This part of the path is the sketchiest section of our walk. It's odd that the path isn't on the other side of the concrete barrier. If a car were to swerve at us here, we would be trapped and crushed to death.
Approaching an odd part of the infrastructure. Note the people walking on the east side of Vulcan hugging the side of the road. Their destination was also the farmers market. You see a lot of people walking and riding bikes along busy roads in Leucadia.
This does not look up to code.
View from Vulcan Ave of the iconic Pannikin coffee shop in our historic train station. Just think, if you are one of the thousands who live in the neighborhood east of Vulcan, you cannot legally cross the tracks and walk to get your cup of coffee (not to mention that crossing 4 lanes of busy Hwy101 is very chancy). Instead of walking a few 100 feet, you have to get into your car and deal with traffic and the high drama of finding parking around the Pannikin. It's all kinda silly. It sure would be nice if you could cross the tracks on foot. If there was pedestrian crosswalks on the 101 I bet the local businesses would make more money.
Arriving at our destination. There is a pedestrian crosswalk up ahead but traffic was clear so we crossed at the street. You would think that there would be a stop sign or something right here at the school on Union Street, but there isn't. Weekday mornings here get pretty hectic as parents drop off their kids and commuter traffic tries to evade I-5 and Hwy101.
Looking north on Vulcan Ave from Paul Ecke Central elementary school. Here we have the feeling of a nice rural town.
Entering the school. It was Earth week and they were teaching the gremmies not to be wasteful.
We bumped into city council person Teresa Barth.
The Leucadia Farmers Market now has it's own grocery bags with Fred Caldwell art.
Lots of certified organic booths.
Four square.
Flower stand.
Vegetable stands.
Local farmers keeping it real.
Conclusion:
It really wasn't a bad walk, it was pretty fun all in all. It was nicer than driving. This was a fairly quiet morning, except for a few motorist who were driving way too fast. Most of the cars were cruising at a reasonable speed. No trains went by during our walk. You don't really feel all that safe, especially along the concrete barrier, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. We were tempted to walk along the dirt closer to the tracks instead of the goat path. I'm interested to know where the property line of the NCTD and Leucadia is. Why isn't the goat path wider? Does an extra 2 feet of asphalt cost a lot?
Stay tuned for the sequel, Walking Back from the Farmers Market.
Leucadia Blog: Walking to the Farmers Market (part 3)
The city needs to lobby the guys in Sacramento and NCTD to influence the railroad to allow improvements closer to tracks,reduce speed of trains through inhabitated areas ie. Ashbury to Chesterfield. There are several locations along this route that could accomidate pedestrian crossings with small gates. Marcheta/Orpheus used to be a crossing as well as Andrew and Montgomery. Folks it can be done. Sometimes the simpilest solution is also the best one.
ReplyDeleteHey dude you make some good points,sounds like you've been here a long time.
ReplyDeleteI hesitate to post any thing regarding Teresa Barth on this blog, because she is the apple of every Leucadians eye as of now. But in all seriousness JP did you bother to ask her any serious questions regarding Leucadia?? IF so what may those questions have been?? Anything about lowering the train?? Any questions regarding the stupid ideas of tunnels for pedestrians?? Any questions regarding lowering the speed limit on 101 or Vulcan for that matter also?? How about the 3rd roundabout that the city owes us. And most importantly did you identify yourself as the operator of this blog??
ReplyDeleteIf you didn't ask any questions to her, I can respect that, she nor you work 7 days a week, but then I ask.... why post her picture at all??
With over a year on the council I have yet to see her reach out to extend a helping hand to Leucadia. Time will tell whether she is pro Leucadia or maintains the cities status quo of keep it ugly.
RSPB
You gotta love the goat trail that the City hailed as successful with posts and boxes right in the middle of the path in three places. The City would only do something lame like that in Leucadia, because of the plan for blight. When are the moms and school kids that use that goat path going to request the City to remove those obsticles before some kids in a wheel chair gets killed on the road because he cant use the path?
ReplyDeleteTeresa has been to several Leucadia Town Council meetings and has given us a lot of useful advice. She's helped us write letters to the engineering department concerning the Leucadia railway crossing, pointing out the dangers. She also sends out Emails, almost on a weekly basis concerning meetings, workshops and events that are being palnned. She attended the Leucadia Streetscape workshops,(as did Maggie). When a neighbor of mine was illegally trimming a city tree I called Teresa and she immediately returned my call, and within 15 minutes I was talking to the city manager.
ReplyDeleteI think it's appropriate that JP took a picture of her. I go to the Farmers Market every Sunday and I see Teresa there a lot. Never see Bond, never see Stocks and never see Dalager. I know a couple of the vendors and they've never seen 'em there, either.
BTW, I've been enjoying your recent posts, rspb, and you've been saying some really smart things and you ask really good questions. When we start having our candidate forums, I hope you are there to ask these very same questions about Leucadia that you've brought up here.
She also got the ball rolling on the pedestrian, the removal of the ugly orange sanbags, and hopefully future landscaping at the death trap on Leucadia Boulevard between Vulcan Avenue and HW101. She included the items in the council motion to approve the first phase of the Leucadia Streetscape Improvements. She also supports implementing the remaining portion of the Leucadia Blvd. Streetscape as well as other imrpovement projects in Leucadia.
ReplyDeleteShe is very supportive of the Leucadia Hwy 101 mainstreet program and its goals and improvments.
Teresa is the apple of Leucadia's eye and she deserves to be. She is active and participates in Leucadian events, she listens to Leucadian concerns and shares their concerns, she cares about Leucadia and she act in the best interest of Leucadia.
Any other council member that acts like that will gain the respect and support from Leucadia.
Maggie is good.
The others including City staff should take lessons from Teresa. It would be good from all of Encinitas-not just Leucadia.
Teresa knows who I am. She is routinely the only city council person I ever see out in real life.
ReplyDelete