All the recent talk about Bicycle lanes on two of Wildomar’s streets was greeted as a sign that Wildomar is doing what it can to make the city a more sustainable place to live.
I say Bull.
Spending $2 million dollars adding more impervious asphalt to the side of an existing road then painting lines on the road, which they will then call a safe place to ride is nothing more than spending taxpayer money on a feel good endeavor. Furthermore a comment made by one City Council member that the shortfall from the SB 821 BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES PROGRAM funds granted for this project will be made up by local Measure A funds totaling $608,160 is an incorrect use of Measure A funds, ORDINANCE NO. 02-001 (Measure A) allows for the addition of bicycle lanes only in conjunction with major road improvements, such as adding lanes to an existing road and or the construction of a new road. To use Measure A funds only for the addition of a Bikeway is improper and will lead to challenges from numerous entities.
The fact that Wildomar has usable space on the Murrieta Creek which takes bicyclist, horseback riders and hikers off of the roadway giving the citizens a truly safe place to transect the city accessing schools, shopping, employment (be prepared for a long ride) along with a place to recreate although just as costly is;
Number 1. more environmentally friendly, as pervious surfaces can be used eliminating a majority of the runoff which on the streets is going to require numerous bioswale’s to be constructed ( a requirement of the Regional Water Quality Control District whenever more than 5,000 sq. ft. of impervious surface is part of a construction project), see photo 1 of what a bioswale should look like, Photo 2 is a diagram of Riverside Counties Water Quality Management Plan requirement for a bioswale and Photo 3 is what one looks like in the local Riverside County area, without irrigation local bioswales are non-existent and non-functional.
Number 2. reason (history) many of the homes along Grand Avenue place their trash cans at the edge of the asphalt which will require trash trucks to utilize the bikeway to access these receptacles breaking down these bike lanes which the city claims will last 20 years with no maintenance, as no funds are provided for maintenance of the lane or the bioswales.
The Heartache will come when increased usage of this bikeway does not happen and maintenance cost sky-rocket and the Lawsuit’s will come with the improper expenditure of Measure A funds.
