Daly City looks at slowing speeders

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Aug 8, 2007 | by Christine Morente

DALY CITY -- Speeders who drive up and down Mission Street could potentially have to ease up on the gas.

During a study session Monday, the City Council discussed lowering the speed limit on the artery to protect pedestrians from drivers who exceed the speed limit.

"Mission Street is just a race track for people, and it invites that," Mayor Maggie Gomez said. "When somebody is on an intersection, (drivers) are supposed to stop. They don't abide by the law. I've observed that."

Since 2000, four people have died along Mission Street in hit- and-run accidents. Three were pedestrians, said Daly City Police Capt. Mike Edwards.

The major thoroughfare that stretches from Colma to the San Francisco County line is a state highway, and lowering the speed limit needs to be approved by Caltrans.

Mission Street connects with El Camino Real, which is currently part of the Grand Boulevard initiative that would turn the highway into a boulevard connecting Daly City to San Jose.

At the meeting, plans to improve Mission Street and John Daly Boulevard's streetscape also were revealed.

The project -- expected to be completed in late 2009 -- includes building a pedestrian transit plaza, having more bus shelters, wider medians and widening sidewalks at the corners of crosswalks.

It was Daly City Councilman Sal Torres who suggested making the Mission Street speedlimit 10 mph lower than what is posted now. From Colma to Wellington Avenue in Daly City, the speed limit is 30 mph. North of Wellington to the San Francisco line, it's 25 mph.

"We're trying to create a climate of service there," he said. "Lower the speed limit so cars can slow down enough to look for parking. People whizzing by won't notice the businesses there."

Lauren Wonder, spokeswoman for Caltrans, said the idea of lowering the speed limit is probably being discussed as part of the Grand Boulevard concept along Mission Street. However, the transit agency needs to do a speed study first.

In the meantime, to make the area safer for people, a lighted crosswalk was installed on Mission Street and Alp Avenue. Another is expected to go in at the end of next week at Mission Street and Evergreen Avenue, Edwards said.

Similarly, in Millbrae, speeding is an issue along El Camino Real. Mayor Marc Hershman said that instead of looking at slowing down traffic on the highway, they've taken another approach to making it safer.

Currently, they are waiting for Caltrans to authorize putting a lighted crosswalk on Millwood Drive, and making a new signalized intersection at Victoria Avenue and El Camino Real. Another red- light camera may also be installed, this time on Millbrae Avenue and El Camino, Hershman said.

The other red-light cameras are at Millbrae Avenue and Rollins Road.

Still, Gomez recommended that they meet with other city officials to act as a united front to convince Caltrans to lower the speed limit.

"If we band together as cities, we're going to do OK, and we'd have a better chance," she said.

Staff writer Christine Morente covers faith, families and North County. She can be reached at (650) 348-4333.

or at cmorente@sanmateocountytimes.com.