Cyclist Serves 'Dangerous Conditions' Notice to City

As the City of Belmont continues its traffic study of Ralston Avenue, and a petition calling for stricter safety measures* along the city’s main thoroughfare continues to gain signatures, a local cyclist has served a notice of dangerous conditions to the city attorney.

Highlighting gaps and bumps along the Ralston Avenue bike lane, and other road hazards, cyclist Robert Page says the existence of dangerous conditions exposes the city to liability should the conditions contribute to the injury of a cyclist.

The notice, which was served to Belmont city attorney Scott Rennie on June 15, points out conditions on city property near the top of Ralston Avenue that prevent cyclists from riding close to the curb.

 “Under California Government Code Section 835.2, you are hereby placed on actual notice of a dangerous condition on public property,” reads the notice sent to Rennie.

Specific locations cited in the notice include: Eastbound and westbound Ralston Avenue between Hallmark Drive and Christian Drive in Belmont.

Page gives the following as a description of the dangerous conditions from observations made between March 5 and June 13, 2013:

“Gaps between the asphalt surface in the right lanes of the roadway and the concrete gutter, and humps in the asphalt abutting the concrete gutter. The gaps and humps on this signed Bike Route can cause a cyclist riding close to the right edge of the roadway to lose control of the bicycle and fall.”

Page included photos of the areas he says are dangerous. Click on the photos above for a description of each.

*To view the above mentioned "Make Ralston Safer for Pedestrians, Cyclists and the Elderly" petition, click here: http://org.credoaction.com/petitions/make-ralston-safer-for-pedestrians-cyclists-and-the-elderly