13a Action Item - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

2 EXISTING CONDITIONS San Leandro Crosstown Corridors Study 2-9 2.4 Walking Sidewalks provide space for pedestrian travel and access to corridor -adjacent uses, as well as for potential activities such as outdoor café or restaurant seating, window shopping, or waiting for transit. Key characterist ics that contribute to the pedestrian environment and affect pedestrian safety and comfort are sidewalk width, sidewalk continuity, buffers between pedestrian travel areas and vehicle traffic, and the presence of landscaping, street trees, and pedestrian-scale and roadway light fixtures. Additional characteristics include sidewalk obstructions and driveways that may have implications for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the lack of pedestrian connections between sidewalks and adjacent land uses. The following section provides an overview of the walking environment conditions along Bancroft Avenue and Williams Street. Bancroft Avenue Bancroft Avenue provides basic accommodations for pedestrians up and down the corridor. In general, community members note that high vehicle speeds make it difficult to cross the street, especially in the wider section. Many community comments also noted the need for more high-visibility and enhanced crosswalks. Key observations, confirmed through community engagement, include: • Near schools, the sidewalks are generally too narrow to accommodate large numbers of students, particularly during pickup and drop-off. There is very high pedestrian demand near San Leandro High School in particular, as students walk between classes or wait to be picked-up or take the bus. Students were observed walking in the street or waiting in the street due to the substantial number of students walking. • The pedestrian scramble phase at the 136th Avenue signalized intersection helps students cross between the High School’s main campus and the Korematsu campus on the west side of the street. This strategy could be used at other locations on the corridor to prioritize pedestrian safety and manage high pedestrian volumes. • Narrow sidewalks with rolled curbs in the southern section of Bancroft Avenue are frequently blocked by trash cans, parked cars, and other obstacles, particularly challenging for people with disabilities. They can also feel narrow when passing another pedestrian or walking side-by-side, particularly near utility poles or other obstacles. • The sidewalks can be hot in the summer with limited shade trees along the corridor. Lack of shade trees is a climate resiliency issue that could worsen conditions over time. Additionally, there are almost no bus shelters at AC Transit stops. • Sidewalk at the southern segment of the corridor sometimes is blocked due to parked cars utilizing the rolled curb to park further from the travel lane or due to obstacles like trash cans. • It can be very difficult to cross the street, especially at busy intersections like Dutton Avenue, Callan Avenue, and Estudillo Avenue. Some side street crossings have no marked crosswalks even where there is pedestrian demand. Pedestrian activity is mostly attributed to the large number of schools located just off the corridor, seniors who frequently use the corridor, and people accessing bus service along the corridor. Approximately 35 percent of students at San Leandro High School walk, bike, or skateboard to school, compared an average of 39 percent at other schools along Bancroft and DRA F T