|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Editor,
I am writing to you today with a heavy heart to urge immediate, decisive action to make Skyline Boulevard (State Route 35) and our Peninsula mountain corridors safe for all who use them. The tragic, preventable death of 34-year-old cyclist Jakub Solovsky on Skyline Boulevard has left a profound void in our community and exposed the urgent danger posed by unchecked reckless driving.
Jakub led my very first Western Wheelers Bicycle Club ride up Mt. Hamilton. As we climbed together, I had the privilege of getting to know him. He deeply impressed me with his passion for the environment and for cycling. Jakub was a bright, caring, and kind-hearted human being—he was truly one of “the good guys.” His life was senselessly cut short when a speeding driver lost control on Skyline Boulevard.
This is not solely a cycling issue. Local residents, equestrians, hikers, pedestrians, and law-abiding drivers across San Mateo County are constantly put in harm’s way by dangerous driving and high-speed motor tourism that treat these scenic mountain corridors as private racetracks.
Achieving real safety on these state highways requires active leadership and collaboration across both local and state levels. I respectfully request that you champion the following substantive measures:
- State-Level Legislation & Infrastructure: Partner with state leaders and Caltrans to prioritize speed-mitigation infrastructure, lower posted speed limits (such as implementing 25 mph zones in critical high-risk areas like Four Corners), and support state legislation enabling automated speed safety enforcement along high-risk corridors like SR 35.
- Targeted Local Enforcement: Support enhanced, sustained law enforcement patrols coordinated between the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to target reckless driving, excessive speeding, and illegal street racing.
- Inter-Agency Safety Task Force: Help form a multi-agency traffic safety task force bringing together San Mateo County, local municipal leaders, Caltrans, and law enforcement to deploy regional traffic-calming solutions across mountain passes.
We cannot afford to wait for another preventable tragedy before taking action. Thank you for your leadership and for advocating to protect everyone who lives in, visits, and travels through San Mateo County.
Jason Wong — San Mateo
Editor,
I have lived in this area for my entire 74 years and have witnessed Highway 84 changing from a quiet rural road with mostly local traffic to the racetrack it has become. The pandemic made it worse. From our house, we can hear traffic on 84 and 35, and as I am writing this, I am hearing motorcycles screaming down 84. We rarely leave our home on weekends for fear of being involved in an accident, and I fear for the safety of my family members driving these roads. How many more people need to be killed or injured before something is done about the irresponsible users of our roads?
Pam McReynolds — La Honda
Editor,
I have been road biking these routes for over a decade. In that time, I have watched conditions grow increasingly unsafe, especially on weekends when traffic volume and speeds both increase. I was personally nearly hit by a motorcyclist traveling at an extremely unreasonable speed around a tight curve on 84. This is not an isolated incident — drivers and motorcyclists routinely use these roads as a personal racetrack, and I rarely see any police presence to enforce speed limits or hold reckless drivers accountable.
I am also a mother of two young boys. I want to be here to see them grow up, and I want these roads to be safe for them, for other cyclists, and for everyone who uses them. Right now, that is not the case.
Stephanie Boyar — Portola Valley
Editor,
As an avid cyclist and a former member of the Portola Valley Bike and Pedestrian Safety Committee, as well as the founder of the Portola Valley Schools Bike Safety program through San Mateo County Schools funding, I believe our roads should be made safe for all who use them, to support healthy lifestyles and an active population. Our roads are not just used by automobiles, but also by thousands and thousands of cyclists, pedestrians, equestrians each year. This section of the Santa Cruz Mountains is one of the most populated by cyclists in the entire region, and should have a new design and safety measures in place to support this reality. The time is now — it is urgent before we have more fatalities.
Katherine Rust — Portola Valley
Editor,
I moved to the area four years ago from a bike-friendly city. I rode everywhere. I haven’t been on my road bike since moving here — driving past so many white bicycles/crosses in the first few months of living here made me hesitant to ride these roads, but the numerous additions just in the time period I’ve lived here have completely deterred me from riding. I have two young daughters, and I’d rather sacrifice the mental/physical health benefits I get from riding than risk leaving them without a dad.
Seth Solwell — La Honda
Editor,
I have lived on Skylonda Drive for 40 years. The intersection of 84 and 35 is visible from my house, it’s literally my back yard. The racing, doughnuts and beyond loud exhaust noise are unbearable. I understand a four way stop sign in the intersection is planned. Please reconsider! This will just back up traffic both ways, cars will still run the stop signs and, let’s be honest, bicyclists hardly ever stop at stop signs. And to top it off, cars are parking on 35 in both directions to go to Alice’s. There should be no parking on 35. I’ve witnessed many times cars making illegal U-turns on the blind corner, an accident waiting to happen. Please consider a roundabout with speed bumps. It will slow down traffic, keep the flow of traffic moving, and prevent a lot of serious accidents. The current noise is so bad I can’t even be outside. The night time racing is beyond control. Please do something to keep our neighborhood safe.
Donna Allen — Skylonda
