READER'S EDITORIAL: 25 SECONDS

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By Jim Lundquist

November 28, 2017 (Alpine) - There is a new campaign underway in Alpine to make our community safer and quieter for all residents.  It’s called the “25 Seconds” campaign. 

Most of us live in Alpine for the peaceful, small town feel here in the mountains.  Unfortunately, Alpine roads were originally laid out many decades ago with many tight curves and hills.  As Alpine grew, the roads didn’t improve.  There are many blind curves and driveways on our roads, without the benefit of shoulders or paths for pedestrians to walk out of the roadway.

In addition, our area is very popular with bicyclists as both locals and regional riders pass through our community.  All of these uses come together on our roads – and often time’s crashes occur and people feel unsafe on our roads and don’t risk the healthy walk or bike ride we should be taking.

Our crash rate on many of our roads is over three times the state average.  Without spending multiple millions of dollars to widen and straighten our roads, install bike lanes and sidewalks - which many of us don’t necessarily want – the easiest way to make our community better is a simple one – SLOW DOWN.  Slowing down will reduce the crashes, reduce the noise, and make walking and bicycling safer for everyone including our children walking to and from their bus stop.  It will also make it easier for our neighbors to exit their driveways and side roads. 

The main roads throughout Alpine are about two miles until you reach an access road to the freeway.  The difference in time between averaging 40 mph and 35 mph for two miles is 25 seconds!  The campaign believes that you, your neighbor, your children and your neighbor’s children are worth the extra 25 seconds it will take if you simply SLOW DOWN and enjoy one of the main reasons we all live in Alpine.  The Alpine Community Planning Group held two public meetings and unanimously endorsed the 25 Seconds campaign. 

We encourage you to take the extra 25 seconds to slow down on our roads and invite you to join in by posting a 25 Seconds sign in your front yard.  We need to make all drivers on our roads aware that we value our lives, we value our neighbors and we love living in Alpine and remind them to take the extra 25 seconds as they drive through – because we are all worth it. 

If you’d be willing to join in this cause by both slowing down and posting a sign, please contact the Alpine Community Planning Group Circulation Subcommittee Chair Jim Lundquist via email at JimLundquistACPG@gmail.com.  Through education and reminders, we believe we can make Alpine safer for everyone.  Our thanks to Lou Russo for donating the signs.

The views in this editorial reflect the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of East County Magazine. To submit an editorial for consideration, contact editor@eastcountymagazine.org.


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