By Lynn Yang

Installing roundabouts and narrowing bike lanes along Almond Avenue will cause drivers to slow down and drive more safely, according to a team of traffic consultants who presented preliminary designs for the Almond Avenue Traffic Calming Project last Thursday.

The design proposal is part of an effort by the Almond School PTA’s Safe Routes to School Committee to improve pedestrian and bike safety along Almond Avenue and a portion of El Monte Avenue. The work is funded by a $50,000 grant from Santa Clara County.

“On Almond Avenue, people speed, pass in the bike lane and don’t stop for crosswalks,” said Marlis McAllister, co-chair of the committee.

The consultants found that over 80 percent of people drive above the 25 mph speed limit. Greater speeds mean greater risks. Studies show that a pedestrian hit by a car going at 20 mph has a 5 percent risk of death; at 30 mph, the risk is 45 percent.

Peak congestion on Almond Avenue occurs at the start and end of the school day. During this time, when many students are walking and biking, slow traffic flow leads to erratic driving.

“Motorists can’t get by the gridlock, so they pass in the bike lanes. Then pedestrians and bikers can’t move safely,” police Sgt. Matthew Hartley said.

The preliminary design includes placing roundabouts in strategic locations and squaring off the corner at the El Monte Avenue-Almond Avenue intersection.

The team also recommends narrowing the bike lanes, which will prevent drivers from using them to pass, adding landscaped medians and sidewalks.

A refined proposal for Almond Avenue will be presented for public comment 3-5 p.m., Oct. 13, at the Hillview Center, Room A.