CC 07-09-2024 Item No. 4 Lawson Middle School Bikeway Project_Written Communications (2)CC 07-09-2024
#4
Lawson Middle School
Bikeway Project
Written Communications
From:Henry W
To:City Council; City Clerk
Subject:Support for the Vision Zero Plan and Lawson Bike Path
Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 2:37:32 PM
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Dear Mayor Mohan, Vice Mayor Fruen, and Councilmembers Wei, Moore, and Chao:
I am writing today as a resident of Cupertino and a 4-year student of Cupertino High School.
Tonight, I am asking you to vote in favor of measures around Cupertino that will support the
heightened safety of pedestrian and bicycle traffic - as well as students biking to and from
schools. As such, I ask you to vote in favor tonight for the Vision Zero Plan and approval for
the Lawson Bikeway. These two items are critical to improving bike-ped traffic throughout the
city as well as protect students as they are making the commute to and from schools.
The Vision Zero Plan is a clear roadmap in order to reduce collisions, injuries, and fatalities on
city roads. This initiative is indispensable for safeguarding the well-being of all residents,
especially those who may be more vulnerable. The approach in formulating this plan, which
was collaborative, inclusive, and unanimously approved by the Bike-Ped Commission,
demonstrates how it is sufficient in addressing diverse needs and concerns regarding road
safety throughout Cupertino. Vulnerable populations, such as children, elderly, and those with
disabilities, stand to gain significantly from the Vision Zero Plan measures. With the said
reasoning, I urge the City Council to unanimously support the Vision Zero plan.
Now, the Lawson Bikeway is a clear demonstration of the benefits of Vision Zero. As a
student of Cupertino High School, previous advocate for safer bikeways around Cupertino
High School, and a biker, I wholeheartedly support the addition of a bikeway to the streets
surrounding Lawson Middle School. This bikeway option provides proper separation between
vehicles, pedestrians, and bikers, and stands to be a solid solution for the dangers of Lazaneo
and Vista during before- and after- school times. Biking students and vehicles mix with the
current layout, and it is excessively unsafe for the student bikers. Bikers who opt to bike on
the sidewalks face equal dangers, if not more, posing a threat to both themselves and
pedestrians on the narrow sidewalk. For this reasoning, I urge City Council to unanimously
support the Lawson Bikeway plan.
Sincerely,
Henry Widjaja
From:Juliet Shearin
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:Support for Lawson Bikeway - Agenda Item 4
Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 1:54:36 PM
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Dear Mayor Mohan, Vice-Mayor Fruen, and City Council Members,
I am Juliet Shearin, a former Lawson Middle School student and a current biker for both my
commute to work and for recreation. I ask you to SUPPORT the Lawson protected bikeway.
It is unconscionable that the safety issues I faced as a middle school student are
still plaguing our students today.
When I was a student, I would carpool to school despite living within biking distance
because of the safety issues. As a student, I would have certainly used this bikeway,
and felt much safer doing so. Car traffic is so heavy during school commuting hours that
biking in the street poses serious dangers. Biking on the sidewalk is a terrible solution that
causes many near-misses with pedestrians. I want students to feel safe, comfortable and
empowered to get themselves to school during the crucial transition from elementary school
to high school.
There is no financial reason to continue to put our students in danger from getting
to school. The bikeway is 100% funded from Apple grants, which is especially crucial with
the city's budget crisis. Continuing to pretend the other option is feasible, even though it
costs ten times as much, is unreasonable. The Lawson bikeway will make our students
as safe as I wish I could have been.
I hope that you will consider not just short-term complaints about construction or parking,
but support the long-term health of our city and students by voting YES on the
Lawson bikeway. Thank you for considering my experiences and opinion.
Sincerely,
Juliet Shearin
From:Stacy Yao
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk; info@walkbikecupertino.org
Subject:Lawson Bikeway Support Letter
Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 1:30:08 PM
Attachments:Lawson Bikeway Support Letter.pdf
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Dear Mayor Mohan and Councilmembers,
Please find attached our CUSD letter of support for the Lawson Bikeway agenda item for tonight.
Stacy Yao
Superintendent
Cupertino Union School District
408.252.3000
June 2024
Dear Mayor Mohan and Councilmembers,
I am writing this letter in support of a yes vote for the proposed Lawson Middle School
on-street Bikeway at the upcoming City Council meeting on Tuesday,July 9.This new
bikeway will significantly improve the safety and accessibility to Lawson Middle
School for students biking and walking to school.
This solution is the outcome of multi-year collaborative work by our CUSD staff,City
Staff,Lawson school staff,and the parent community,and solves many issues at all
points of entry to the school.This bikeway option provides the necessary separation
for cyclists from both motor vehicles and pedestrians.CUSD understands there will
be a loss of street parking and is able to mitigate the loss through available parking
lot spaces.
Currently,kids walking and biking to school face many hazards and unsafe situations.
Each day,heavy car traffic on Vista and Lazaneo cause biking students to mix with
cars and make unsafe left turns across traffic.With the high volumes,frustrated
parents also make unwise decisions--such as to drive recklessly or not stop fully at
stop signs--which furthers the danger to the students.Many biking students have
resorted to biking on the sidewalk,which is difficult for both pedestrians and cyclists;
the sidewalk is too narrow and there is too much of both pedestrian and cycling
traffic to allow safe sharing.
Thank you for your consideration on this issue.The safety of our children is of utmost
importance to our community.
Sincerely,
S ta Ya
Stacy Yao
Superintendent
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Title
Date
Page 2
Cupertino Union School District
From:Carols Gmail
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk; Cupertino City Manager"s Office
Subject:Support both Vision Zero Plan AND Bike lanes at Lawson Middle School
Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 12:20:27 PM
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Dear Mayor Mohan, Vice Mayor Fruen and Council-members,
I am writing today in support of both the Vision Zero Action Plan and the Class IV bike lanes at Lawson Middle
School.
Both of these items will help our residents safely navigate our streets. Pedestrians and bicyclists are at far greater
risk of life threatening injuries or death than those traveling inside of vehicles. It is prudent to focus on the safety of
those most at risk. We need to reduce car traffic in and around our schools. To do so, we need safe bike lanes that
give parents confidence to allow their students to ride their bikes.
The roads belong to all of us. We must share their use responsibly. Please support both of these items on your
agenda tonight.
Sincerely,
Carol Stanek
Speaking for myself
From:Sylvia Leong
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:Support for the Lawson protected on-street bike lane
Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 11:03:24 AM
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Dear Cupertino City Councilmembers,
I am writing in regards to the Lawson bikeway agenda item for the July 9, 2024 council
meeting. As you consider the two options, I would like to advocate for the option that creates
the safest biking environment for students who are biking to and from school.
As a trustee for the Cupertino Union School District, student safety is of utmost importance,
both on-campus and off-campus. Having a protected on-street bike lane that wraps around
Lawson Middle School ensures that students biking to and from school won't have to navigate
around traffic, parked cars, or other obstacles that could endanger them.
Personally, this topic of bike safety for students is near to my heart. Two years ago, my good
friend’s daughter was hit by a car while biking to school. She ended up with a concussion that
kept her at home for almost two weeks and headaches that still come even today. Despite this,
we consider her lucky that it wasn't worse. A few years before that, another friend's son wasn't
so lucky, when he was biking to school and struck and killed by a truck on McClellan Rd. It
was devastating to see a family we had known for years, whom we had gone to birthday
parties with, and seen our sons grow up together, lose their son in an instant. Our entire school
and community mourned together.
What was so powerful though, was seeing the city respond, essentially saying "Never Again,"
by putting in the McClellan Road Separated Bike Path - a decision that has no doubt saved the
lives of so many others since that day. I felt really proud when I heard that Cupertino had
been recognized as a city that promotes road safety, when the McClellan Bike Path was
honored by Public Works.
A Lawson protected on-street bike lane would be another change that would create a big
impact for the children of Cupertino and be consistent with Cupertino's values on bike safety.
For the safety of our students, I urge you to support the protected on-street bike lane so that
our students have a dedicated bike path at all times of day.
Thank you for the work you are doing serving the city and our communities. I truly appreciate
your leadership.
Best,
Sylvia Leong
Cupertino Union School District, Trustee
(representing myself, title for identification purposes only)
From:Purva Marfatia
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:Our students need the Lawson Bikeway!
Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 10:54:17 AM
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Dear Mayor Mohan, Vice-Mayor Fruen, and City Council Members,
I'm a Cupertino resident, and I strongly support building the Lawson Bikeway, as a Lawson
alum who appreciates the enormous safety benefit and low cost of the project. Many students
walk and bike to school, and without the much-needed separation (both biker/pedestrian AND
biker/vehicle) that the bikeway provides, the school commute can be crowded and lead to
student injuries.
My middle-school transit experience, as someone who biked on Forest and Vista every
weekday, was characterized by trying to dodge pedestrians and avoid parked/moving cars --
there have been many near-misses and minor collisions over the years, and the bikeway
provides a logical solution to clear up the otherwise clogged-up Vista Dr.
In addition to the simple way they solve an important issue, these new on-street bike lanes will
NOT cost our city. They are already funded through an Apple grant, and city staff have
confirmed that this is the highest-priority project the grant can cover. The alternative is 10
times more expensive, we don’t have the money in our budget to build it, and we'll have to
remove some great shady trees while still not fully solving the problem.
Students deserve to be safe on their way to school. This should be a top priority over extra
parking-- it should be easy to weigh these two things, and the costs speak for themselves. I
hope that you agree, and vote to build this bikeway.
Thank you for reading this letter, and considering my viewpoint.
From:Connie-Comcast Swim5am
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:July 9 CC Agenda Item 4, Vote Yes on the Lawson Bikeway Project
Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 9:38:23 AM
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Dear Honorable Mayor Mohan, City Councilmembers, and City Manager Wu:
(This is a copy of the email I sent to Council on June 25, 2024). I see now that is on the Agenda for July 9.
Vote Yes on the Lawson Bikeway Project
My family and I have frequently used bikes to get to school or work by riding bikes or walking. I have supported
Safe Routes to School for many years.
I’m a Cupertino resident concerned about making the city a greener community. I urge you today to support the
protected bike lanes at Lawson Middle School.
Our city's Climate Action Plan, General Plan, Bicycle and Pedestrian Plans all have goals to make alternative
transportation to cars more attractive and increase the number of residents using it. These proposed bike lanes at
Lawson further the goals found in all those plans by making alternative transportation safer and more appealing for
our students and their parents. Conversely, the argument against these lanes which prioritizes keeping all parking—
especially in excess of what is required per the city’s parking analysis —is not a goal in any city plan.
This small change will be another step toward making Cupertino a greener community. Every time someone bikes
or walks to school, there is one fewer car being driven. That means fewer harmful emissions and greenhouse gasses,
less traffic, and an improved quality of life for all residents.
It’s important to note that these lanes won’t cost anything to the city. They are completely paid for by an Apple
grant. The city staff have been working with parents, CUSD staff and Safe Routes to School for six years on this
issue. It’s time to take their recommendation and those of many community members and build these bike lanes.
Habits are often made at young ages, and biking or walking instead of being driven everywhere is one of them. Let’s
make a positive change for the younger members of our community and install these lanes today. Thank you.
Connie Cunningham
Resident 37 years, Housing Commissioner, self only, Audubon member
From:Kzj1
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:A parent asks that you build the Lawson Bikeway
Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 9:11:35 AM
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Dear Respected Mayor Mohan and City Council Members, appreciate your consideration of the Lawson Bikeway.
I’ve driven here several times for Cupertino Hoops practice in the evenings and adding this lawson Bikeway will
add the students safety tremendously and will help extend the overall bike pathway route. This solution has minimal
fiscal impact to the city of cupertino (eg Apple grant) and has limited residential impact (when I’ve driven by at
night. Very few cars were parked on the proposed school side of vista. I encourage you and the city city council to
approve this Lawson Bikeway.
I am the parent of a current/future Lawson student. I ask that you vote to add the protected bike lanes at Lawson
Middle School.
This will benefit all students at Lawson, whether they walk, bike, or are driven to school.
--Students who walk will no longer have to share the sidewalk with students cycling to class, reducing conflicts
between cyclists and walkers.
--Students who bike will use a dedicated and protected bike lane to get to campus safely
--Parents who drive their students to school will not have to worry about potential collisions with students cycling to
campus, reducing conflicts between cyclists and cars.
Many parents drive their kids to school instead of allowing them to bike because they are concerned for their safety.
Adding these lanes at Lawson may encourage more parents to allow their kids to walk and bike to school, which
helps kids do better academically. Studies have shown that children who walk or bike to school do better
academically and have better social skills.
Having fewer cars traveling to Lawson is beneficial for all residents. It can help reduce greenhouse emissions,
something that affects us all. A recent study shows that if a student bikes to school for a semester, it saves the
equivalent CO2 of 47 trees. It can also help ease traffic jams at pickup and dropoff, which is an issue for everyone
because of car emissions and just plain frustration.
It’s important to note that this project doesn’t cost the city any money, as the cost is covered by an Apple grant. It’s
a positive change for Cupertino that won’t affect our budget.
Some nearby neighbors are concerned about reduced parking. The city staff have done parking studies which show
that there is more than enough parking for residents and the teachers at Lawson after the lanes go in. There’s even a
plan for what to do during special events when parking demand is higher.
Adding these lanes will be a huge positive for our community, especially our children. I urge you to say yes. Thank
you for considering my letter today.
Thanks,
Kevin Jung
510-506-1959
(Resident in the Garden Gate elementary boundary area)
From:Phyllis Vogel
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:Vote yes to build the Lawson protected bike lanes
Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 8:07:21 AM
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Dear Mayor Mohan, Vice-Mayor Fruen, and City Council Members,
I am a Governing Board Member in the Cupertino Union School District (currently President),
and I am writing on behalf of myself. I am asking that you approve the Lawson protected bike
lanes. As a long time resident of our school district, and a long time employee and board
member in CUSD, I believe that the safety of our children should be a top priority.
Please send a signal to residents that you care about the safety of our children, that the
approved city plans are a ‘roadmap’ you are using, and that you wish for a greener future.
I ask that you approve the bikeway. Thank you.
Best,
Phyllis
Phylis Vogel
408-314-0785
Pgvogel@gmail.com
Typos courtesy of my iPad
From:Pamela
To:City Council
Subject:Lawson Bikeway
Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 1:02:55 AM
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Dear CityCouncil,
I'm a parent with a child currently attending Lawson Middle School. I do encourage my child
to walk/bike to school but surprisingly he chooses to walk. I do believe that if there's a safer
bike route for my child, he will choose to bike instead. Also many times when I drop my child
off to school, I do encounter kids needing to cut across the street in the middle of the block
which makes me question the safety for our biking kids. Please support the current proposal
for a safer Lawson Bikeway.
Thank you,
Pamela
From:Seema Lindskog
To:City Council; City Clerk
Subject:Walk Bike Cupertino supports the Vision Zero Plan and the Lawson On-street Bike Path
Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 12:27:18 AM
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Respected Mayor Mohan, Vice-Mayor Fruen, and councilmembers,
I am writing today as the Chair of Walk Bike Cupertino.
Walk Bike Cupertino supports the draft Vision Zero Plan. We request that the City Council
vote to adopt the plan on Tuesday July 9th. It is a data-driven, thoughtful and comprehensive
plan. We fully support it and urge the council to adopt it as written.
I want to commend the staff for their excellent work. While some of our neighboring cities
have adopted Vision Zero plans that are just a few paragraphs in length, our city's staff created
a high quality and complete plan that will serve us well for the next 16 years. It includes a
data-driven analysis of high injury corridors and intersections, a comprehensive toolbox of
available infrastructure and policy options, a detailed action plan, and specific performance
metrics to track our success. The community was given multiple opportunities to participate in
the process and provide input and the input received was incorporated into the final draft.
Walk Bike Cupertino also supports the staff recommendation for an on-street two-way Class
IV bike lane at Lawson Middle School (Alternative 3). We have been backers of this project
since it was identified six years ago and we are thrilled to see it finally come to council for a
vote. It is a long overdue and much needed safety improvement for Lawson students.
The on-street bike path has received support from many key constituents - the city's Bike Ped
Commission, the CUSD district board and staff, the Lawson Principal, the Lawson PTA
President, Lawson parents, Lawson students, and community organizations such as Walk Bike
Cupertino.
The staff has done an excellent job identifying an innovative and effective solution, while also
taking into account cost and infrastructure constraints. They diligently considered every option
proposed by neighbors such as moving the bike corral to the south end of campus or allowing
students on to the exercise track. The final design for the bike path was formulated after
careful and extensive analysis and discussion. It is a well thought-through proposed design and
we urge the council to follow the staff recommendation and adopt it as written.
On a personal note, as a former Lawson Safe Routes to School parent, I have seen first-hand
the scary gauntlet that we put the cycling children at Lawson through on their daily commute.
No child should have to risk injury or death just to get to school. I'm glad and relieved that we
are finally doing something to make the Lawson commute safer for all students whether they
walk, bike, or are driven.
Thank you for everything you do for this city.
Seema
___________________________________________________________________
"You must be the change you want to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi
This message is from my personal email account. I am only writing as myself, not as a
representative or spokesperson for any other organization.
From:Sabrina Yanagihara
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:Build the Lawson Bikeway for our students
Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 11:14:50 PM
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Dear Mayor Mohan, Vice-Mayor Fruen, and City Council Members,
I am a student here in Cupertino who asks you today to say yes to building the Lawson protected bikeway. Students
shouldn’t have to face the danger of being hurt on their school commute and we should be able to walk and bike
safely to school.
Every day, students bike on Vista and Forest with cars or bike on the sidewalk with walking students, leading to
many near-misses and minor collisions. It has been six years since this project began. It’s time for the next
generation of students to not have to face these dangers.
These new on-street bike lanes will not cost our city anything. They are already funded through an Apple grant. The
other option is 10 times more expensive, we don’t have the money in our budget to build it, will require removing
some great shade trees, and still won’t solve the problem fully.
Students deserve to be safe on their way to school. This should be a top priority over extra parking. It should be easy
to weigh these two things. I hope that you agree, and vote to build this bikeway.
Thank you for reading this letter, and considering what I have to say.
From:Arnav Gokhale
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:Vote yes to build the Lawson Bikeway
Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 10:29:42 PM
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Hi,
My name is Arnav, and I attended Lawson Middle School for the last three years. I graduated
in June and will attend Cupertino High School in the fall.
I would like to request that you support the construction of the on-street protected bike lane on
Vista Drive.
I used to bike to school when I attended LMS. Biking on Vista Drive is tricky since we have to
either bike on the sidewalk with all the students walking or try to bike along with the cars on
the road.
An independent bike lane would be super helpful. We would not need to cross Vista Drive,
and it would help us get to the bike rack safely.
Please approve the on-street protected bike lane option - it can be built now and can be built
fast.
Please do everything to make biking safer for Lawson students.
Thank you for reading my email. I hope you vote yes to building the bike lane for Lawson
students.
Thanks,
Arnav Gokhale
From:Aakash G.
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:Vote yes to build the Lawson Bikeway
Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 10:06:49 PM
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Hello City Council Members,
My name is Aakash Gokhale. I attended Lawson Middle School from 2019-2021. I am
currently a rising senior at Cupertino High School.
I have been biking to school in Cupertino for the last several years. As you all know, biking to
school is a great way to get to school—it allows me to get to/from school independently.
I request that our city make biking safe for everyone. Please approve to build the Lawson-
protected bikeway.
The on-street bike lane option is a simple and cost-efficient solution. The Apple grant will
cover the cost. It will avoid the removal of any trees. It will provide a separate pathway for
everyone: pedestrians, bikers, and cars.
Please vote yes to build this bikeway and make biking safer for Lawson students now.
Thank you for considering my feedback.
Regards,
Aakash Gokhale
From:Jian He
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:Vote Yes to build the Lawson Bikeway
Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 8:00:55 PM
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Dear Honorable Mayor Mohan and City Council Members:
This is Jian He, a Cupertino resident who cares about the safety of our children and the peace
of mind of all people on the road, walking, biking or driving. I live in the Monta Vista
neighborhood. You may have heard of a recent tragedy that happened in our neighborhood
where an 11 yr old girl was killed by a car while walking from the park to her home. How
sorrowful for the family! How terrible for this driver to regret for the rest of his life!
Many parents fear for the safety of their students and so they drive their kids to school. Adding
these protected bike lanes will help parents feel more comfortable allowing their children to
get to school actively by walking and biking. Studies have shown that children who walk or
bike to school do better academically and have better social skills. It will also make it safer for
parents driving their kids to school so they don’t have to worry about a collision with a student
cycling to school.
Thank you so much for building the protected bikeway around Monta Vista High and
Lincoln Elementary. When my sons were attending schools there, they biked to school almost
everyday. It made a big difference with the protected lanes! I heard you are going to make a
decision tomorrow about the protected bikeway for Lawson Middle School. What a great
opportunity to improve the walk and bike safety for the Lawson neighborhood! Please vote
YES!
This protected bikeway is not going to take any money out of our tight budget. It is already
fully funded by Apple grant money, and will cost the city nothing to build. With our current
budget crisis, it is wonderful that we can make these positive infrastructure improvements
without affecting our budget. The city has done a considerable amount of work developing
this proposed project over the past six years and has conducted three community outreach
meetings with parents and local residents. At each of these meetings, 60-90% of attendees
voted in favor of this project design over other options.
Some residents are concerned about losing parking along the school side of the street.
However, the city’s parking analysis shows that there will still be more than enough parking
for residents and teachers after the lanes are installed, plus there are options for additional
parking when there is a heavy demand such as for school events. Parking is important, but the
safety of our students should take priority.
Thank you for your kindness and support to improve the safety on the road!
--
Blessings,
Jian
"...all things work together for good..." --- Romans 8:28
From:Sophia Chan
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:Please support the Lawson Bikeway
Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 5:59:11 PM
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Dear Respected Mayor Mohan and City Council Members,
I am a parent alumni of Lawson Middle School and am still actively volunteering there supporting the Lawson
Sports Boosters. I ask that you vote to add the protected bike lanes at Lawson Middle School.
I was one of the parents that participated in the SR2S program where we look to improve ways for students to get to
school without their parent’s cars since 2018. I am both surprised and saddened that it has taken until now, in 2024,
for us to finally bring this idea to vote and make it a reality for the community.
I’m sure you are well aware of the benefits a dedicated bike lane can provide for the community.
However, the 'what ifs’ questions the people have objecting to the bike lanes cannot never be compared to the safety
of bikers, especially the safety of children.
What we decide today, can actually safe a life.
Please understand having parking spaces close to where I have to go would be great but would give it up in a
heartbeat if it meant increased safety for bikers.
The question we should be asking is:
What if, knowing this area is currently unsafe as we have near misses of students interacting with cars, we take no
action?
What if a student is injured knowing we could have mitigated that with a dedicated bike lane?
What if a life is lost only then do we realized we shouldn’t have waited?
As a parent, I hope we never have to look back and answer these "What ifs."
Let’s take action by providing a safe place for our community to bike on.
I urge you to please vote yes. Please be on record that safety, especially for children, will always be your number
one priority.
Thank you for your consideration.
Best regards,
Sophia Chan
From:Peggy Griffin
To:David Stillman; City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:2024-07-09 City Council Meeting Agenda ITEM4 Lawson BikewayQQ
Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 4:55:03 PM
Attachments:2023-03-16 Mtg2 Presentation-Lawson Bikeway.pdf
P15of 52 - 2023-03-16 Mtg2 Presentation-Lawson Bikeway.pdf
P40of52 - BOLLARDS 2023-03-16 Mtg2 Presentation-Lawson Bikeway-2.pdf
P15of 52 - PARKING ANALYSIS-2023-03-16 Mtg2 Presentation-Lawson Bikeway.pdf
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PLEASE INCLUDE THIS EMAIL AND ALL ATTACHMENTS IN WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS FOR
THE ABOVE MEETING AGENDA ITEM.
Dear Director Stillman and City Council,
Now that you changed the use of state funds for road maintenance to allow it to be spent on
the Stevens Creek bikeway, it frees up “other money” to be spent on this project at the cost of
the maintenance of our roads! Our roads are visibly deteriorating, especially the heavily used
roads.
I have attached the following files:
3-16-2023 Meeting2 Presentation to the public
3-16-2023 Parking Analysis from that presentation
NOTE – They DID NOT COUNT CARS ON THE WEEKEND! They assumed zero except
those that are regularly parked over night.
3-16-2023 Bollards picture from the presentation
I have several questions regarding this project:
Type of “vertical separation”…
Q1: What exact type of “vertical separation” will be used? Please provide a picture.
In the meetings with the public they were vertical bollards, NOT CONCRETE! I have attached a
picture of what was presented.
Public access to CUSD Parking Lots…
No where in the Staff Report or attachments does it indicate that the public is permitted to
park in the CUSD Maintenance Lot at the south end of the Lawson field or in any of the Lawson
parking lots.
Q2: Where is there an agreement with CUSD to allow this after 4pm and on weekends and
holidays?
Community Meeting #2
Lawson Middle School
Bikeway Feasibility Study
March 16, 2023
Project Information
•Project Website
cupertino.org/lawsonbikewaystudy
•Project Manager
Cherie Walkowiak
Email:cheriew@cupertino.org
Ph. No.: (408) 777-7609
How to Participate Today
By Phone:
Raise hand: dial 9
To unmute: dial 6
On Zoom:
Type question or comment in the Q&A
Raise hand to ask a question or comment
Poll #1
Who is attending today’s meeting?
a)Student (past, current, future)
b)Parent (past, current, future)
c)Live along Vista Dr (opposite school)
d)Live elsewhere in the neighborhood
e)City/CUSD/School Staff
f)Other members of the public
Agenda
•Project Overview
•Study Process/Timeline
•What we’ve Heard
•Field Observations, Data Collection, Analysis
•Alternatives
•Next Steps
Project Overview
•2016-2017: Citywide School Walk Audit identified
need to improve bicycle safety at Lawson
•Lawson student biking grown from 3% in 2016 to
17% in 2022
•2018-2022: Conditions and options explored by
City / School / District / PTA / Parents
•2022: City contracted with Hexagon to take a
fresh look at conditions and options by
conducting this feasibility study
Study Process/Timeline
20
2
2
20
2
3
Collect & Analyze
Data
Community
Meeting 1
Nov. 10, 2022
Stakeholder
Input
Feb 9, 2023
Alternatives
Development
We are
here!
Community
Meeting 2
Mar 16, 2023
Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr to Jun
Community
meeting #3,
BPC, City
Council
TBD
Present Data &
Alternatives
Preferred
Alternative
What we’ve heard –Community
Meeting #1
•Considerations for potential improvements:
–Need to consider bikes + pedestrians + parking + drop
off/pick up operations
–Safety concerns occur in a narrow time window
•Data collection considerations:
–A lot of bike activity on Lazaneo/Forest
–Vehicular traffic operations on Blaney
–Wednesday data collection (trash day)
•Other issues:
–There are illegal vehicular movements
–Coordinate with CUSD, Apple
What we’ve heard –Stakeholder
Meeting
•Concerns with bikes/peds cutting through the CUSD
parking lot.
•Generally supportive of the study’s direction and the
alternatives.
Field Observations
•Conducted for two days
(Tuesday + Wednesday) in
November 2022 during
drop-off and pick-up times
•Observed conflict points
for i) bike/pedestrian, ii)
bike/vehicle, iii)
vehicle/pedestrian
•Understood bicycle travel
patterns, parent drop-off
locations/behaviors
Observed Conflict Areas
Peds and bikes sharing
the sidewalk
1
1
Bikes observed on sidewalk
Observed Conflict Areas
Peds and bikes sharing
the sidewalk
1
1
2
2 Bicycles making wide
turns, weaving across
vehicles to cross
22
Bikes observed on sidewalk
Path of bike travel on street
Data Collection
•Bike/Ped/Vehicular
turning movement counts
at nearby intersections
and School driveways
•Hourly parking counts on
a typical school weekday
and a Saturday
Intersections counts Parking Counts
Data Collection Findings
•Vehicles
•Low volumes (<200 vehs/hr each direction) on
adjacent streets
•Pedestrian
–High ped volumes (>100) south and north of the bike
cage
•Bikes
–High bike volumes (>30) south of Vista bike cage
–Low bike volumes (<10) north of Vista bike cage
Time of Day On-Street Parking Analysis-
Vista Drive
0
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40
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60
70
80
7:00
AM
8:00
AM
9:00
AM
10:00
AM
2:00
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3:00
PM
4:00
PM
5:00
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8:00
PM
9:00
PM
10:00
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11:00
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12:00
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Weekday Weekend
School pick-up time
Alternatives Analysis
•Developed three improvement alternatives
based on:
–Field observation
–Data collection
–Community input
Alternative 1
Bike Route and Sharrow Signage and
Pavement Markings
•Design Features
–Bike Route signage
–Sharrow signage
–School zone warning signage
–Speed table on Vista Dr. in
front of bike cage
–Median on Forest Ave at
Vista Dr.
Source: Aerial Imagery
Source: Aerial Imagery
Install
raised
median
Install shared
roadway bicycle
markings
Install bike route
signage
Install speed table to
slow vehicle speeds
Install bike route
signage
Alternative 1
Bike Route and Sharrow Signage and
Pavement Markings
•Pros
–Low cost
–Increased awareness for
drivers
–Reduce vehicle speeds
•Cons
–Bike/Ped/Vehicle conflicts
not addressed
Alternative 2
Two-way Mixed-Use Trail To Replace Existing
Sidewalk
•Design Features
–14’, two-way, continuous,
mixed-use trail
–Bike crossing
enhancements at
intersections
–Wayfinding/Signage
Bike crossing
enhancements
Two-way
Mixed-Use trail
Source: Aerial Imagery
Bike crossing
enhancements
Remove existing sidewalk and landscaping and build 14’
multiuse path (10’ path + 2’ shoulders on each side)
Bike crossing
enhancements
Currently
With Alt 2
With Alt 2
Currently
Move light pole
Trail can be placed between curb
and fence. ~6’ landscaping can be
retained
Narrow travel lanes to
fit a 12’ multiuse path
Remove some
existing trees
35’
Rebuild
Driveways
Bike crossing
enhancements
Alternative 2
Two-way Mixed-Use Trail To Replace Existing
Sidewalk
•Pros
–Get bikes off Vista Dr. and
Forest Ave eliminating
bike/veh conflicts
–Wide multi-use trail
accommodates bikes and
peds
–Retain parking
Alternative 2
Two-way Mixed-Use Trail To Replace Existing
Sidewalk
•Cons
–Higher Cost
–Removal of trees
–Relocate utilities (incl.
parking lot light)
–Rebuild driveways
–Move curb to narrow lanes
Alternative 2A
Two-way Mixed-Use Trail To Replace Existing
Sidewalk with RRFB at Vista/Forest
•Design Features
–Same as Alternative 2,
except mixed-use trail
starts at Forest Ave/Vista
Dr.
–RRFB at Forest Ave/Vista
Dr.
Install RRFB
Source: Federal Highway Administration
Alternative 2A
Two-way Mixed-Use Trail To Replace Existing
Sidewalk with RRFB at Vista/Forest
•Pros (compared to Alt 2)
–Ease of construction
–Straightforward bicycle
facility
–Less intrusion on CUSD
property
Alternative 2A
Two-way Mixed-Use Trail To Replace Existing
Sidewalk with RRFB at Vista/Forest
•Cons (compared to Alt 2)
–Alt 2 provides better
protection for WBL
turning bikes
–Alt 2 gets bikes off the
street sooner
Alternative 3
On-street Two-Way Class IV Bike Facility
•Design Features
–8’+ 3’buffer, two-way,
Class IV bike facility
–Bike crossing
enhancements at
intersections
–Wayfinding/Signage
Bike crossing
enhancements
Class IV Bike
Facility
Source: NACTO
Bike crossing
enhancements
8’ two-way class IV bike path with 3’ buffer and vertical
separation
Bike crossing
enhancements
Remove parking on one-side
Remove parking on one-side
29’
8’ two-way class IV
bike path with 3’
buffer and vertical
separation
Remove parking
on west side
Remove parking
on west side
Bike crossing
enhancements
Alternative 3
On-street Two-Way Class IV Bike Facility
•Pros
–Low cost
–Eliminates bike/veh and
bike/ped conflicts
–Does not require removal of
trees/relocating utilities
•Cons
–Removal of Parking on one
side of Vista Dr. & Forest Ave.
Alternatives Recap
Alt 1: Bike Route and Sharrow Signage and Pavement Markings
Alt 2: Two-way Mixed-Use Trail To Replace Existing Sidewalk
Alt 2A: Two-way Mixed-Use Trail To Replace Existing Sidewalk with RRFB
at Vista/Forest
Alt 3: On-street Two-Way Class IV Bike Facility
Characteristics Alt 1 Alt 2 & 2A Alt 3
Addresses bike/ped/veh conflicts ++++++++++
Relocate utilities --
Remove trees --
Removal of some on-street parking spaces ---
Cost to implement (order of magnitude)$$$$$$$
‘+’= pro; ‘-’= con
Study Process/Timeline
20
2
2
20
2
3
Collect & Analyze
Data
Community
Meeting 1
Nov. 10, 2022
Stakeholder
Input
Feb 9, 2023
Alternatives
Development
We are
here!
Community
Meeting 2
Mar 16, 2023
Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr to Jun
Community
meeting #3,
BPAC, City
Council
TBD
Present Data &
Alternatives
Preferred
Alternative
How to Participate Today
On Zoom:
Type question or comment in the Q&A
Raise hand to ask a question or comment
By Phone:
Raise hand: dial 9
To unmute: dial 6
Poll #2
Which alternative is your 1st preference?
A: Bike Route and Sharrow Signage and Pavement Markings (Alt 1)
B: Two-way Mixed-Use Trail To Replace Existing Sidewalk (Alt 2)
C: Two-way Mixed-Use Trail To Replace Existing Sidewalk with RRFB
at Vista/Forest (Alt 2A)
D: On-street Two-Way Class IV Bike Facility (Alt 3)
E: No Change
Poll #3
Which alternative is your 2nd preference?
A: Bike Route and Sharrow Signage and Pavement Markings (Alt 1)
B: Two-way Mixed-Use Trail To Replace Existing Sidewalk (Alt 2)
C: Two-way Mixed-Use Trail To Replace Existing Sidewalk with RRFB
at Vista/Forest (Alt 2A)
D: On-street Two-Way Class IV Bike Facility (Alt 3)
E: No Change
Poll #4
Preferred format for Community Meeting #3.
A)Zoom (same as today)
B)In-person
C)Hybrid
Poll #5
Preferred time for Community Meeting #3.
A)6:30 pm (same as today)
B)Start earlier (6:00 pm)
C)Start later (7:00 pm)
Time of Day On-Street Parking Analysis-
Vista Drive
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Weekday Weekend
School pick-up time
It seems the least they can do since they are going to NO EFFORT to do anything to help the
situation.
Getting sports equipment onto Lawson field for soccer, etc.
Coaches, particularly soccer coaches have heavy equipment they haul around for practices
and games. They park right by the open gate to unload their equipment. There was talk of
opening up the gate at the south end of the Lawson field for access from the CUSD south
parking lot on Forest Ave.
Q3: What provisions have been made to accommodate these sports teams other than parking
far away and hauling their equipment?
Safety of pedestrians
Pedestrians seem to be at the bottom of the list when it comes to safety improvements. When
walking the sidewalk along Lawson Middle School, there are constantly overgrown city tree
branches and CUSD landscape bushes blocking the walkway for pedestrians. If you look at
the street-side of the trees where the bikeway will go, it has the same problems. Often
branches hang low enough to brush the tops of cars parked along the curb.
Q4: What plan is in place to REGULARLY (not every 7-8 years), trim the trees and landscape
bushes along the perimeter of Lawson for the safety of PEDESTRIANS and cyclists?
Sincerely,
Peggy Griffin
Source: NACTO
From:The Invincible Dummy
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:Lawson Bike Path
Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 4:36:04 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Respected Mayor Mohan, Vice Mayor Fruen, and Council Members,
I used to be a student at Lawson, and I biked to school every day. Each day, I would have to
weave in between cars, getting closer than reasonably safe, and I almost had several accidents.
This bike lane would ensure that no one would get hurt simply traveling to school, and more
people feeling safer to bike would mean fewer cars on the road, which in turn makes it safer to
bike. For everyone, this lane has benefits, and I believe it's in the city's best interest to install
it.
Thank you for your time,
Samil Lindskog
From:Nicole Phan
To:City Council
Cc:Cupertino City Manager"s Office; City Clerk
Subject:Please Support the Lawson Bikeway!
Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 4:06:11 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear Honorable Mayor Sheila Mohan, Vice-Mayor JR Fruen, Councilmembers and staff,
My name is Nicole, an alumnus of Monta Vista High School and a lifelong resident of
Cupertino.
Today, I am writing to express my strong support for Lawson Bikeway and all safe bike
routes and infrastructure. I was a senior at MVHS when the shocking news broke out of a
younger Monta Vista student dying due a vehicle accident while biking to school. It was a
terrifying story and truly a tragedy – one's worst nightmare coming true. Everyone was shaken
up and our school held a vigil. The community channeled their heartbreak into quickly
mobilizing and demanding for cement dividers to create a separated and safer path for bikers.
The community historically supports safe biking infrastructure as so many people utilize this
separated bike lane on McClellan Road to get to school and for leisure. We need more of this
type of safe bike infrastructure everywhere in the city, especially near our schools. Safe bike
routes to school not only reduce car usage but will also save lives. Parents will see the biking
infrastructure and know that their child has a reliable and safe method of active transport to get
to class. This will only create a healthier, stronger community.
City parking studies also show that even with the reduction in adjacent parking, the supply of
parking spots will still be adequate for neighbors and teachers.
Please do the right thing and support the Lawson Bikeway.
Thank you for your time,
Nicole