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Is the Pacific Coast Highway Going to Rumble?
UPDATE: Due to anticipated high turnout, the SCCRTC Bicycle Committee is looking for an alternative meeting location. Please contact the RTC at info@sccrtc.org for the meeting location.
Nothing can quite compare to rumble strips when it comes to ruining a beautiful bicycle ride. Adventure Cycling and the League have previously written about rumble strips and the difficulties they pose to cyclists. We were very happy to see the Federal Highway Administration revise their May 2011 guidance that would have promoted rumble strip installation on many rural roads and even some urban roads across America.
Touring Cyclists on Highway 1
So, it was a bit of a shock when we heard from Adventure Cycling and League members that the California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) is planning to install rumble strips on a portion of the Highway 1 between Davenport and Santa Cruz. Highway 1 – also known as the Pacific Coast Highway – is part of one of the most active bicycle touring routes in the country and a major draw for international tourism.
To its credit, CalTrans has one of the best rumble strip policies when it comes to accommodating bicyclists. So we did some research and found out the following:
- This 11-mile section has been identified as a high collision area, including at least one bicycle fatality. Rumble strips are the proposed safety improvement to address run-off-the-road and head-on crash incidents.
- CalTrans policy only allows rumble strips where there will be more than five feet of shoulder clearance for cyclists. CalTrans data indicate that the shoulder width in this area is approximately eight feet, though this has been disputed by local cyclists and regional transportation planners.
- This is a “candidate project” that will not go to construction for another 18-24 months and includes both center-line and shoulder rumbles. CalTrans has committed to working with local cyclists, and presumably following their policy, as project planning progresses.
- The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission has received over 70 contacts on this issue. The SCCRTC is working with CalTrans to ensure accurate shoulder width data and has requested the collision data justifying the need for rumble strips. The SCCRTC Bicycle Committee will be discussing the project at their April 9 meeting.
While we recognize the safety benefits for motorists under certain conditions, we are concerned about their use on Highway 1. The League and Adventure Cycling will be submitting letters to CalTrans respectfully requesting that:
- CalTrans not install rumble strips on Highway 1 at this time.
- CalTrans work to provide a five-foot wide road shoulder on Highway 1 clear of sand and other debris while still accommodating parked vehicles and ocean access for residents and visitors.
- CalTrans continue to work with cyclists to ensure that Highway 1 remains one of the country’s premier bicycling routes.
We encourage local cyclists to speak out on this issue (reference the three points above as a start). Here are some ways you can make sure CalTrans hears your voice:
Contact CalTrans District 5
Jim Shivers
District 5 Public Information Officer
Phone: 805.549.3237
Email: Jim.Shivers@dot.ca.gov
Richard Krumholz
District 5 Director
Email: Rich.Krumholz@dot.ca.gov
Attend the SCCRTC Bicycle Committee Meeting
Monday, April 9 at 6:30pm
Regional Transportation Commission Conference Room
1523 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz (above Chef Works)
As we learn more, look for updates to this blog.
Matt Wempe
League State and Local Advocacy Coordinator
Mr. Wempe joined the League in September 2011. For the three years prior, he worked as a transportation planner and Safe Routes to School Coordinator in Fort Collins, Colo. He holds a BA in Economics from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Masters of Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
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March 21st, 2012 at 3:01 am
[...] Q: Regarding Monday’s Street Smarts column mention of proposed rumble strips for Highway 1 between Davenport and Swift Street, local cyclists are strongly opposed to both the center line and shoulder rumble strips. A few details at the League of American BIcyclists at http://blog.bikeleague.org/blog/2012/03/is-the-pacific-coast-highway-going-to-rumble/ [...]
March 21st, 2012 at 11:13 am
Don’t you consider to do something with your blog? Maybe moving to wordpress would be a smart move?
March 21st, 2012 at 11:43 am
Roads are for cars, safety of drivers comes first as gas taxes subsidize roads.
March 21st, 2012 at 12:40 pm
Reader… bikes can legally share the roads.. which are also subsidized by local sales taxes.
March 21st, 2012 at 2:47 pm
Drivers pay registration,gas,and insurance etc. For ‘Rider’ to compare the paltry sales tax on a t shirt and a bagel is as ludicrous as the silly clothes that they feel compelled to wear.You get what you PAY for,and bikes don’t pay much so don’t demand so much.
March 21st, 2012 at 2:47 pm
Why would rumble strips in the center be of any concern for a cyclist? I can see the shoulder problem, but there’s pretty much no reason a cyclist should be in the center between the two directions.
March 21st, 2012 at 4:20 pm
@ reader @bruce
#1 do you think that these bike riders do not also own cars and pay these same taxes?
#2 roads are NOT exclusively for cars, they are for all legal vehicles, including bicycles. The reason drivers/owners of cars pay more tax is because of the wear and tear they cause by using these roads. ie: cars are causing more damage to the roads therefore users of cars needs to pay more to maintain them.
March 21st, 2012 at 4:39 pm
Roads are a public good that are subsidized by everybody. Gas taxes only cover a fraction of the cost. I suppose the next thing Reader and Bruce will complain about is children walking on sidewalks that they didn’t pay for.
Because roads are a public good, the safety of all users, not just the motorized users, is in issue for all of us. Surely it’s possible to design rumble strips that improve everybody’s safety, without making the road more dangerous for some users.
March 21st, 2012 at 7:55 pm
Yes,roads are a public good, but using them is not a RIGHT it is a privilege.Drivers earn that privilege by having to take a driving test,then they can PAY for a license,they are also required to carry insurance which they PAY for.When drivers leave their cars and get on bicycles they aren’t required to have either of these things, and that makes them unlicensed,uninsured and a liability.Perhaps they should use the same good sense that their children display and stick to the sidewalk.
March 21st, 2012 at 9:20 pm
Bruce, you’re getting your rights and privileges mixed up.
Travel is a basic right, that takes place in the public way.
Operating a motor vehicle on the public way is a privilege, because you can cause a great deal of harm if you operate it poorly.
You don’t buy the right to use the public way. If you want to operate a motor vehicle on the public way, you must demonstrate that you are qualified to operate a dangerous machine. You buy collision insurance in case you screw up, so you don’t go bankrupt paying for the damage.
All users of the public way follow the same right-of-way rules. People who pay more in taxes or fees don’t have more right-of-way.
In any case, modifying the public way to make it possibly safer for some dangerous users, and probably more dangerous for safer users, is really poor engineering, at the least.
March 27th, 2012 at 7:17 pm
I think I’ll send this to my sister we were just talking about this last month!