Dear Street Smarts: I just returned from what used to be my favorite walk, leaving De Anza Mobile Home Park and walking on Delaware Street to the Natural Bridges back entrance. This has now become a pedestrian disaster waiting to happen. There are no sidewalks, so walking here means having to avoid the speeding cars, the bicycles, and now the huge trucks going to and from the marine lab construction site. Today, there was also the construction company street sweeper, which sprays water and then brushes the pavement, making it very slippery. Is there anything in the works for providing sidewalks on Delaware all the way from Swanton Boulevard to Shaffer Road? Maybe the construction company and the university should be doing this since most of the problem stems from them.
— Liz Alpert, Santa Cruz
A No plans yet, but a little campaigning to the powers that be could change that, said Chris Schneiter, assistant public works director.
“I think better pedestrian access is a good idea,” he said. “With over 2,000 lineal feet between the mobile home park and Swanton Boulevard, that could easily be a half a million dollar sidewalk project. Depending on drainage, utilities, trees, grades, lighting, etc., it could be more. There is roughly $10 million in unfunded sidewalk and access ramps [projects] citywide. Some public advocacy would be needed to encourage this potential project to rise to the funded capital improvement program.”
To get this project on the road, present your case via letters, emails, petitions and by speaking directly to the city’s Transportation and Public Works Commission and City Council. To contact members of the city council, visit http://tinyurl.com/pdysumz. Reach out to the Transportation and Public Works Commission at http://tinyurl.com/pmpdxjy. Concerns also can be sent to the city council via the city clerk at 809 Center St., Room 9, Santa Cruz, CA 95060.
Age Well, Drive Smart
From 9-11:30 a.m. Thursday senior drivers and their families can learn ways to “Age Well, Drive Smart” from the CHP.
This educational tool for older drivers teaches new traffic laws, helps refresh their memory about the rules of the road, learn ways aging impacts driving skills, decide when to stop driving and educate themselves about alternatives to driving.
The free course will be at the occur at the Aptos branch of the Santa Cruz Public Library, at 7695 Soquel Drive. Class space is limited. Information and reservations: 831-662-0511.
Street Smarts appears Mondays. Follow it on Twitter and Facebook. Submit questions to those aforementioned social media sites or to streetsmarts@santacruzsentinel.com. Please include your name, city of residence and a phone number where you can be reached.
