Pedestrian Safety near Huff School

Contact the author of the petition

This discussion topic has been automatically created of petition Pedestrian Safety near Huff School.


Guest

#1

2014-03-03 05:52

I support this petition. We need better safety around the school.

Guest

#2

2014-03-04 05:47

I am so excited to be a part of helping improve pedestrian safety and make sure our children are protected!

Guest

#3

2014-03-04 13:56

We all know this is a dangerous intersection with so many cars and kids so short you can barely see them over the hood of the car. Huff gets more kids every year. It is time to do something.

Guest

#4

2014-03-04 14:15

I'd like to see proposed changes.

Guest

#5 Pedestrian Safety near Huff School

2014-03-04 17:19

As a resident on Martens Avenue, I witness daily the traffic congestion that occurs at Huff School. I am concerned for the safety of the students, their parents, and for all pedestrians.
Need More Info

#6 The plan?

2014-03-04 17:21

I'd like to see more details about the plan before I sign anything, without having to go to the March 18 meeting. Sketches? Bullet points?

Guest

#7 Let's handle shopping center traffic while we're at it.

2014-03-04 17:53

I signed the petition, but would also like to see an actual plan. There are other concerns at this intersection beyond just Huff (though Huff is the most important). I would like to see a "no U turn" left turn lane, or a similar solution to regulate the traffic exiting the shopping center. A very large number of U-turns are made at this intersection by people wishing to return to El Camino or the freeways. This slows traffic, and a more efficient solution is needed.

Anonymous

#8 Re: The plan?

2014-03-04 19:07

#6: Need More Info - The plan?

In summary, we are trying to get funding for a proposal the city had already put together which includes new turn lanes, medians, pedestrian standing areas and improved light timing at the Martens/Phyllis/Grant intersection. This project has been previously recommended for funding but had been voted down / de-prioritized by the City Council. The Huff crossing guard was severely injured by a car last year - that could easily have been one of our children.  Overwhelming support for this project will help convince the City Council that we are concerned about the safety of our children and that the money will be well spent.  Any effort on your part will help our cause.  Please sign the petition and attend the meeting.
Guest

#9

2014-03-05 00:11

I have lived across from Huff School since 1996 and have witnessed a huge increase in pedestrian and vehicle traffic in the last few years. Just this afternoon, I could not get into my driveway as it was half blocked by a parked car. As I waited, a mom and 2 small children were crossing from Huff to get to that car, walking between other cars, as yet another vehicle was slowly making a u-turn while other cars were trying to pull into the street from both sides of the road. Still more parents and kids, some with strollers, were randomly crossing the street between both moving and parked vehicles, often walking in the street since there is no sidewalk on the side opposite Huff.  In the mornings, there are also middle school children trying to bike through this type of mess and I worry for their safety as well.  I have also noticed more distracted drivers in recent years, creating even more risk.

Improving pedestrian and vehicle safety in this area will benefit school families as well as residents. Clear signage and road markings should accompany improvements to reduce the current confusion on where to safely and legally walk and park.  My kids have all walked and biked to Huff, Bubb, Graham and MVHS, and still do, so we know well the current challenging conditions and are eager for positive change.


Anonymous

#10 Re:

2014-03-05 01:50

#9: Guest -

Thank you for your comments.  It is stories like these that will help us make this a priority with the city!


Anonymous

#11 Much Needed!

2014-03-05 01:56

I live near the school entrance on Martens Avenue. Every morning I witness an insane mix of cars, kids, bikes, scooters and skate boards race down the street. Given the strict attendance policies at Huff, I have observed parents not stop at the cross walk, cars peel (literally with tires squealing) into the Huff parking lot to avoid being late, and property damage from the congestion (e.g., car side mirrors cracked, fences hit, lawns driven on, etc.). In the last few weeks I have seen too many close calls and am starting to feel it is just a matter of time before there is a serious accident.

On the surface, it seems like it would be a great idea to have sidewalks, speed bumps, and/or cross walk that lights up (similar to the one on Rengstorff) to help prevent the unthinkable. I would have thought some action would surely have been prioritized after the children's crossing guard was struck by a vehicle last year by a red light runner (wearing bright yellow vest and holding a big red stop sign). I hope the city will make this a top priority.

Guest

#12

2014-03-05 17:27

I would love to see the pedestrian situation improve at this intersection. Even though my child is old enough to cross the road the walk to school by himself, i am uncomfortable to have him do it because I do not trust the drivers.

Anonymous

#13 MORE INFORMATION / DETAILS ON PROPOSAL - SEE RESPONSE

2014-03-05 21:42

#7: - Let's handle shopping center traffic while we're at it.

The proposed project includes removing pork-chop islands and eliminating free right turns, installing a new 8-phase traffic signal, adding exclusive left turns on Phyllis and Martens Avenues, constructing a new sidewalk (with curb and gutter) along the north side of Martens Avenue and constructing ADA compliant curb ramps at all four corners of the intersection. The proposed improvements to this intersection are currently included in the City’s Capital Improvement Program as an unfunded project.  We are trying to solicit support needed to make it a funded project - enough community members that sign this petition will help make this a priority!

Your comments / stories are equally important, so if you are passionate on this topic, please feel free to share!  Thank you.


Guest

#14

2014-03-06 07:27

This is a really dangerous situation and needs to be fixed before someone gets hurt. There is also only one main road entrance and exit to Huff. If there were a secondary entrance to the school for drivers, that would also help reduce the pressure at this intersection at the school time. Alternatively the school should considered staggered start times to reduce the congestion.

Guest

#15

2014-03-07 18:14

I live across Huff school and see witness the situation every day. Just 2 weeks ago I was on Martens trying to cross Grant to come home (on Erik Deli's side and this is what I saw at school pickup time:
1) NO crossing Guard (10 minutes after school let out)
2) All roads backed up in every direction
3) I waited 3+ lights to cross Grant to come home on Martens (I was on the Erik' deli side with only 4 cars ahead of me and it still took me 3 lights to cross.)
4) Worst of all: I saw an ambulance get stuck on Grant and Martens (by Marshalls) - it could not cross Martens. But then some cars started honking and the drivers in the front line on Grant at Martens started running the red lights to get out of the way. The ambulance made its way thru but said on its loudspeaker "do NOT run red lights".

I think this scenario basically sums up the chaos that is this intersection and neighborhood traffic situation!!

Guest

#16

2014-03-11 20:37

Let's act now to protect our kids and ourselves.

Guest

#17

2014-03-14 17:25

Cars are consistently running the red light on Grant where it intersects with Martens, whether there is a cyclist or pedestrians present. I would have been involved in many accidents if I proceeded when I had a green light instead of looking for red light runners first. That has saved my life and my children's lives.

Guest

#18

2014-03-14 18:18

Please help make our neighborhood safe for our children, pedestrians and other drivers!! And improve the traffic conditions that are out of control!

Common sense MV resident

#19 In addition...

2014-03-14 19:17

It would also be a big improvement if Huff (and all the schools) would put in place a staggered start time for each grade or groups of grades. A 15-20 minute variable could help immensely.

Guest

#20

2014-03-14 20:20

It is such a hassle during pickup and drop off time not only for parents but for anyone who is driving on Martens or Grant and at times becomes chaotic. There is a lot of traffic backup which causes problems at the intersection, especially when its a green light and you have nowhere to go.

Guest

#21

2014-03-14 21:02

A turn line off Grant RD into Martens is a must.
Carol Av should also become an official drop off spot, it is a public street and with some street markings, signs the street should be able to handle kids being dropped off.

Guest

#22

2014-03-15 18:02

I walk my grandkids to school across the street and want me and my kids to be safe - too many cars backed up.
Carmelita Mom

#23

2014-03-16 07:20

The traffic at this intersection causes people who normally follow the rules of the road to break them. And that's dangerous for pedestrians.

Have you ever continued driving through the intersection just after the light turned red, because you've already waited through 3 complete traffic signal cycles and don't want to wait any longer?

Have you ever been stuck behind a line of cars who can't turn because there are people in the crosswalk, and you want to go straight, and there's no oncoming traffic, so you use the wrong side of the street to go around them?

Yes, I don't usually run red lights or drive on the wrong side of the street, but I've done both because otherwise I'm going to sit there for what seems like forever!

So these traffic situations result in chaos and people not following the rules of the road. And that's dangerous when you add to the mix kids who are walking in the street!

It's time to do something about this intersection, and the City and the MVWSD school district both saying "WE can't do anything, go ask THEM" is not acceptable. We shouldn't have to wait for another pedestrian to get hit by a car for this to become a priority.
Guest

#24

2014-03-16 22:56

I signed the petition as I think a redesign of this intersection is long over due. The City and the school district should have been working on traffic flow and pedestrian/bike safety at this key intersection before it got to its current dysfunctional state. I would like to see draft plans for the improvements so that the public has ample opportunity to comment on them. Thank you for organizing this community effort.

Guest

#25

2014-03-17 16:59

I support making these and any other safety improvement changes before someone gets injured or killed