The following are letters written into the editor of The Pilot for the March 2010 issue. Letters can cover a wide range of topic and often are concerning local issues discussed in previous issues of the paper. 

Why STOP at Cringle ?

On Marine World Parkway there are 10 intersections between Hwy.101 and Shearwater. All 10 have either a stop light or 4-way stop signs.

On Redwood Shores Parkway there are 11 intersections between Hwy.101 and Shearwater. All EXCEPT ONE have either a stop light or a 4-way STOP.

That one exception is at Cringle Drive.

We have a significant problem with speeding along Redwood Shores Pky in the stretch between Bridge and Marlin. It is the one stretch where vehicles can get “up to speed”.

The larger problem is that vehicles are not stopping for pedestrians trying to cross Redwood Shores Pky at Cringle. There is no sidewalk on the south side of Redwood Shores Pky where there is an access to the levee trail off of Cringle. There have been several “near misses” at that crossing with vehicles not stopping for pedestrians in the crosswalk. RSCA has several times expressed its concern to the City about the potential “accident waiting to happen” at that intersection.

One other problem is that residents who live on or just off Cringle simply can not make left turns during rush hour. They are forced to take back streets to either Marlin or Bridge in order to make that turn.

When the RSCA Board of Directors first raised this issue with the City in late 2007, the estimated cost of adding four (4) stop signs was less than $4,000. Instead the City has spent well over $20,000 on a seldom-working “warning” sign that was supposed to protect pedestrians AND track vehicle speeds on that section of roadway. That money has been totally wasted as none of the problems at that intersection have been addressed.

RSCA is committed to maintaining the high quality of life in Redwood Shores, and our highest quality of life concerns must be the safety and health of Shores residents. We have a significant problem with speeding and the danger to pedestrians at Cringle and Redwood Shores Pky.

We should not wait for a fatal accident before fixing this problem.

Again, every other intersection — 20 out of 21 — between 101 and Shearwater already has a stop light or 4-way STOP. In balancing pedestrian safety against the 10-15 seconds of inconvenience to vehicle traffic on Redwood Shores Pky, we must choose safety. The only solution we see is a 4-way STOP at Cringle.