It’s become a tale as old as time. Cities propose new infrastructure to make roads or streets safer for all road users, and the plans are watered down or scrapped altogether when businesses object…usually about the loss of parking. However, the reaction to the Mid-City Communities Plan update has turned that expectation on its head.

San Diego is currently accepting comments on the most recent draft update of its Mid-City Communities Plan; details on how to give comments are at the end of the story. A group of Adams Avenue businesses is making their voices heard, but after being organized by Bike SD they’re making a different argument: better bicycle infrastructure could help make the corridor safer, more vibrant and better for business.

“Data across the country shows that bikes mean business – safe infrastructure and the subsequent increase in cyclist and pedestrian activity brings greater spending for local businesses. Yet despite this, some of the most vocal opposition to change comes from local business associations. We are proud to organize with local businesses who understand that safe infrastructure doesn’t only save lives, it improves the bottom line,” writes Anar Salayev, the executive director of Bike SD.

In a June letter to Mayor Todd Gloria and the City Planning Department, six Adams Avenue businesses and corridor stakeholders called on the City to develop a more comprehensive vision for making the commercial corridor safer for people biking and walking.

The letter is a show of support for bicycle improvements from businesses along the corridor, particularly as the City develops a plan that will guide growth, transportation investments and public improvements in Mid-City for decades to come.

“My store is located in Kensington where there have been 2 fatalities because of the current car-centric infrastructure,” writes Katrina Oprisko of Earthwell Refill. “More families in Kensington would enjoy our neighborhood if the possibility of getting hit by a car was reduced, biking infrastructure on Adams, the main thoroughfare, will give them a safer neighborhood.  Study after study has proven this.”

Earthwell Refill, is joined by Blind Lady Ale House, Hopnonymous Brewing Co., Adams Avenue Bicycles, Bine & Vine Bottle Shop, and Seek Beer Co., in demanding better bicycle infrastructure for their street.

A plan for Mid-City’s next 30 years

The Mid-City Communities Plan Update is intended to replace the area’s existing community plan, adopted in 1998, and establish a long-term vision for City Heights, Eastern Area, Kensington-Talmadge and Normal Heights.

The City describes the update as a 30-year roadmap covering housing, transportation, parks, public facilities, open space, sustainability and neighborhood design. The plan will become part of San Diego’s General Plan and is intended to help implement the City’s Climate Action Plan.

The planning process has already involved extensive public outreach. According to the City, more than 3,000 people participated in more than 100 outreach events during the first two years of the process, generating more than 9,300 comments.

The draft plan released last month envisions significant new housing capacity in Mid-City, with approximately 30,000 additional homes possible over the next 30 years. Much of that growth would be concentrated near existing jobs, transit, schools, parks and commercial corridors.

The draft also proposes new parks and open-space connections, improvements to sidewalks and pedestrian infrastructure, additional shade trees and lighting, and improved access to public facilities.

For transportation, the plan’s goals include improved transit connections, planned Bus Rapid Transit service and a network of safer bicycle facilities, sidewalks and street crossings.

In their letter, the business stakeholders note that the draft includes mobility concepts for bicycle and pedestrian safety on many major Mid-City streets, but they say Adams Avenue is a “glaring exception.”

Businesses want a better Adams Avenue

For the businesses that signed the letter, Adams Avenue is more than a route through Mid-City. It is a commercial and cultural corridor that connects several neighborhoods and existing bicycle facilities.

The letter points to connections with Park Boulevard and 30th Street and notes that Adams Avenue is also included in SANDAG’s Regional Plan. That plan identifies the corridor as part of the regional bicycle network and includes a recommendation to upgrade an existing bikeway with a focus on safety.

“With all the shops, parks and schools it’s a highly desirable place to live and do business. The only thing lacking is its walkability and bikeability,” writes Jeff Motch, the co-owner of the Blind Lady Ale House.

Today, the bicycle infrastructure on much of Adams Avenue consists of Class III bicycle markings, commonly known as sharrows. Those markings are supposed to remind drivers that they are sharing the road with bicyclists and direct bicyclists to the safest place to ride. Riding through the point of the arrow on the ground keeps cyclists out of the “door zone” of parked cars into a place of maximum visibility for motorized traffic.

While sharrows are “better than nothing,” they are just paint on the ground…and not even paint that helps bicyclists and drivers maintain a safe distance from each other.

The businesses argue that the current configuration creates unsafe and uncomfortable interactions between people on bikes and motorists, particularly along the portion of Adams between Interstate 805 and Interstate 15. They also argue that the street’s design and width encourages motorists to travel at high speeds and that the corridor needs traffic calming.

“With dangerous intersections and the lack of protected bikeways, the Avenue can be a scary place to walk, bike and even drive,” Motch continues. “The combination of traffic that moves at way too high speeds (way beyond 25 miles per hour), sunsets that can be blinding to westbound traffic, and the lack of signals and crosswalks puts us all at risk.”

There is a parallel-running bike boulevard a few blocks south of Adams Avenue. But the businesses argue that the continued ridership on Adams itself demonstrates that people want to ride on the commercial corridor, even with its current design.

In their letter, they describe that ridership as evidence of “latent demand” for better active transportation infrastructure.

The businesses are asking that the Mid-City Communities Plan and the City’s Bicycle Master Plan recognize the importance of a safer Adams Avenue.

Rather than seeing bike infrastructure as something that could drive customers away, these businesses are asking the City to view safer bicycle access as an investment in the corridor and its businesses.

How to get involved

Read the plan

The City’s Mid-City Communities Plan Update webpage includes the draft plan, supporting documents, maps and other information about the planning process.

There is also an interactive map that allows residents to explore the draft proposals and information used to develop the plan.

The City is now asking the public to review the first draft and submit comments. Those comments will help shape the next version of the plan.

Submit comments

The City is accepting public comments on the draft through October 2.

Comments can be submitted through the City’s online comment form. Residents can also send comments and questions to PlanMidCity@sandiego.gov.

If you have specific comments to improve the plan, feel free to include them. A comment can be incredibly detailed and professional, or could be as simple as this quote from Earthwell’s Katrina Oprisko, “I and many of my customers ride our bikes via Adams Avenue stopping at the various shops and restaurants located on this corridor.  Biking infrastructure would definitely increase the number of shoppers to my business as well as the neighboring businesses. “

Attend a meeting

The City is also presenting the draft to community planning groups and other advisory bodies.

Upcoming meetings include:

• City Heights Area Planning Committee: September 14, 6:15 p.m., City Heights Library
• Mid-City Communities Plan Update Working Group: September 18, 6 p.m., Park de la Cruz Gymnasium
• Kensington-Talmadge Planning Group: September 21, 6:30 p.m., Kensington Community Church

The City will continue holding community meetings, workshops and presentations as the plan moves forward. Additional meeting information will be posted on the project webpage.

The current schedule calls for the updated plan to eventually go before the San Diego City Council, with Council consideration anticipated in spring 2027.

The post Adams Avenue Businesses Rally for a More Bike-Friendly Future as San Diego Updates Mid-City Plan appeared first on Streetsblog San Diego.