Attachment 6
ATTACHMENT 6
From: L E
Sent: Tuesday, March 07, 2017 10:06 AM
To: Council
Subject: Bike/pedestrian Plan original note to Bob Kass that Bob now says may not be included in
tonight's meeting. If my original note has been included, please disregard and replace it with this
updated version
Bob, thanks for your efforts with this important issue. For several years I've attempted to get the Town
to enforce the Ordinance (Sec. 5.30.020) that prohibits bike riding on sidewalks. I've collected evidence
from numerous incidents in the form of newspaper articles and letters from experts and other city's
experiences and enforcement of bike/sidewalk including Santa Cruz and Palo Alto and submitted them
to Los Gatos. Los Gatos has failed to act in any way to mitigate this ongoing problem. The police,
including a former chief, made it abundantly clear to me that this issue is such a low priority that
enforcement is unlikely (not going to happen). So, as a citizen, I demand that the ordinance is enforced
especially in view of concerns for my safety as well as the safety of others (yes, including the riders). This
is a serious problem and since I live downtown and enjoy walking on the sidewalks, I've had to dodge
bikes speeding up behind or in front of me on too many occasions to count. I quit walking my dog
downtown because of the constant threat to her and my safety. I'm retired and I frequent the Los Gatos
Roasting Company. While sitting on one of the benches or standing on the sidewalk in front of the
Roast, I've witnessed countless incidents of all age riders speeding through a crowd of people and dogs
without regard for the safety of innocent pedestrians and/or their dogs. This is an excellent location to
start and continue any enforcement program yet all sidewalks in town are subject to serious violations
of this ordinance, especially downtown sidewalks. I'm requesting that the issue of prohibition of bike
riding on sidewalks is elevated and "specifically identified" within and without the BPMP and numerous
signs referring to the ordinance should be placed in various strategic locations easily within view of
riders. The confusing sign that for years exists near Fischer School stating that bike riding on the
sidewalk is OK needs to be modified to state clearly that it only applies to that specific location. Of note
is that throughout the last several years, I've spoken with numerous local citizens whom are in complete
agreement with enforcement of this serious problem. If the other proposed modifications and/or so-
called improvements to bike/pedestrian safety are enacted and the serious issue of identifying and
enforcing Sec. 5.30.020 is once again ignored, the plan will remain sorely lacking. Thank you, Larry Edgar