Draft Environmental Impact Report now available
By
Marven E Norman
Posted: 2015-02-05T10:00:00Z
On Monday, the City released the Notice of Availability for the Draft Environmental Impact Report that has been prepared pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act for the Cimarron Ridge project in Menifee. The comment period will be open from this past Monday, February 2, until March 18, 2015. Unfortunately, it appears as if everything that we mentioned in our previous comments that were submitted for the Notice of Preparation has been completely disregarded. The project plans still call for bikes to be crammed to the curb in bike lanes next to roads carrying too much traffic going way too fast. That is unacceptable for many different reasons and is the type of provision for bike that has claimed several lives in the City already.
We are calling for the City of Menifee to do the right thing and make sure the developer follows the City's own Goal C-2, which calls for "a bikeway network that facilitates and encourages nonmotorized travel" [emphasis added]. Unfortunately, the failure to include any protected bikeways, especially along the high-speed and high-traffic arterials means that the project as currently proposed will not create a bikeway network that encourages people to do so and would be out of compliance with Goal C-2.
It is time for that style of building and wanton disregard for the safety of vulnerable road users such as bicyclists to end. We all need safer streets and it will take us all to accomplish them. Take the time today to jot down your thoughts in support of protected bikeways for this project instead of the plan to cram bikes to the curb. Your voice is important and is crucial for keeping more people from having to die.
Comments can be mailed to the following address:
City of Menifee
Attention: Russell Brady, Contract Planner
29714 Haun Road
Menifee, CA 92586
(951) 672-6777