Walnut Creek Neighborhood Fighting To Save Its Residential Road

It's not often residents get up in arms over a left turn.

But the folks who live in the Walden District neighborhood of Walnut Creek are signing petitions, attending meetings and basically raising a ruckus over just that.

What they are upset about is a proposal by Contra Costa Supervisor Karen Mitchoff to remove the left-turn restriction from westbound Treat Boulevard onto southbound Cherry Lane.

They say allowing the left turn would encourage commuters and other drivers to use Cherry Lane and other neighborhood streets as a shortcut to Ygnacio Valley Road.

Part of that route is used by parents and schoolchildren to get to Walnut Creek Intermediate School.

"This will have a huge impact on our neighborhood," said Patty Purvis-Thielman, a board member for the Walden District Improvement Association. "Drivers will use this road as a through-put to Ygnacio Valley Road."

Purvis-Thielman and others stood at the intersection where the Contra Costa Canal bike trail crosses Cherry Lane from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

They handed out leaflets, got petitions signed and talked to cyclists, runners and walkers. They also urged passers-by to attend the 5 p.m. Tuesday meeting of the Contra Costa Centre Municipal Advisory Council meeting where the issue will be discussed.

Mitchoff said the left turn restriction was put in 20 years ago when the Contra Costa Centre offices and stores were being built at the Pleasant Hill BART station.

She said it was never meant to be permanent. People just got used to it after it was there.

The impetus for her proposal to remove the restriction was the opening of the John Muir Medical Center offices at the corner of Treat and Cherry.

She said center employees were driving up to Jones Road and making U-turns to get to work.

"When you prohibit people from going down one road, you move the problems to another road," said Mitchoff.

Mitchoff added she has a responsibility to everyone in the region.

"I know they don't like it and they don't want it, but I have a responsibility to all taxpayers who pay for roads," said Mitchoff. "I know I'm taking on a hot potato, but my job is to look at everybody's position."

The Walden neighborhood resident say Mitchoff has not consulted with the city, the intermediate school or the advisory council.

"She's not done her due diligence on this issue," said Purvis-Thielman.

They add traffic data shows 1,000 cars a day now use Cherry Lane, a 22-foot wide road with a number of blind curves.

They say Jones Road is much better equipped to handle higher volumes of traffics and cars that push the speed limit.

The decision ultimately belongs to Mitchoff. She promises to look at all the data and listen to all concerns before deciding.

She'll probably hear plenty when she attends the Tuesday evening advisory council meeting.