Quick Take
Avid biker Dan Arias takes issue with a recent Lookout op-ed criticizing balusters on Soquel Avenue as dangerous for cyclists. On the contrary, he says, officials should be praised for finding ways to separate bikers from traffic. He makes a plea for more such efforts, particularly on Soquel Avenue.
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Lookout recently published an op-ed criticizing the bike lane improvements along Soquel Avenue. I disagree with this assessment. I think the work, particularly on Soquel Avenue, is wonderful.
I am a longtime road and electric biker. I typically ride my road bike once or twice a week from Midtown to the UC Santa Cruz campus and out to Gordola on Highway 1. I try to use my electric bike for errands to the various markets in town, Trader Joe’s, Shopper’s Corner, Whole Foods, Safeway, etc., and to go to my doctor’s appointments.
These days, I avoid Soquel Avenue, particularly during the afternoon rush, because there are too many cars going too fast and not paying attention. When riding my bike, I assume cars don’t see me, and I have had occasion to avoid cars turning right in front of me and impinging on the bike lane. When I go to Shopper’s Corner from Midtown, I usually take Broadway to avoid Soquel heading west and then ride Soquel heading east.
On my road bike trips to the UCSC campus, I ride west on Water Street, where I appreciate the bike lane barrier on the hill west of Branciforte Avenue to Ocean Street. This is exactly the kind of barrier I would desire on Soquel Avenue between Capitola Road and Front Street.
I notice the barrier has been built east of Capitola Road. I think it is wonderful. I believe the smashed uprights are evidence of the carelessness of a few drivers who are either inattentive or are having trouble staying in a lane. To me, this is very telling, since a smashed upright could easily be a smashed bicyclist.
I also like the pedestrian crossing with the flashing lights. This allows more places to cross Soquel Avenue, both as a pedestrian and with my bicycle. Even so, there are occasions when drivers ignore the lights and stopped cars and drive through the crosswalk as I cross, so I am always vigilant as I cross to make sure that drivers are stopping.
The pedestrian crossings without flashing lights are even more hazardous.
I applaud transit officials for trying to improve the situation. I think it is important to have a positive separation between bicycles and vehicular traffic. In places like Amsterdam, cars, bikes, and pedestrians have their own dedicated paths and can move confidently within their path without worrying about conflicts and interference from users of other paths.
I believe it is an excellent goal to encourage people to ride their bikes and reduce vehicular traffic. I applaud efforts to improve public transportation, i.e., bus service. However, as it currently stands, I feel unsafe riding on Soquel Avenue.
Having a separation will make me feel safer, as I do on the Water Street stretch. Putting more flashing lights on the crosswalks will make it easier to get to the other side of Soquel Avenue. I am open to supporting suggestions that will make the roads safer for bicycles, but so far I do not think anyone has a better answer than the current plan.
Dan Arias arrived in Santa Cruz in 1979 to work for the University of California. Since then, he worked as a software engineer for various companies until his retirement in 2023. He currently volunteers with the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County Literacy Program, the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), and does a little trail maintenance with the Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship (SCMTS).