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<br /> described cut-through traffic as traffic which should be on some other street. The golf course and <br /> future Spotorno development traffic should be on some other street, like Sycamore Creek. She asked <br /> Council to move forward with the bypass road. She noted when Council experimented with the <br /> constrained gateway at Sunol, a lot of traffic of North Sycamore and Happy Valley Specific Plan <br /> residents used Happy Valley Road and Castlewood Heights. That option may not be available in the <br /> future. If there is a constrained gateway at Sunol, it will only increase traffic delays. Option 2 referred <br /> to a turn only lane and many people turned onto Sycamore going to the business at the corner, turning <br /> around and getting back on Sycamore so they did not have to wait at the light. She suggested doing a <br /> special lane only if Happy Valley Road is gated, otherwise it serves no purpose. She asked if staff <br /> considered pedestrian safety when proposing road widenings? It seems the emphasis is only on <br /> moving cars. <br /> Michael Kliment, 5142 Foothill Road, referred to the widening of Stoneridge Drive south to <br /> Muirwood South. It has been in the General Plan for at least sixteen years. Originally there was a plan <br /> to widen Foothill Road due to a dangerous curve that had eight driveways on it. Four lanes was <br /> planned to allow deceleration and entrance and exit from the road. Those driveways have now been <br /> consolidated to two which enter the straight section of Foothill. The two-lane Foothill Road has plenty <br /> of capacity to handle existing traffic. The area is built out so there will be no more homes. He <br /> questioned why it was necessary to widen it to four lanes in that section. He would like it to be <br /> removed from the General Plan. His property is on the curve and he said his property would be cut in <br /> half if it was straightened and the other two property owners on the curve would also be affected. <br /> Tom Pico, 795 Neal Place, referred to comments that in 1996 the City Council and staff did not <br /> know traffic would be as bad as it is today. He said that was not true, but they did not have the tools to <br /> measure it back then. The current traffic model is the finest anywhere and provides excellent <br /> information. He acknowledged that Rose Avenue would never be extended due to the opposition of the <br /> Fair Board and property owners in the area. Mr. Sullivan asked what other options are being discussed <br /> and Mr. Pico said he worked for twelve years as Councilmember, Mayor, Chair of the Alameda County <br /> Congestion Management Agency and other transportation committees to try to get improvements for <br /> the 1-580/680 interchange including the f1yovers necessary to make it work. That is still not on any <br /> funding plan. It took years to just get it on the list of possible improvements. He was disappointed that <br /> such a need has been ignored. This takes regional negotiation and there are also other issues like <br /> Highway 84, the airport, Staples Ranch, ACE train station, and other transportation issues. He had <br /> always felt in the negotiations that pressure should continue to be placed on the 1-580/680 <br /> improvements. He believed that last "chip" in the negotiations is Stoneridge Drive. He cautioned <br /> people not to give that away at this time. He did not advocate extension at this time. He felt there were <br /> alternatives that could still be found. He advised taking the connector bridge out of the General Plan. <br /> Without that, the road could not be extended. Someday it may be possible to determine how to build <br /> the extension without affecting the neighborhood and with regional cooperation. He stressed the <br /> importance of regional cooperation and the need to look at the big picture. He supported Alternative B, <br /> constrained gateways and limiting residual demand. <br /> Kevin Close, 871 Sycamore Road, was happy to see the bypass road moved to the priority list <br /> and included in all the alternatives. He supported Alternative B because of the EI Charro connection, <br /> but would not oppose Alternative C. He reiterated his concerns about the safety of golf course traffic <br /> on the Happy Valley area roads. <br /> Joint Workshop <br /> City CounciVPlanning Commission 10 08/30105 <br />