Exactly what is it going to take to get the attention of the California Department of Transportation? Local government officials think they know, and they're stealing a famous line from Uncle Sam when they say, "We need you!"
Caltrans is responsible for the construction and maintenance of the ribbons of roadways and highways that spread out like a web throughout the state. But in the aftermath of two fatalities on Highway 9 in recent months, no stretch of roadway in the state is more important than that nearly four miles of asphalt that connects Los Gatos and Saratoga, by way of Monte Sereno.
The dangerous highway has long been a concern for Monte Sereno Mayor Erin Garner and the rest of that city's council members, but the need for safety considerations was emphasized by the tragic deaths of James Dein and Gina Loveday.
Dein, a cyclist, was killed and his cycling partner, Ted Aberg, was seriously injured when they were run down by a drunken driver in February. Then last month, Loveday was struck by a car and killed.
The tragic deaths have local officials crying enough is enough. Since Caltrans has not shown enough interest in the roadway to put forward dollars to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety, Monte Sereno has decided to take the lead.
City Manager Brian Loventhal, Garner and the other council members will be taking a leadership role in hopes of making safety improvements become a reality on that scenic stretch of roadway.
Monte Sereno has applied to the Valley Transportation Authority for a bicycle project grant that could lead to the construction of a special bike lane on the highway that would provide a safe separation for cyclists and pedestrians from the cars, many of which travel at excessive speeds.
Now the city just needs some help. This safety plan requires money, more than even the grant—if accepted—will fund. So Monte Sereno needs Los Gatos, Saratoga and Santa Clara County to step up and vote their support, which could include a monetary donation. And the city needs members of each of the communities that share the roadway to write to their state officials and urge them to convince Caltrans that this is an important project.
The Los Gatos Weekly-Times commends Monte Sereno for its leadership role in this crucial plan, and we encourage the councils in Los Gatos and Saratoga, as well as the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, to join the effort. What's more, we urge members of the community to call and write to their local legislators—State Sen, Bruce McPherson (senator.mcpherson@sen.ca.gov, 831.425.0401), Assemblywoman Rebecca Cohn (Assemblymember.Cohn@assembly.ca.gov, 408.369.8170) and Assemblyman Joe Simitian (Assemblymember.Simitian@assembly.ca.gov, 916.319.2021)—to stress the importance of this plan.
After all, stealing a line for an Bob Dylan song, "how many deaths will it take 'til [we] know, that too many people have died?"
