Politics & Government

Residents Voice Concerns Over Cherry Lane Left Turn Plan

Walden area neighborhood speaks out at public hearing on proposal to allow left turns from Treat Boulevard onto Cherry Lane

Residents along Cherry Lane told an advisory committee on Tuesday evening that a plan to allow a left turn onto their road from Treat Boulevard would make an already unsafe neighborhood even more dangerous.

"You can't put all these cars on Cherry Lane," said Doug Carlberg, who's has lived in the area since the early 1970s. "This is a neighborhood street. Treat it like a neighborhood."

Carlberg was one of about 30 Walden neighborhood residents who attended a public hearing before the Contra Costa Centre Area Municipal Advisory Council.

The panel advises the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors on issues related to the neighborhood. The five council members present did not make any recommendation on Tuesday night.

The topic of the hearing was a proposal to allow left turns from the westbound lanes of Treat Boulevard onto Cherry Lane. Left turns have been prohibited there since 1988.

Contra Costa Supervisor Karen Mitchoff is considering asking her fellow supervisors to approve a plan to allow the left turns once again.

John Muir Medical Center is requesting the left turn because it is opening an outpatient clinic in mid-January at southwest corner of the intersection. They expect 400-500 patients a day to visit the offices. Bank of the West, the previous occupants of the building, had about 800 employees there.

"it's a difficult site to get to right now," said Michael Monaldo, the hospital's vice president of facilities development and corporate real estate.

Monaldo told those attending the hearing that the hospital is listening to their concerns.

"My goal is to come up with a win, win," he said.

Mitchoff told residents the same thing. She said she hasn't made a final decision on whether to push forward on the left turn.

She added she wants to consider traffic mitigation measures on Cherry Lane whether or not the left turn is allowed.

The assurances did not soothe those at the meeting.

They said the left turn would encourage commuters to use Cherry Lane as a thoroughfare from Treat to Ygnacio Valley Road.

They said their 22-foot-wide street is a rural road with blind curves and homes that are close to the road. The Contra Costa Canal Trail also crosses Cherry Lane on one of those curves.

Cars, they said, already speed down their street and the left turn will make that situation worse.

"Come stand by my house and watch the cars come flying by," said one woman. "It's appalling that this is even being considered."

"We're just going to open up a commuter lane on what is a rural road," said Sheldon Stenberg, a Cherry Lane resident. "I can't believe that's our solution."

Other residents said some homeowners have already resorted to putting large boulders in their front yards to keep cars from hitting their houses.

Others pointed out the opening of the John Muir clinic will bring extra traffic from people who are using Cherry Lane to travel from Ygnacio Valley Road to the facility.

Mike Ross Smith warned elected officials that the Walden neighborhood is a powerful region that won't hesitate to try to replace one or more supervisors.

"So, listen up and listen to the community," he said.

On Saturday, Walden area residents stood at the canal crossing on Cherry Lane and talked to trail users about the proposal. They collected 400 signatures against the plan.


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