The primary concern is the stretch of Highway One from just north of the Marshall Petaluma road junction, south to Tony's; this is a map that has overlays and annotations that we can edit.
Consider extending the area of primary concern to south of the 35 MPH zone by the Marconi boat launch area.
The primary concern is that all — drivers, cyclists, pedestrians — should have a safe and pleasant experience. Some of the 'danger areas' where these populations mix appear after long apparently-empty straight stretches and gentle bends (notably approaching Marshall Store from the south).
Specific concerns:
- The Marshall-Petaluma road junction is invisible around a bend as drivers approach from the south, and some speed up as they perceive that they have passed Hog Island. (See photo below).
- There is a lot of parking, cars backing into the roadway, and pedestrians walking along the roadway to/from parked cars, around the main commercial establishments: Hog Island Oysters, Marshall Store, and Tony's. (Also at Nick's, out of this area).
- High vehicle speed is a key safety issue; large trucks have been seen going up to 60 mph by Marshall in the mornings and during the day.
A separate issue is that the road edge is collapsing (topsoil erosion) along a stretch of Highway One south of the Marshall store (see map for marker).
- Cause drivers to pay more attention and take more care, and slow down.
- Enable cyclists and pedestrians to use the road while staying in their own safe(r) areas.
- The dangerous pedestrian queuing along the road to shop at the Marshall Store will soon be improved, through moving seating indoors etc.
- Marshall Store nonetheless also uses rope to separate people lining up, from the roadway.
Overall: the suitable use of an effective amount of signage and road marking that will achieve the goals. We are aware that if signage gets excessive, drivers stop paying attention.
- Improve the white-line edge-striping so that it's visible. In some parts (e.g. past Hog Island parking) it has worn away completely.
- Replace the missing LED display 'your speed' as you approach the Marshall-Petaluma (MP) road junction from the north.
- Keep the grass mowed on the MP junction corner to ensure that drivers exiting the MP road can see.
- The hillside vegetation opposite Hog Island on the highway blocks vision going north, and should be trimmed regularly. We think Caltrans is responsible, though it's possible we can ask for help.
- Install white stripes across the road, with decreasing spacing, to induce drivers to slow down (visual, not audible, 'rumble strips')
- approaching the MP junction after rounding the last bend
- approaching the Marshall Store/Post Office area
- Install signs "Pedestrians in Roadway Next 1 Mile" at those same two locations
- Install a sign "Blind Intersection" just south of the MP junction, facing south
- Move the "T" sign at that location so it is more visible (see image below)
- Fix the broken signs (e.g. the posts opposite the MP junction have been driven into and are broken)
- Consider pedestrian crosswalks, partly to convince drivers to slow:
- at the north end of the Hog Island parking, as people park both sides there;
- other places where people park both side on Highway One (e.g. Nick's Cove?);
- other places where we want to give drivers a visual clue that there are pedestrians – notably Tony's Seafood.
- Consider center-of road plastic flexible poles at the pedestrian crossings
- Consider edge-of-road plastic flexible poles on the road-edge white line in places where pedestrians typically walk
- by Hog Island Oysters west-side parking (outside their building)
- by the Marshall store (both north and south)
- Better separate cyclists, pedestrians, and motor vehicles by suitable markings (e.g. pedestrian or cycle lanes where space is available).
- Cause motor vehicles to slow down by giving the perception of a narrowing in the driving lanes.
- Review the proposed signage plans from Caltrans.
- Contact the owners of the major establishments to find out what their concerns, past requests and actions, and hopes are.
- Refine the Concerns, Goals, Ideas
- Then meet with Caltrans and other appropriate officials to get their ideas, plans, and timelines.
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At Hog Island Oysters looking north
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The collapsing road edge south of the Marshall Store.
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Caltrans proposed signage plan. These may be helpful in interpreting the labels:
- The California Sign Specification Drawings index
- The Manual of Traffic signs W1-series for W1-1a, W1-6
- The Cross-reference of MUTCD and CA codes for W2-2
- The Manual of Traffic Signs W16-series for W16-2ap
The proposed sign improvement plan is uploaded in PDF form.
Some example documents on street planning and traffic calming: