Letter: Filbert St. crosswalk in the crosshairs

The pedestrian crosswalk at Filbert St. and Route 1 may become a thing of the past as plans to resurface the highway there force the city to re-evaluate the walkway there. In speaking with Deputy City Manager Paul Nagangast about the crosswalk at Filbert St. this last week, he pointed out that the crosswalk was giving some people a false sense of security.

Appropriately enough, a few days earlier, while prudently waiting at the western end of the crosswalk with my bicycle for a break in the traffic, I watched in amazement as one male pedestrian walked defiantly past me, and without even a pause, took off across the highway amid the oncoming cars. Almost with a death wish, he stuck his palm in the air and proceeded on, undeterred, as one car swerved around him and the others behind it were forced to abruptly reduce speed.

Nagagast indicated that a number of options were on the table, but since any traffic light at that location was not in the immediate future, it would be safer to remove the crosswalk. Since many pedestrians and cyclists use that crossing, they would still be allowed to cross there and also further south at Poplar; there just wouldn’t be a crosswalk. This author would like to see at least the cabling for a pedestrian light put down before the road is resurfaced.

The public is invited to provide written or verbal comments by
August 1st to the City Engineer at 726-8260 or by writing:
Paul T. Nagangast
Deputy City Manager
501 Main St.
Half Moon Bay CA 94019

Frank Long