shine. I'm a 30 yr resident. You have lost your collective minds.”
The project, sans roundabouts, will wind up back before the council in coming weeks.
