With a little help from our representatives in Sacramento, Coronado may have found a way to slow traffic along Third and Fourth Streets, between Orange Avenue and the San Diego-Coronado Bridge. Acting on a suggestion by City Councilman Bill Sandke, the council voted 5-0 to explore legislation that would allow it to install a speed camera in the corridor.
The device uses radar to monitor speed and a infrared camera affixed to a computer to recognize and record a speeding vehicle’s registration number in real time.
“Everybody [who speeds] gets a ticket,” said Councilman Mike Woiwode. Knowing that fact will change drivers’ behavior, everyone on the City Council and many people in the community believe.
“I’m in favor of exploring this idea. It’s good way to get people to slow down,” said Fern Nelson, who had campaigned against using traffic lights to calm traffic in the corridor.
It also had the support of Kim Schmid whose son Josh was seriously injured in the corridor while taking out the trash, and Dave Sweeny, a member of the Bicycle Advisory Committee, who told the council that a camera would “affect the psychology of people even if no tickets are issued.”
It doesn’t appear to have much support in Sacramento. Installation requires changing the California Vehicle Code, which currently bans the use of speed cameras.
When Schmid raised the idea of changing the law with Speaker of the State Assembly Toni Atkins she received a tepid reply. In a letter to Councilman Richard Bailey, Schmid reported that she had spoken with Atkins who told her “she would definitely consider it as an option.”
The chance of anyone even considering allowing cameras to track vehicle speed is slim. If it happens at all, it will be at the behest of the City of San Francisco. Officials there are interested installing speed cameras and hope to introduce a bill this year if they can persuade a legislator to sponsor one.
If they do find one, Tanaka recommended joining forces. “Let San Francisco carry the water, they have more clout than we do,” he said. “Our representatives in Sacramento have not gone to bat for us.”
Woiwode was more sanguine. “If it helps safety it will get done,” he said.
Other matters taken up at the meeting include:
Parking at Sharp Coronado
The council heard a report from Susan Stone, CEO of Sharp Coronado Hospital on plans to improve parking there.
These plans include: the elimination of angled parking and the traffic median on Prospect Place; loading zone consolidation; and a pull through at the front entrance to entice people to use the hospital’s free valet parking.
To free up even more parking, the hospital has registered all employee and volunteer vehicles to ensure they are not parking in spaces reserved for patients and visitors. It also arranged for 50 more employee spots a few hundred yards away at the Marriott parking structure. There are now 100 spaces for staff and volunteers at the hotel.
Forty-four people came to the meeting to give their support to the new plan, according to a count conducted by City Clerk Mary Clifford.
“It makes the hospital a better place, a safer place, a prettier place, that will not impact the neighborhood,” said Steve Duermeyer, a member of the Coronado Hospital Foundation Board.
Many neighbors were still not satisfied. David Greer supported the improvements, but said that the hospital could do more to keep hospital visitors, patients and staff from parking in front of the homes and blocking their driveways.
“The situation will only get worse as it continues to grow and expand its services,” Greer told the council. “This is a residential beach community. Do something [to help us] reclaim our community.”
Before voting unanimously to support the new plan, council members agreed that more could be done. “The hospital creates a large impact on that neighborhood and the hospital should continue to work with the neighbors to improve it,” said Woiwode.
Spreckels Center Parking
The council voted 5-0 to add five additional parallel parking spaces around the John D. Spreckels Center by adding five spaces within walking distance: two on Seventh Street across the street from the Center, two on D Avenue near the high school and just south of Olive, and one Orange Avenue in front of the Police Station.
Storm Damage Report
City manager Blair King gave an accounting of the damage wreaked by the blustering winds that swept across the region on Sunday, January 31.
Forty-five trees were lost and 20 had major limbs down.
There was damage to the community center roof. A glass panel shattered when a poolside umbrella hit it. The roof is being repaired and the glass panel will soon be replaced.
There was sand erosion along the beach in front of the Hotel Del. Winds ripped a net on the golf range. Four private vehicles were damaged as well.
Public service staff were called back to work that night to help clear away the debris and prevent flooding on the Silver Strand by manually pumping water in front of the Coronado Cays.
