Hoover Traffic Planning (and Paying)

School capacity - really the lack of school capacity - is a hot button in town.  The District estimated the available capacity in the five existing schools to be 102 seats back in the summer.  Development in town - really over-development in town - will exacerbate this even with the re-opening of Hoover School.  That saga can be reviewed here and here for newcomers (of which there are some).  Today's Daily Journal notes that tonight is when the money meets the road on traffic/pedestrian improvements that need to be made to

Officials are expecting a crush of cars and students flocking to the area near the campus at 2200 Summit Drive when 200 kindergartners through fifth-graders start classes at the school in August.

In advance of the school reopening its doors, officials will collaborate on developing an agreement over how the cost of building new sidewalks, painting crosswalks, making the site compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act standards and other improvements will be financed.

Officials project the variety of improvements are slated to cost as much as $3.5 million, when considering long-term projects such as building new sidewalks along Summit and Easton drives, as well as widening the roads and other efforts, according to a city report.

This is the first meeting of the full bodies (new Council and School Board) and they need to collaborate since

...school officials and neighborhood residents arrived at a settlement in February, after the district committed to installing a variety of alterations along Summit Drive, such as designating student drop-off and pick-up areas and realigning the school driveway, among other improvements.

This incremental capacity of 200 kids is a start, but I believe there will be more demand coming soon so the two bodies might as well get to know each other's concerns.

Comments

[Concerned parent]

It is sad that there is no plan in place for safe sidewalks to and from Hoover elementary school.

[Mom]

It seems now is the time to make our concerns heard. 3 1/2 million dollars sounds like enough to add sidewalks. Is the problem that that money isn't ready?

[Concerned parent]

My understanding is a completed sidewalk is at least 3 -5 years from now, assuming there are no objections during the planning phase.

This process should have been started much earlier than 7 months before the school starts.

[EPC]

The expected "crush of cars" was the whole point of the lawsuit that was filed against BSD back in 2013. The existing streets aren't equipped to safely (or otherwise) accommodate the projected cars and traffic congestion, which BSD refused to consider in either its design or budget. The City and BSD may indeed need to spend 3.5 million to build sidewalks and crosswalks; however, that money won't change the configuration of the streets or make them wider or longer. There's not enough room in the streets to add proper sidewalks that will actually make walking or biking safe with the onslaught of cars. There's barely enough room for two cars to safely pass on any of the streets that feed into the school.

[Account Deleted]

FYI,from the agenda for tonite's BESD Board of Trustees meeting:

17.2. Potential New Bond Measure (v) 8:25 p.m. (Action Item)

Speaker:
Dr. Maggie MacIsaac, Superintendent
Requested Motion:
It is requested the Board of Trustees provide direction to District staff with regards to a potential new bond measure.

Rationale:
TBWB and the District's Financial Advisor will present the process, timeline, and possible messaging for potential Bond Measure to provide the Board the opportunity to discuss potentially moving forward with a new bond measure in November 2016.

Board presentation:
http://burlingame.agendaonline.net/public/Meeting/Attachments/DisplayAttachment.aspx?

[Account Deleted]

Oops, link above doesn't work -- here's another one for the Board presentation re: possible BESD November 2016 bond measure:

https://www.scribd.com/doc/296625325/Burlingame-Elementary-School-District-Bond-Measure-November-2016

[Account Deleted]

Update per my earlier posts...

http://files.ctctcdn.com/fad099c7401/5d58cb43-7d35-455d-a10f-10825977e88a.pdf

[Joe]

Is this the end of a long saga?:

From the City email:

In preparation for the reopening of Hoover Elementary School on August 24, the City of Burlingame's staff has been working very closely with the Burlingame School District to identify various routes students and parents could use travelling to and from school. The City is nearing completion on several improvements to pedestrian facilities and roadways along these routes in order to safely accommodate pedestrians and to improve traffic flow. These improvements include the installation of pedestrian ramps, sidewalks, high visibility crosswalks, and traffic signage. In addition to the City's efforts, the School District has constructed a traffic island and crosswalk in front of the school.

[Sisyphus]

Gentlemen, start your engines...

[school-neighbor]

Going up west on Easton toward the school, a sign says road closed at a certain time for schools. A second sign closer to the school sign says road closed to "through traffic." I live up that street with no real option for getting home and when I drive up the road I have been yelled at by what look like parents with kids walking to or from the school. They must have the understanding that the road is closed during specific school hours. Can anyone clarify is the road closed? If not maybe both signs should include the (through traffic wording).

[Inquiring minds]

Instead of posting here, why don't you call the city or the school district?

[resident]

There should not be a need to call anyone. The city and the school district cannot shut a street for 180 days a year without all sorts of notice, hearings and such. The parents yelling at cars are out of control.