After 2 years and a focus group, the city has created a plan, it’s not a good plan.
They have since modified some of it. Scroll down to find the new changes.
Here is the link to the actual presentation that’s to be voted on by the City Council in April of 2022. http://elcajonatp.com/elcajonatp/
To simplify all these pages I’ve created a simple to read PDF for the biking section.
The first grading column, is what I feel the bike infrastructure is now.
Using G for all bikers, PG, PG13, R and X
The second grading column is what the bike safety rating will be after the city completes their plans
The third column, is there for you to grade the safety of the streets. Give us your opinion.
Download it – fill in the blanks with your thoughts and recommendations. Then email it to the City of El Cajon’s Engineering or Public Works Department.
Scroll down to find my feelings and how I rated the streets. I’ve also included just a few ideas and solutions that would be possible. We need to make the streets safer for walkers, mobility scooters, Scooters, bikes and cars
My recommendations for the City of El Cajon
UPDATE ————————————-
Below are the changes that were made to the The ElCajon ATP last week. They are definitely a step in the right direction, but it seems they are addressing traffic more than safe and protected bike lanes.
Tuesday April 26th at 3pm the city council will be voting on this ATP. Please speak up now and come to the city council meeting. We need protected bike lanes.
Proposed Bike Projects
- Johnson Avenue Bike Path: This is an excellent project proposal that will be safe for people of all ages and abilities. We recommend that the project team make an effort to consolidate driveways in order to minimize turning conflicts wherever possible, and highlight places where driveways cross the bike path with green paint or raised crossings.
The Johnson Avenue Bike Path project sheet (page 139) depicts green conflict paint at driveway locations. The use of conflict paint is also more broadly discussed and recommended on page 97.
The following language will be added to page 139:
“Green conflict paint should be applied at driveway locations and intersections to alert drivers and bicyclists of the potential conflict. As properties redevelop, driveways should be limited or consolidated to reduce potential conflicts with entering and exiting vehicles.”
- El Cajon Boulevard / Main Street Bike Route: Considering the narrow right of way between El Cajon Boulevard and Claydelle Avenue on Main Street, sharrows are an acceptable bike facility in this context. For these sharrows to be safe for people of all ages and abilities, however, the speed limit must be lowered to 25 mph or lower. California’s recently passed AB 43 allows cities to lower speed limits as low as 20 mph in residential and commercial areas without conducting traffic studies. This bill should be used to lower speed limits on any sections of roadway in El Cajon where the current speed limit makes the existing or proposed bicycle facilities unsafe. This lowered speed limit should be accompanied by bulbouts, traffic circles, and other traffic calming features wherever possible. On the other sections of this roadway, however, where there are two or more lanes of traffic in each direction, sharrows are absolutely not safe. For these sections (I-8 to West Main Street on El Cajon Boulevard, and Claydelle Avenue to El Cajon city limits on Main Street) the design of Project #6, Main StreetCycletracks, should be continued per Caltrans’ contextual guidelines.
The City is aware of AB 43 that was approved on 10/08/21. The City will consider the reduction of the posted speed limit along El Cajon Boulevard and Main Street. Roundabouts and curb extensions are also planned along El Cajon Boulevard as traffic calming features as identified in the El Cajon Transit District Specific Plan. Class II bicycle lanes and Class IV cycle tracks were considered along Main Street, east of Claydelle Avenue, yet decided against due to the existing vehicular demand and parking utilization. The project sheet on page 140 currently calls out this segment to be reevaluated in the future for the potential for dedicated bicycle facilities. In the interim, Class II bicycle lanes are planned along the length of Lexington Avenue which parallels Main Street approximately 800′ to the south.
- Avocado Avenue Bike Route: With a speed limit of 40 mph and two lanes of traffic in each direction, Avocado Avenue is only set up to be safe for cars. This proposed installation of sharrows will have little to no effect on rider safety, and blatantly violates Caltrans’ contextual guidance for bike facilities. Studies have shown that installing sharrows has little to no benefit for increasing safety or bike ridership rates.5 To make this project safe for people of all ages and abilities, the project team could either lower the speed limit to 30 mph or below and install a buffered bike lane, or, more ideally, install one-way cycletracks along each side of the street. Additionally, this facility should be extended south of Chase Avenue to El Cajon city limits, where the speed limit is currently 45 mph.
This segment will be revised to include Class II bike lanes. The bike lanes will be implemented via a road diet, revising the roadway configuration to include one vehicular travel lane in each direction + a center left-turn lane + bike lanes while maintaining existing on-street parking. The City will consider the reduction of posted speed limit. The planned bicycle network will be revised to reflect this, along with the images depicted on the project sheet on page 141.
The project sheet narrative will be revised to read:
“Class II bicycle lanes are planned along Avocado Avenue, between Main Street and Chase Avenue. The facility will be implemented via a road diet which will provide one vehicular travel lane in each direction and add a center left-turn lane which will further improve safety for vehicles making left-turns into the residential driveways that line the corridor. Existing on-street parking will be maintained. The posted speed limit should be reduced to 30 mph or less for the length of the segment.”
- Lexington Avenue Bikelanes: While Class II bike lanes are an appropriate facility for this roadway, placing the bike lanes directly adjacent to the on-street parking creates a dangerous door-zone bike lane, in which cyclists traveling in the center of the bike lanes are at risk of running into open car doors. To mitigate this issue, the City of El Cajon should remove on-street parking along this corridor. Along the full length of Lexington Avenue, there is ample off-street parking, making the on-street parking spaces nonessential. The traffic lanes must be narrowed, and a buffer should be added between the bike lanes and vehicle lanes. Additionally, the narrowing of traffic lanes should be accompanied by a lowering of the speed limit to 30 mph or below.
On-street parking is heavily utilized along Lexington Avenue due to several multi-family residences along this corridor.
The last sentence of the project sheet narrative on page 142 will be revised to read:
“As the bicycle lane is implemented, the vehicular travel lanes should be reduced to 10′ in width to encourage slower travel and maximize the bicycle facility width along this residential corridor. Existing on-street parking will be maintained. The posted speed limit should be reduced to 30 mph or less for the length of the segment.”
- Fletcher Parkway Cycletracks: This is an exemplary project that has the full support of our organization. However, there is no reason for the cycletracks to end at the intersection with Ballantine Street, as the speed limit remains at 40 mph as Fletcher Parkway continues onto Broadway. We recommend that the cycle tracks continue along the full length of Broadway, as the existing Class II bike lanes do not meet Caltrans guidelines.
The right of way along Broadway east of Ballantyne Street narrows. Continuing the cycle track east of Ballantyne Street was considered yet decided against due to the existing vehicular demand and parking utilization along this segment.
- Main Street Cycle Tracks: This is another exemplary project that has our full support. As referenced in 3, this design should continue along all the sections of Main Street where there are two or more lanes of traffic in each direction.
Comment noted. Additional response provided to comment #3.
- Madison Avenue Bike Lanes: This is a great application of Class II bike lanes. Special care should be taken to ensure door zone conflicts are mitigated where the bike lanes run parallel to on-street parking spaces. Additionally, the speed limit should be lowered to 30 mph or below to maximize cyclist safety.
The following sentence will be added to the project sheet narrative on page 145:
“The posted speed limit should be reduced to 30 mph or less for the length of the segment.”
- First Street Bike Route: In order for a shared lane to be safe for people of all ages and abilities, the speed limit must be lowered to 25 mph or less. In addition, traffic calming features such as bulbouts, traffic circles, and/or speed bumps/cushions should be added to ensure traffic abides by the lowered speed limit.
The following sentences will be added to the project sheet narrative on page 146:
“The posted speed limit should be reduced to 25 mph or less for the length of the segment. Traffic calming features such as curb extensions, speed cushions, and/or traffic circles should be considered to facilitate slower speeds.”
- Second Street Bike Route: With two lanes of traffic in each direction in addition to turning lanes, Second Street’s volumes are far too high for shared lanes to be safe. We strongly recommend either lowering the speed limit to 30 mph or below and installing buffered bike lanes, or installing one-way cycletracks along each side of the street.
The City has received funding for the El Cajon Beautification project which will include traffic calming improvements. Design for this project will commence in summer 2022 and construction will be completed by 2024.
The following language will be added to the project sheet narrative on page 147:
“The El Cajon Beautification Project will incorporate traffic calming features and landscape improvements throughout this segment. The posted speed limit should be reduced to 30 mph or less for the length of the segment. Additionally, the City should reevaluate the vehicular traffic demand post El Cajon Beautification Project implementation to determine if a road diet is appropriate, which would enable buffered bike lanes or cycle tracks to be installed.”
- Jamacha Road Bike Lanes: With multiple lanes of traffic in each direction and a 40mph speed limit, Jamacha Road’s traffic speeds and volumes are far too high for buffered bike lanes to be safe. The planned buffered bike lanes could easily be upgraded to cycle tracks. In addition, the cycle tracks should be continued through the length of Jamacha Road to the El Cajon City limits, where the speed limit increases to 45 mph.
A current HSIP project will provide traffic calming features at the northern end of this segment. Cycle tracks were considered yet decided against as they cannot be continued further south of Granite Hills Drive due to the existing on street parking demand near Gustavo Street.
The following sentence will be added to the project sheet narrative on page 148:
“The posted speed limit should be reduced to 35 mph or less for this segment and length of Jamacha Road within the City of El Cajon.”
Other Needed Bike Facilities
- Washington Avenue: With speed limits ranging from 40 to 45 mph and two lanes of traffic in each direction, Washington Avenue has traffic speeds and volumes far too high for the currently existing narrow Class II bike lanes to be considered safe. To make this roadway safe in accordance with the Caltrans matrix, the project team should either lower the speed limit to 35 mph or less and widen the existing Class II bike lanes to buffered bike lanes, or create one-way cycle tracks along each side of the road by eliminating the center turning lane.
A current HSIP project will provide radar speed feedback signs, medians, and traffic calming features along Washington Avenue. Lane widths will be narrowed and bike lane width increased, potentially buffered in some locations. The City will also be considering reducing the posted speed limit to 35 mph as the project is designed.
- Chase Avenue: Chase Avenue’s current road striping designs and speed limits are almost exactly identical to Washington Avenue’s. To make this roadway safe, the project team should either lower the speed limit to 35 mph or less and widen the existing Class II bike lanes to buffered bike lanes, or create one-way cycle tracks along each side of the road by eliminating the center turning lane.
Radar speed feedback signs are being added. As street resurfacing occurs, the vehicular travel lane widths will be narrowed to increase bike lane width and potentially add buffer in some locations. The City will also be considering reducing the posted speed limit to 35 mph.
- Mollison Avenue: While the existing Class II bike lanes along Mollison Avenue are adequate, to make this infrastructure safe, the speed limit must be lowered in the places where it is currently 40mph to 35mph.
Radar speed feedback signs are being added. The City will also be considering reducing the posted speed limit to 35 mph.
- Cuyamaca Street: The section of Cuyamaca Street between Fletcher Parkway and El Cajon City Limits has two lanes in each direction and speed limits from 40 to 45mph. Again, this section of roadway would require lower speed limits and widened bike lanes, or a cycletrack to be safe. This would be another excellent opportunity to apply AB 43 and lower speed limits through this corridor.
Cuyamaca Street between Bradley Avenue and Fletcher Parkway will be revised to include Class II bike lanes. The bike lanes will be implemented via a road diet, revising the roadway configuration to include one vehicular travel lane in each direction + bike lanes while maintaining the center left-turn lane and on-street parking. The posted speed limit will also be reduced. The planned bicycle network will be revised to reflect this.
Proposed Intersection Improvements
- 1st Street and Main Street: The on-street parking lane on Main Street leaves plenty of room for curb extensions on both the East and West legs of this intersection. Adding curb extensions will make crossing the five lanes of traffic on Main Street much more safe and comfortable for pedestrians.
The recommendation will be carried forward and reflected in Table 4.1 on page 92.
- Jamacha Road and Lexington Avenue: There is ample room for curb extensions on all legs of this intersection. Installing them would significantly increase pedestrian safety and comfort.
The City was awarded HSIP funding for this location to include high visibility crosswalks, advance stop bars, and raised medians north and south legs. An additional mid-block crossing is planned to the south which will include a pedestrian refuge, curb extensions, RRFBs, and high visibility crosswalk.
- Jamacha Road and Granite Hills Road: Again, there is space and need for curb extensions on both the East and West legs of this intersection.
The recommendation will be carried forward and reflected in Table 4.1 on page 92.
Other Needed Intersection Improvements
- Jamacha Road and East Main Street: Three pedestrian crashes and two bike crashes between 2014 and 2018.
The City was awarded HSIP funding for this location to include high visibility crosswalks, advance stop bars, curb extensions, and additional pedestrian signage.
- Avocado Avenue and Main Street: Three pedestrian crashes and one bike crash between 2014 and 2018.
The City recently implemented high-visibility crosswalks and advance stop bars at this location.
- Chase Avenue and Emerald Avenue: Three pedestrian crashes and one nearby pedestrian crash between 2014 and 2018.
The City recently implemented high-visibility crosswalks and advance stop bars at this location.
- South Second Street and East Main Street: Five nearby pedestrian crashes between 2014 and 2018.
The City was awarded HSIP funding for this location to include high visibility crosswalks, advance stop bars, curb extensions, a pedestrian refuge and RRFB.
- North Second Street and Madison Avenue: Four nearby pedestrian crashes and two bike crashes between 2014 and 2018.
The City was awarded HSIP funding for this location to include high visibility crosswalks and advance stop bars. The El Cajon Beautification Project will incorporate traffic calming features and landscape improvements along N Second Street.
- Washington Avenue and Jamacha Road: Four pedestrian crashes and two bike crashes between 2014 and 2018.
The City was awarded HSIP funding for this location to include high visibility crosswalks, advance stop bars, and additional pedestrian signage.