New bridge on Highway 101 is pathway to Caltrain station
Q You mentioned a new pedestrian/bike bridge is coming on Highway 101 at Hillsdale Boulevard in San Carlos. Why in the world do we need separate pedestrian/bike bridges anyway?
There was one built on 101 at Marine Parkway/Ralston Avenue a few years ago and there are rarely any pedestrians or bikes on it — certainly not enough to justify the cost. There are already regular bridges at these locations, and they have sidewalks.
Why can’t pedestrians and bikes use these bridges as they have for the last 50 years? Pedestrians and bikes share all other roads with cars, so why not the same with bridges? What a waste. — Joseph Gumina, San Carlos A You think so? Local officials envision this $35 million project as a key link to offering folks a way to get out of their cars and not contend with traffic. It will allow a much safer way for pedestrians and bicyclists to get from the Hillsdale Boulevard interchange while connecting the bike lanes from the Hillsdale Caltrain station to Foster City and neighborhoods east of 101.
This bridge is the last significant segment of a 1.2mile bike lane between the Hillsdale station and the Los Prados and Lakeshore neighborhoods east of 101. The existing overcrossing is the only one in the area with the nearest crossing approximately 2 miles to the north at 19th Avenue and the Belmont overcrossing more than 2.5 miles to the south. Q I was excited to see that you chose to publish letters in response to the horrific cigarette butt problem. But …
I’m surprised no one called you out on your approval of folks who exacted revenge on the tossers. I’d suggest that approaching a car, picking up tossed ashtrays and dumping them back into the offender’s car qualifies as road rage.
Goodness. You plead with your readers to avoid even eye contact when on the road. — John LaLonde, Pacific Grove A Hmm. This one struck me as funny.
Q
My wife and I teach AARP Smart Driver Classes. Every once in a while we have a class participant who is close to or under 5-foot-2 and the question comes up - Are pedal extenders legal in California? — Ron Berube A Yes. While there is no specific height requirement to obtain a driver license, a driver must be able to locate and operate the vehicle’s functions and controls, which includes safe and proper use of the foot brake and steering wheel.
This may require the use of pedal extenders, full hand controls, and seat height adjusters. If an adaptive device is necessary to safely control the vehicle, a restriction will be placed on the driver license requiring they be installed in any vehicle the applicant drives.