Defined SB Lane for Santa Cruz

One of the highest safety gains for the lowest cost tasks is achieved by painting the shoulder line for those 1,400′ of Santa Cruz Ave starting at Sand Hill Rd, especially for the NB direction. This simple action will define the right most lane (slow lane) for Santa Cruz.   County has not provided any rational for why this shoulder line (aka fog line) was not painted, as it is a standard guideline followed on virtually every other minor and major artierial in County.  Absentence of this lane definining shoulder line has plauqued us with: 

Problem

• Parked car damage and broken mirrors – much to common as NB cars cut too close 
• Unsafe and risky situtation for those that exit or enter their parked cars
• Confusing no-mans land at the Alameda “Y” intersection 
• High speed traffic due to the wide open lanes that are preceived as 13′ to 20′  wide
  (Hwy 101 widths are 11′ and roadwidths on other Alameda and Santa Cruz segments are 9′ to 10′)
• Unneccesaryily higher risk when cars are exiting the 26+ driveways along this section
• Significant risk to cyclists that are put under pressure by tail gating motorists

Solution Benefits

Adding the shoulder stripe for NB Santa Cruz will:

• Increased safety buffer (traffic will be further from curb/parked cars)
• Improved visibility for cars exiting driveways
• Narrower definded lane will slow traffic speed
• Safer to exit/enter parked cars
• Defined lane improves safety for cyclists and should lessen motorist agression
• Eliminates the ‘no-mans land’ issue at the “Y” intersection
• Allows for the removal of the  ‘temporary’ bollards on NB Santa Cruz @ Y

Solution Positives:

• A defined roadway with narrower traffic lanes is shown to reduce speed
• Better visibility for residents, cyclists, and motorists
• Greatly improved safety buffer, moving traffic away from sidewalk, parked cars

Scope – Cost:  

Low cost, using common estimation figures about $4k to $5k

 

 Animated Photos showing the shoulder lane stripe and the resulting lane definition.  Lane would be no wider than 10′ same as lane width of Santa Cruz on the Avy to Downtown segment. 

 

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