We, the undersigned residents of San Leandro, request that the City Council act immediately to re-open Lake Chabot Road temporarily to alternating one-way traffic while repairs are being done and to permanently fix the Road for two-way traffic for the following reasons: 

• PUBLIC SAFETY PREPARATION FOR HIGH FIRE RISK 

• LAKE CHABOT ROAD IS A CRITICAL EVACUATION ROUTE FOR 3500 RESIDENTS

• GET TRAFFIC OUT OF BAY-O-VISTA’S STEEP & DANGEROUS RESIDENTIAL STREETS

• GRANT MONEY IS AVAILABLE TO REPAIR EVACUATION ROADS

A. HIGH FIRE DANGER:

• Bay-O-Vista is the only neighborhood in the City that is designated as either high or very high fire danger by CalFire.  There are more than 900 homes with over 3500 residents located in our neighborhood, most of which is located on a hillside with very steep, twisty, winding streets.  It is the highest elevation in the City and can get hurricane-like winds.  It was built in the 60’s and was landscaped with highly flammable juniper, rosemary and pine trees.  These flammable and overgrown plants are found throughout the neighborhood.  

B. LIMITED ESCAPE ROUTES IN THE EVENT OF EVACUATION:

• In an emergency evacuation due to fire or earthquake, it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for all of the residents in Bay-O-Vista to traverse down steep hills to Benedict where there will only be two streets to exit the neighborhood: Grand Avenue and Estudillo.  In a panicked evacuation, there will be traffic jams up all these steep streets and particularly where they all converge onto Benedict.  We need all avenues of escape open to residents as you never know when disaster may hit.  This is a critical threat to public safety!

C. LAKE CHABOT ROAD IS AN IMPORTANT ARTERIAL ROAD – STOP UNSAFE TRAFFIC THROUGH BAY-O-VISTA: 

• There were 3500 vehicles a day that used to drive on Lake Chabot Road between San Leandro and Castro Valley.  Now they are driving through Bay-O-Vista which was not designed or intended to accommodate this diverted traffic.  Too many vehicles are now speeding down the steep, winding streets in Bay-O-Vista making it unsafe for residents, damaging the roads, and increasing crime in the community.  This important arterial road that has existed since the 1950’s needs to be opened temporarily to alternating one-way traffic and then permanently repaired.

D. TEMPORARY FIX/OPENING OF LAKE CHABOT ROAD:   

• We want the City to open Lake Chabot Road NOW with a temporary fix that was suggested by City Engineering the first time the Lake Chabot Road repair challenges were presented to your City Council Facilities & Transportation Subcommittee:

• Create a safe alternating one-way passage on Lake Chabot Road;

• Use bollards to designate the safe passage through the one-way lane;

• Set up temporary, moveable light signals coordinated at each end of Lake Chabot Road to alternate which direction traffic should flow;

• Place one signal well before Astor Drive to discourage vehicles from driving through Bay-O-Vista;

• Place the other signal before Sandelin Drive to allow safe egress for Lake Chabot Road and Chabot Terrace residents.

This is the easiest, least expensive, most expedient and safest temporary alternative until funds can be secured to make a permanent fix of the road.  The wait for alternating traffic will keep speeders off the road and will make it safer for residents who live downhill on Lake Chabot Road beyond the locked gates.  It can be a pilot program that can be modified as needed.  

E. STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO PERMANENTLY REPAIR LAKE CHABOT ROAD

• There is infrastructure money available to repair roads      
• Large grants are available if the City designates Lake Chabot Road as an important evacuation route in the event of wildfires (which it is)!