Petition for a Safer Ralston Ave. Gains Traction

A recent bicycle-auto crash on Ralston Avenue has added steam to outreach efforts by a former Belmont man who would like to see some safety improvements along Ralston Avenue for cyclists and pedestrians.

Mike Swire has started a petition to urge Belmont City Council to modernized Ralston Avenue. The petition is in response to the increasing number of accidents, injuries and deaths along the city’s only east-west thoroughfare. Although he no longer resides in Belmont, Swire does bicycle through the town recreationally.

According to the San Mateo Daily Journal, 461 people have signed the petition so far. Swire intends to submit the petition to Belmont City Council at the next meeting June.

To read petition, click here.

"Six months ago an elderly woman died trying to cross Ralston. In the past three weeks, two cyclists have had major accidents.  Many more accidents go unreported and don't make it into the press.  Why is this level of danger acceptable for our families? If we had a monthly homicide or assault in our neighborhoods I am sure there would be swift action from the City Council.  This situation should be no different," Swire told Patch.
In his petition, Swire states, “We believe that Ralston Avenue should be more than just a freeway between 101 and 280.  It is the heart of Belmont and thus should reflect the kind of community in which we choose to live and raise our children.”

Swire told the Daily Journal that he started the petition after a friend was struck while crossing Ralston Avenue. 

He adds that average speeds along Ralston Avenue reach 45 mph and he hopes the city will reduce the speed limit 25 miles per hour in all sections. Swire is also concerned about crosswalks, which he says there are not enough of them in areas where people need to cross, such as between Starbucks and Walgreens. A woman pedestrian was struck and killed near Walgreens in December 2011.

And at certain points, Swire says, bikes lanes are pushed onto sidewalks shared with pedestrians.

"'Cars come first' is not a solution to making Ralston safer or less crowded.  How many cars could be taken off of Ralston if we made it more hospitable to pedestrians and cyclists?" asked Swire.

For more information, or to read the petition, go to http://org.credoaction.com/petitions/make-ralston-safer-for-pedestrians-cyclists-and-the-elderly”   

Do you think Ralston Avenue is unsafe for cyclists and pedestrians? Is there one section of the roadway that is more unsafe than others? Tell us in the comment section.