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Makeover plans for Meridian Avenue hit the streets
Officials send out public notices to give neighbors a voice in planning
By Mary Spicuzza
There's never been a shortage of opinions over the long-debated Meridian Avenue makeover, but city and county officials hope to recruit even more feedback over the proposed redesign. Planners recently sent out a public-notice flier on the project, complete with a sketch of the design, to homes and businesses they believe will be most affected by the proposed plan.
A Meridian Avenue revamping has been in the works for years, but has hit numerous roadblocks. The main controversy has revolved around the Safeway 'megastore,' a 25,000-square-foot supermarket now under construction at the corner of Hamilton and Meridian avenues. The store will double the size of the Safeway.
Residents and neighboring businesses expressed concern in the past about the closing of a traffic easement, which previously served as a link between Safeway and the nearby Dry Creek Shopping Center.
Now Suhil Kandah, associate traffic engineer for Santa Clara County's department of roads and airports, says he hopes to shift the discussion over Meridian back to issues of traffic safety.
"The city decided to do the project because of accidents," Kandah says. "But also because heavy traffic warrants a traffic signal. We took about 12 different criteria into account."
The street sketch included in the notice features the traffic signal installation at the intersection of Lenn Drive and Meridian Ave., as well as a median island running along the high traffic avenue. The median strip will be dotted with left-turn pockets at both Lenn and Mount Vernon drives.
Willow Glen resident Larry Lagier, an architect who lives in the area neighboring Meridian, says he is relieved to see changes taking place.
"Everytime there's a crash, an ambulance, a siren, I hear it. And I'll never forget seeing a postal worker who'd been hit on Meridian lying dead on the sidewalk," Lagier says. "I know some people are upset because they're worried about convenience. But I really think safety should come first."
Instead of holding a public hearing, planners hope to address concerns and questions on a one-on-one basis. For more information, call the city's department of streets and traffic at 277-4304.
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
