HomeMy WebLinkAboutPA2017-228 Comment 38b_05022019_SchmittFrom: Jerry Schmitt <JerrySchmitt@cox.net>
Sent: Thursday, May 02, 2019 10:49 AM
To: Zdeba, Benjamin
Subject: 4302 Ford Rd Project inadequate for trucks and safety hazards
Ben,
Per our conversation yesterday, I disagree with the city’s conclusion that this project can safely
accommodate trucks provide turnaround without using the Bonita Park parking lot for unloading and for
turn-round.
The city would be taking on too much burden and liability….it has no obligation to ensure Hines makes
money. It duty is to the safety and unrestricted use of the park by the residents of Newport Beach.
Even the turnaround radius at the end of Ford Rd is usually significant reduced was that is prime parking
for the park specially with the lot is full which it is a lot on weekends and in the summer.
It will be a lot worse for delivery trucks backing out of the project as they will be turned the wrong
way! If the above took 2 forward and backwards attempts to navigate the turn with a favorable angle,
trucks backing out will probably take 4, or use the city Park. Large moving vans will not fit on the
property, nor able to turn around at this point when cars are parked here, the best spots on the
street. The only options will be to retract their route and back down Ford Rd or use the city Park lot for
the turn around.
The project entrance flawed design is very dangerous to children, adults, bikers, and other vehicles (see
photos below). To leave the project, cars will have to emerge underground with no visibility of potential
kids in their path……they will have to over accelerate to get up the ramp on a curve….at the top of the
ramp the cars will have a tendency to surge onto the sidewalk until the driver can adjust the speed
which may be too late as kid or bike appears with limited visibility and not enough time to react.
Delivery trucks also use this entrance/exit. Trucks Must Back Up to get out…while going uphill….on a 90
degree curve road with blind spots…looking out for cars going up or down the ramp…..over the side walk
and main bike path (the students use this to go to and from CDM HS) …… looking out for oncoming
traffic Ford Rd…while watching for outgoing traffic from the Park!!! The city would be reckless to
expose the city to the liability of negligently approving a hazardous design at the Park entrance with a
high probably of injury or death.
The turnaround on Ford Road at the entrance to Park may look to have amble space, but with cars
parked on the street the radius is greatly reduced. Recently I was a trunk who could not make the turn
and had the stop and back up twice to make it around. See below photo.
Bicyclist are probably at higher risks considering the speeds of the bike and car speed making reaction
time after the blind spots a split second to avoid a collision. All it takes is for the bike to quickly swerve
causing them to lose balance, or catch a wheel, or apply too much pressure to the wrong brake and
crash to the pavement. The bike trail passing the project entrance is a main thoroughfare through the
area and is used by the kids who walk and bike to CDM HS. Bikers from outside the area passing
through that may not know of the hidden death trap may be at even higher risk.
The project can only accommodate one small-medium delivery vehicle at a time. What will the other
trucks do while waiting for the truck to get done and back out? It is 150 feet just to get to the elevators
and garbage cans from the single truck parking area therefore no delivery or pick up will happen
quickly. With 21 units, delivery vehicles such as Amazon, UPS, US Mail, FedEx, garbage, moving, Uber,
Pick-Up-Stix, pet groomers, water, pizza, etc will be constant. What will happen when someone is
moving in or out and the moving van is using the only parking spot blocking deliveries for 3-5 hours?
The typical larger moving van will not fit anywhere on the project….do they unload at the closest street
parking (if its open at the time) which is over 310 feet from the elevator, or the logical place for them to
park and unload is in the Park through the pool area which is half that distance to the elevator than the
nearest street parking spot?
Amazon and trucks like these will be trying to back out without hitting kids or cars….But now they are on
the road facing the wrong direction and need to go back-and-forth 180 degrees or more to make the
turn, or go through the park.
Note: In the above picture, a small vehicle is challenged making this turn when there are cars parked on
the street.
With a shortage of about 25 car parking spots, more cars will have to park in the Park lot or on the street
making the above photo a daily possibility.
Where is this picture will all the construction trucks and trailers park during construction???
In conclusion, this project should not go forward unless it is redesigned so that it can accommodate a
typical large moving van (this will allow 2 smaller trucks to park there when the van isn’t
unloading). The larger van and other trucks are able to turn around on their property (not the city park)
so that they can drive out forward and reduce the change of injury.
This project is too dangerous to the community and a liability to the city unless a redesign can fix them.
https://ktla.com/2017/08/23/family-files-lawsuit-against-newport-beach-trash-hauler-driver-after-8-
year-old-boy-fatally-hit-by-truck/
Jerry Schmitt