Moffett Park’s geographical location and designation as an employment center creates unique circumstances that impact road safety. The wide roads tempt drivers to exceed the posted 35 mph to 45 mph speed limits. Multiple driveways, lack of sidewalks, crosswalks filled with pedestrians, and bicyclists weaving through the park may feel like video game obstructions but require a driver to pay attention. Add to that the increased number of cars in the area and the rise of distracted driving (and walking), the chances of accidents between cars, pedestrians and bicyclists become a sure thing. Out of these realities and concerns, MPBG brought in Sunnyvale’s Department of Public Safety (DPS) to discuss road safety.
Speed, stunt driving (i.e., popping wheelies, doing doughnuts) and bicyclists darting every direction were some main issues that have been seen by members throughout the park. Lt. Hern took in the concerns and discussed constraints that they face. Though DPS cannot come in with the cavalry to solve all issues, we were able to develop a plan to address the multiple, safety concerns.
MPBG tasked itself to identify specific behaviors, such as speeding, unsafe lane changes, etc., that are our main concerns. From there, specifying time of day and location will help DPS address specific situations in the park more efficiently. In turn, DPS will provide literature companies can use to alert their employees to the unsafe behaviors that contribute to bad road behaviors.
These steps, along with other tools, target our goal to improve road safety for all. Though we know it will take time for our efforts to take effect, it will be worth every effort.