Hollister
– As the San Benito County Council of Governments prepares to
update its bikeway and pedestrian master plan, some locals are
wondering why many bicycle lanes proposed in the old plan haven’t
been built.
Hollister – As the San Benito County Council of Governments prepares to update its bikeway and pedestrian master plan, some locals are wondering why many bicycle lanes proposed in the old plan haven’t been built.
“I just want to understand why, and maybe figure out a way to help out,” said Brenda Weatherly, executive director of the Hollister Downtown Association. “Should we get our bucket of paint out there?”
The bikeway master plan, last updated in 2002, calls for bike lanes along most of the major downtown streets.
Five years later, many of those bike lanes – including proposed routes on Hillcrest Road, Meridian Street and San Benito Street – are still just lines on a map.
County planner Veronica Lezama said the county and city can only build bike lanes as funding opportunities arise.
“(In the new plan), we will hopefully do a better job of prioritizing those projects to meet the needs of the community,” Lezama said. “With the old plan, it was just a list of projects.”
Weatherly and other concerned locals have met with county and city representatives to discuss the issue. Lezama said she’ll be able to offer a better picture of bike lane options and opportunities after their next meeting Thursday.
More bike lanes would help draw people to downtown, Weatherly said, adding that they also would boost the economy for all of Hollister.
“Biking could become a real attraction,” she said.
Tim Foley, superintendent of the county office of education, said he also attended the meeting to push for bike routes for local schools.
“There have been a lot of missed opportunities,” Foley said. “As we tackle the problem of childhood obesity and physical fitness, we should encourage students to walk and bike to school. Let’s make it easy and safe.”
Foley said bike lanes would help unsnarl traffic congestion during pick-up and drop-off times. He noted how the packed cars at Gabilan Hills Elementary School on Meridian Street have become “obscene.” And he added that after the meeting, he thinks there could be positive changes on the horizon.
“I’m glad to see (COG) move proactively,” he said.
It’s much easier to include bike lanes as new roads are being built, rather than adding them to existing streets, said city engineer David Rubcic. San Benito Street just doesn’t have space to accommodate a bike lane, he said.
“Physically, there’s not enough room unless we eliminated parking, which is a bad idea,” Rubcic said.
Lezama said COG plans to start looking for a consultant to prepare the new master plan in August. The plan needs to be updated every three years if the county wants to receive state bike funds, she said.
Lezama added that the old master plan cost $30,000.
