Glen Arbor Road Gets First painted Crosswalk
by James Helmer
Residents of the Glen Arbor Road neighborhoods are feeling a little safer crossing the busy road since County Public Works installed a painted crosswalk with push-button warning lights at Madrone Avenue in September. After meeting with members of the Ben Lomond Village Alliance (BLVA), the County reviewed walking patterns, traffic flow, transit stops and road geometry, and determined that a crosswalk was warranted on the south side of the intersection. Because Glen Arbor Road serves as an alternate route to Highway 9, carrying as many as 15,000 vehicles a day with a posted speed limit of 30 mph, the County added solar-powered warning lights as an extra precaution.
Terry Rogers, a nearby resident shown in the photo with his dog Beau, says, “I like crossing here so Beau and I can wind our way down to the San Lorenzo River or to Newell Creek to cool down, or just to walk to downtown as an alternate to Glen Arbor Road.” The intersection also has an overhead streetlight that makes pedestrians more visible at night, as well as METRO transit stops on either side of the road.
In August, BLVA hosted a meeting with County Engineer Jeffrey de los Santos to begin scoping a new walkway along Glen Arbor Road, running two blocks from the Pine/Live Oak intersection to the Highway 9 traffic signal. The Ben Lomond Fire Department Board unanimously endorsed the project in a 2023 letter to then-Supervisor McPherson. Design and right-of-way review have not yet begun. Residents at the meeting asked that the walkway keep the neighborhood’s rural character, use sustainable materials, and minimize impacts on property owners and existing vegetation. BLVA plans to share conceptual ideas on width, surfacing, retaining walls and lighting with the County this winter. With heavy rain runoff expected again, residents also encourage the County to carry out preventive maintenance.
To learn more or share your ideas on the planned walkway, email BLVA member James Helmer.
James Helmer is a Ben Lomond resident and member of the Ben Lomond Village Alliance.
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