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 Photo Ellie Van Houtte/Town Crier The Los Altos City Council is exploring ways to mitigate safety concerns at the Miramonte Avenue-Covington Road intersection, a traffic hot spot. As students returned to Blach Intermediate School following the holidays last week, the Los Altos City Council Jan. 8 revisited plans to make the nearby intersection of Miramonte Avenue and Covington Road safer for cyclists, pedestrians and motorists.
According to a 2012 GreenTown Los Altos Walk or Wheel in-school survey at Blach, approximately 75 percent of the 468 students surveyed walk or bike to campus. With queues of more than 40 cars during peak morning and afternoon travel hours, compounded by narrow roadway edges and lack of marked bike lanes on Miramonte, there has been vocal support and pressure for safety improvements.
A 2010 traffic study of the intersection documented 10 accidents over a six-month period, including five that resulted in injuries. At that time, councilmembers supported the installation of a traffic light at the intersection but voted against the measure last May after strong neighborhood opposition. The council directed consultants to explore other solutions.
City staff presented six alternative designs for review at last week’s meeting. The most popular design, and the one recommended for further discussion, would increase the curb to a radius of 25 feet, add a 6-foot paved shoulder and install full curbs and gutters. Including the cost of relocating overhead poles, staff estimated the changes would meet the allocated budget of $250,000.
Councilmembers voted to direct staff to solicit feedback from the Blach PTA and residents impacted by the new design.
6 Comments
1"resident"
at Wednesday, 16 January 2013 11:02
Can we add marked bike lanes on Miramonte from Foothill and on Covington? I think that will go a long way towards safe transit. I think the curb and the gutters will help as well but bike lanes are key.
2"Mom, Biker, Driver"
at Wednesday, 16 January 2013 11:20
I'm a mom of young kids and a biker. I'm all for bike lanes, safety, curb widening etc. But they also need to address the traffic back up. I've been in that line up of 20+ cars many times. It's incredibly frustrating to see the crossing guard stop traffic for each individual kid or small group of kids the instant they approach the corner, while dozens of us sit in our cars waiting, waiting, waiting. The crossing guard needs training. They kids can to wait a couple minutes until they're cued up 20 deep too!!
3Comment
at Thursday, 17 January 2013 09:50
The council wants to spend $250,000 and NOT fix the traffic problem???
4Comment
at Tuesday, 22 January 2013 11:11
I grew up on Covington between Springer and Miramonte. I got hit by a car at that intersection 40 years ago biking home from Blach. No crossing guards back then. The driver right turned right into me as I was crossing in the crosswalk. Fortunately, I just scraped a knee. Glad to hear they have a crossing guard now. Until a couple of years ago, my widowed mother lived just a few houses down Covington toward Springer and her driveway was often blocked by cars waiting to get through. Perhaps Lisa's suggestion is best, because most people right around the intersection do not want a stoplight, especially at times when there are no kids around.
5Comment
at Tuesday, 22 January 2013 13:10
Really, they were opposed to a traffic light there?? The new traffic light at Miramonte and Barbara has been a godsend for kids,pedestrians and cyclists crossing Miramonte.
6Comment
at Wednesday, 23 January 2013 08:42
I'm not sure why current residents oppose a light. I just remember reading that on the Town Crier website a few months back. I live in Wisconsin now and wish almost every day that I still lived in Los Altos, especially when it's -1 at noon here today.
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