Opposed Resident Speaks, Over 25 Residents Denied The Opportunity To Also Chime In At December 10, 2019 Meeting.
At the December 10th City Commission meeting, Alhambra resident Silvia Pinera-Vasquez spoke in opposition to the Alhambra Bike Project. The personal appearance drew over 40 residents who wished to speak on the matter in addition to Pinera-Vasquez, both in favor and in opposition.
Each group respectively wore stickers on their shirts which clearly stated their position on the project.
Mayor Raul Valdes-Fauli on several occasions announced that this was a personal appearance only for Ms. Pinera-Vasquez and that no other residents would be allowed to speak on the matter at the meeting. No other sitting commissioner made a motion to overrule the mayor’s decision. Residents were visibly upset with the commission as they left the chambers after taking time out of their workday to be there.
At the same time, at a prior commission meeting, Valdes-Fauli has made his opposition to changing the character of the city and outlined concerns with bike paths throughout the city.
The mayor announced that early 2020 he would call for a meeting at 5pm to accommodate the residents and discuss the item at length. The mayor even suggested a larger venue seeing that the commission chambers were overflowing and standing room only.
You can read a lengthy and comprehensive letter from Pinera-Vasquez here.
You can also read an annotated rebuttal by resident, bike and pedestrian advocate and transportation board member, Deborah Swain here.
We have reached out to the city for information on when the next meeting regarding the Alhambra Bike Lane would take place and will provide an update as soon as we receive that information.
Click Here for Speaker Cards made part of the record.
Just to add that pedestrians & bicyclists do not obey the signs. They run red lights They are on their cell phones. Buy the time they jay walk you’ve missed your light
They also don’t obey the cross walks they go in front of cars and you almost hit them.
I live on an adjacent street to Alhambra and am in favor of both continius uniform sidewalks and a bike path. I ride bike often and really have to watch out where to go. I see many families running out of sidewalk and having to push strollers on the street and around tree roots, both very dangerous. Coral Gables should do all it can to facilitate healthy living and facilitate the movement of people.
It would be fantastic to have at least a sidewalk of similar wide from Bird Road to San Rafael.
It is time for Coral Gables residents to embrace a healthy life style with more walking, jogging and bicycling; and less driving. It will contribute to people having less stress, less cholesterol and less heart diseases. It all start by making it easy and safe for people to walk, jog or bike. Bike paths and sidewalks are the way to go.