Skid Row: Cyclists who regularly ride on Blanco Road say adjacent farms are responsible for the most hazardous conditions, like mud and debris tracked from fields onto the shoulder. The Farm Bureau argues high winds caused by passing trucks pose the biggest danger. Photo by Nic Coury.
Road Rage
Farmers weigh in against county’s planned Blanco Road bike lane as funding times out.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
On a 44-degree November morning, county Public Works staff set up a counting station on Blanco Road just west of Davis Road. From 6am to 6:30pm, they tallied six bikers and one pedestrian. The few bikers who traverse a 5-mile stretch of Blanco between Marina and Salinas will become the beneficiaries of a bike lane on the highly trafficked road – if the farming and cycling communities reach a compromise this month.
That’s when a $200,000 award from the California Department of Transportation times out, two years after the Transportation Agency for Monterey County won the grant and the county Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to move forward. The project involves widening white stripes along shoulders from 4 to 6 inches and posting signage, steps designed to increase motorist awareness and make biking safer.
But after a TAMC presention to the Monterey County Farm Bureau’s board in August, Farm Bureau President Norm Groot wrote a letter to TAMC, saying growers view bike lanes through ag land as a liability.
“This situation will only foster a litigation-rich environment,” Groot wrote.
Farm owners and operators whose properties abut roads with planned bike paths say potential dangers to cyclists include heavy and wide vehicles that extend into the shoulder, and pesticide exposure.
“Chemical drift is a very real possibility being so close to these fields,” Groot wrote. “While farmers take every precaution to ensure that drift does not occur, the reality is that not all conditions can be controlled.”
In response, Supervisor Lou Calcagno asked the county Public Works Department to hold off on the Blanco Road project. On Nov. 15 the county supervisors directed Public Works to create a working group to bring bikers and farmers together.
The group met Nov. 30, after the Weekly’s deadline, to try to hash out a recommendation. They’ll have to work fast: If there’s no agreement by Dec. 13, the last Board of Supervisors meeting of the year, the county will have to return the $200,000 CalTrans award, including $28,000 already spent.
“We see [Blanco Road] as a key commuter route, and deemed it as one of our most important projects,” says Kaki Cheung, a planner at TAMC. She says the agency has considered alternate routes, like Reservation Road to Davis Road, but they probably wouldn’t allay growers’ concerns: “Wherever we go in that area, it touches farmland.”
Phil Yenovkian, a member of the working group who commutes by bike from his Seaside home to northeast Salinas, takes issue with growers telling cyclists to find other routes. “That’s like saying to the farmers, ‘Go to Iowa,” he says. “It’s not a little farm road, it’s a major arterial route.”
Calcagno says the ag community should have been invited to weigh in back in 2009, when the bike lane was approved without public discussion. “Something like this would never have happened in the Carmel Valley area or the Peninsula,” he says.
Yenovkian contends it’s just dirty politics, and ag idled for two years just to get leverage. “The farmers are the 1 percent, and the rest of us are the 99 percent,” he says.
Groot says he’s surprised his letter got traction so late in the process.
Cheung is hopeful stakeholders will compromise, citing Napa and Sonoma counties as case studies of successfully integrated bike routes and farmland.
In the meantime, cyclists keep riding on the Blanco shoulder where, bike lane or not, they contend with pesticides, traffic and mud.
Comments
If cyclists were getting sucked in by trucks and crushed by ag equipment I think they would be the first to stop riding Blanco Road. Looks like the farmers just want to keep spreading mud on the road and spraying pesticide on people, which affects more than just cyclists by the way. And if bike lanes aren't built on Blanco exactly where should they be built?
I strongly question the bicycle count done by Public Works. Was it raining? How and where was the count made? Was it done by one of those rubber hose devices (which you can ride around or maybe not even reach if you turn first)? Anyway, there are tons more supporters for the bike lanes than the few farmers that own property there. Look at the signatures on this petition - http://www.change.org/petitions/monterey-county-board-of-supervisors-build-our-bike-lanes-on-blanco-road?share_id=uTydhPCYxF&;
The farmers complain that if bike lanes are built, more cyclists will use their bikes to get around. Well isn't that the point? What is their beef over this? How is it going to impact them if we make the road safer? We need to being our tax dollars back to Monterey County and improve that road. The project involves a lot more than just painted lines and signs. It will improve the intersection at Davis and Blanco and improve the asphalt too.
What's this baloney about the farmers not being asked? Do we have to get their permission for everything now? Besides, what does that have to do whether this is a good idea or not? Bottom line is, we have the money and it is cheaper to build the bike lanes now than to not build them. Sounds like the farmers want to punish the rest of us for not kissing up to them.
Thank you for covering this story. It makes sense that, with the volume of information we are all faced with daily, some in the farm community were unaware of the proposed Monterey County Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. As reported in the Monterey County Herald on June 10, 2011, TAMC urged public input. That same message was also conveyed in the “Local Bike News” section of the BicyclingMonterey.com website, beginning in November 2009.
So, where are we now? My parents farmed, and I have many friends in agriculture, so I am especially attuned to the unique challenges of farmers. Among the benefits of creating Class II bike lanes on Blanco Road, thereby increasing the numbers of bicycle commuters, there is a benefit for farmers. Most bicyclists are keenly aware of what’s happening alongside the bikeways. This makes the presence of more cyclists along Blanco an asset to those with farmland here, because cyclists can serve as a “neighborhood watch” for these farmers. (Cyclists typically carry cell phones and can quickly phone in a tip if they see suspicious activity, such as a theft-in-progress of ag equipment, or trespassers who could contaminate a field.) See “Neighborhood Watch by Bike” at http://www.bicyclingmonterey.com for examples of the effectiveness of such vigilance in our county.
Other benefits of Blanco bike lanes are encouraging this transportation option for students and staff traveling to CSUMB from Salinas, or peninsula residents traveling to Hartnell. Check in with Hartnell instructor Frank Henderson, a League of American Bicyclists safety instructor, about this bike commute.
There are also numerous others who reduce the motor vehicle traffic on Highway 68/Monterey-Salinas Highway by bike commuting. Ask Jan Valencia, the Velo Club Monterey’s Answer Man and a Salinas business owner who bike commutes from his Seaside home daily and knows firsthand that Class II lanes on Blanco would be a great alternative to biking Highway 68.
Yet another advantage: Class II bike lanes would encourage more touring cyclists to consider that there is much more to Monterey County than just the coast! By heading inland to experience the Salinas Valley, these visitors will carry away a new appreciation for the Salad Bowl of the World, as well as leave tourism dollars behind in Salinas and other inland communities.
With much respect for the contributions of Monterey County agriculture to our county and far beyond, I ask our Board of Supervisors to go forward with the approved, funded bike lanes on Blanco Road.
It seems that the Monterey County Farm Bureau's main concern is for the safety of cyclists. That should be commended. However, as a League of American Bicyclists Instructor and bicycle commuter that has ridden Blanco Rd. over 5,000 times in the last 10 years, I would like to point out that about 70% of the cycling fatalities nationwide occur in urban areas. Rural areas only account for 30%. If you are truly concerned with the safety of cyclist, you should be promoting bike lanes on Blanco.
I drive on Blanco every day. If not the farmers cutting you off it is other motorists. Cyclists using this and adding a bike lane is just an accident waiting to happen. I'm pretty sure it going to happen. This is going to be another "blood alley" just like the road they use to have on the way to San Jose.
This is in reply to "Unbelievable". If farmers and other motorists are cutting you off than you have another problem that you should contact the CHP about. Accidents involving cyclists are extremely rare on Blanco, I think only one in the past 5 years. So where do you think the bike route between Salinas and the Peninsula should go? Are you going to be like the farmer that said all bicyclists and cars for that matter too should use Hwy 183 in Castroville to go to Salinas? What makes you think that the ag industry isn't going to fight that one too? This argument by the farmers that the bike lanes should not be built out of concern for cyclist safety is just a big ruse. In fact, they would move all of us off the road but have your tax dollars pay for it, so they can continue to cover it in mud and spray pesticides in whatever manner they choose. That might have worked 50 years ago but it is now almost 2012. Time to bring Monterey County into the 21st Century!
In response to Goodsense. Why not Hwy 68? I see cyclists on that road all the time. Blanco Road is crazy! Traffic back up most of the time. On top of everything else wrong with this road. They need to widen the Blanco Road first before even thinking putting a bike lane. Like widen it three lanes on each side. That makes sense, don't you think?!
Unbelievable, can't you just accept the opinion of experts who cycle on Blanco every day and the professional engineers that design our roads? It was stated at the last Supervisor's meeting that Blanco was our best bet. A project to improve Hwy 68 was proposed at one time and it was killed by the farmers. Get the picture? The farmers run this county with an iron fist. The project on Hwy 68 would have cost many times more than Blanco Road because it is inherently unsafe as the shoulder does not meet minimum width requirements at several locations. So are you going to pay for it? We have the money to improve Blanco NOW! And why do you think a student in Salinas should cycle down HWY 68 on his way to CSUMB? How would you like it if all car and truck traffic was diverted to Hwy 68? We need several routes between the Peninsula and Salinas. Blanco is ready to go now, so lets build it, that is unless you want to keep Monterey County in the dark ages under the Lord and Serf system where the farmers call all the shots. Other people live here too you know.
Do you get the picture? Blanco Road needs to be widen before even putting a BIKE LANE on this stretch of road! Do you get it! People have opinions!! I HAVE MINE!!!
You are more than welcome to your opinion. Never questioned that. Just remember that you are in the tiny minority and that statistics show Blanco Road is safe. Not sure why you are having such a hard time out there. While I'm at it, Blanco Road was slated for a Class I bike lane back in 2001 but that would have involved taking some of the farmers land by emminent domain and who do you think fought that? So if you think Blanco is going to be widened to three lanes each way you are dreaming.
So then what makes you think putting a Bike Lane in on Blanco Road would make it safe then? If they are not even thinking of widening the road first! Like I said before " an accident waiting to happen". Need I say more? You are dreaming if you think this road is safe for a Bike Lane!
Geez, I give up and not because you are right. Here are some references you should read before you make any more statements. Most people understand this. Remember, you are the 1%:
A review of 23 studies on bicycling injuries found that bike facilities (e.g. off-road paths, on-road marked bike lanes, and on-road bike routes) are where bicyclists are safest. Reynolds, C., et al., 2009 The impact of transportation infrastructure on bicycling injuries and crashes: a review of the literature, Environmental Health, 8:47
When protected bike lanes are installed in New York City, injury crashes for all road users (drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists) typically drop by 40% and by more than 50% in some locations. Wolfson, H., 2011 Memorandum on Bike Lanes, City of New York, Office of the Mayor, 21 March 2011
In a survey of Bay Area residents, pedestrians, drivers, and bicyclists all named bicycle lanes as the top traffic safety improvement for a major urban corridor. Sanders Carlton, R., 2011 "We all want the same thing: Results from a roadway design survey of pedestrians, drivers, bicyclists, and transit users in the Bay Area," University of California Transportation Center seminar, 6 May 2011
Seventy percent of Americans say that having bike lanes or paths in their community is important to them. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 2010 2009 Omnibus Household Survey, U.S. Department of Transportation, in Transportation Statistics Annual Report 2010, 7
According to a government survey, almost half (47%) of Americans 16 and older say they would like to see more bike paths, lanes, and trails in their community. Royal, D., and D. Miller-Steiger, 2008 National Survey of Bicyclist and Pedestrian Attitudes and Behavior, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
When the city of Seattle removed car lanes and added bike lanes to its Stone Way North street, the volume of cyclists increased 25%, motor traffic on adjacent streets declined 12-34%, speeding decreased 80%, and collisions dropped 14%. City of Seattle Department of Transportation Stone Way N Rechannelization: Before and After Study
After two streets in Minneapolis were converted to be more bicycle friendly, bike traffic increased 43%, total vehicle crashes decreased, traffic efficiency was maintained, and parking revenues remained consistent. City of Minneapolis, 2010 Hennepin and 1st avenues two-way conversion leads to fewer crashes, better access
Major streets without bike facilities are where the most bike crashes happen, followed by minor streets without facilities, bike paths, and then bike lanes. Moritz, W., 1997 Survey of North American bicycle commuters: Design and aggregate results, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 1578, 91-101
Blanco Rd is a Public Roadway. CVC 23114 http://dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc23114.htm (b) (1) Aggregate material shall only be carried in the cargo area of a vehicle.
CVC 23114. (a) Except as provided in Subpart I (commencing with Section 393.100) of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations related to hay and straw, a vehicle shall not be driven or moved on any highway unless the vehicle is so constructed, covered, or loaded as to prevent any of its contents or load other than clear water or feathers from live birds from dropping, sifting, leaking, blowing, spilling, or otherwise escaping from the vehicle.
Debris on the Public Roadway is a Public Safety Hazard.
if it were the trash truck spewing refuse along the roads, the dumping of debris would probably be enforced.
however the dumping of debris (mud and dirt) along Blanco Rd is not enforced, to the extent that it often times goes all the way to the center line.
Debris on the road way is a public safety hazard, for both motorists and cyclists alike.
bicyclists have the right to use all public roadways. the debris along Blanco Rd is a safety hazard to the extent that a user group such as cyclists are advocating action to ensure Public Safety and Community Wellness.
Class II bike lane gives cyclists a definitive lane, which by law would be free of debris, and the motorized equipment which sheds all that mud.
My point is that its illegal to dump debris on a Public Roadway, its a Public Safety Hazard, Bicyclists have a lawful right to the roadway, and Bicyclists are the up close and personal, indicator species of our transit lifestyle, whom are championing our Legal Rights as Citizens.
Devian Gilbert
Thank you to the Monterey County Board of Supervisors for reaffirming (in a 4-1 vote) our county's commitment to improving local bicycling infrastructure, benefiting both residents and visitors.
Thanks also to local bike advocates for sharing info about the Blanco Road bike lanes project with other cyclists, the Supervisors, and the general public. Please stay engaged; visit the BicyclingMonterey.com website's "Bicycle Shops, Services, Clubs, and Resources" page (under Resources tab) and the "Local Bike News" section for suggestions on how to stay plugged in.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID