Due to heavy Diablo Road corridor traffic, a Los Cerros Middle School bus was late again yesterday---and Danville is considering adding another 100 or more peak a.m. car-trips to the Diablo Road corridor?

This will continue to happen if more houses are built along Diablo Rd/Blackhawk Rd. That road is not wide enough to accomodate more traffic during early mornings and afternoons.

We are in complete agreement with the above statements regarding the traffic congestion on Diablo Road. It is terrible!! We cannot imagine what it would be like after the proposed development. We, too, respectfully ask that each of you drive along the corridor before school to understand our deep concerns. As you are award, traffic is only one of our concerns regarding this ill conceived development.

IT IS TIME FOR THE CITY OF DANVILLE TO WAKE-UP TO THE FACT THAT DIABLO ROAD HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS BECAUSE OF A NARROW/WINDING SCENIC ROAD THAT IDENTIFIES THIS MAJESTIC COUNTRY SPHERE.........TO OUR MT DIABLO.

Adding additional homes along Diablo Road in mass is a recipe for disaster on many levels. Currently the traffic is a nightmare at peak times even with buses which, by the way, have no guarantee of continued funding. And this is not only an issue of convenience, but of safety as well--with 100+ new homes emergency response times will no doubt increase.

Just say "No" to this project! We talk about the day-to-day residential traffic, but we also must consider the construction vehicles/tractors/trucks that will be competing for space on our beautiful country road for the years that it takes to finish this development! It is a nightmare now and it will only get worse!

must have been very small cars to get 125 in that stretch better check some math

Let's see. Average car is about 15 feet, plus 10 feet spacing at bumper to bumper lineup. That's 25 feet times 125, equals 3,125 feet. Divide by a mile (5,280 feet), you get .6 of a mile. This author said 125 cars in .8 mile. Plenty of space. Better check your abacus, Tom. Batteries might be low.

Tom--- Ms. Cella may have UNDERcounted the cars. The average car is around 13 feet long. Multiply that by 125 and you get 1625 feet. The .8 mile distance from the Diablo Road/Mt. Diablo Scenic Blvd. intersection to Hidden Oaks is around 4200 feet. Even if you assume 13 feet---one car length--- between cars, that still adds up to well under 4200 feet. Thanks for forcing me to "check the math".

So what is your point, Tom? Do you disagree that the Diablo Road corridor is overcrowded at peak times? Hmmm. Even SummerHill Homes has admitted (per its rep. Wendi Baker at one of her info. sessions last fall) that the morning commute is "pretty bad."

I think Tom's post is trying show the exaggeration of some of those who are opposed to the Summerhill project. Get real, casitas won't be used as rentals for low income housing. They "must" be offered if/when they go out for rent but I doubt that will really happen. Besides, I'm sure many have second dwellings or in-law units (aka casita) on their property now. Maybe if you all offered those up as low income housing Danville wouldn't be required to add more. As for property values, now that you have your's is it really fair to stop all development? What if your right to put an addition on your home was taken away? Property values go up and they go down. Why should the value be protected? I don't want the project either but people do have rights.

Put a properly timed light at the Athenian intersection instead of that ridiculous 4-way stop and the AM problems disappear. That may be too much to ask considering that the traffic engineers in Danville are apparently non-drivers based on the amount of time we all spend sitting at lights with no one else around...

In response to Sherry, let's make it clear that, if Tom's point was to show that all of us opposed to the SummerHill development exaggerate the facts, he failed. The math proves that Maryann Cella's description of the traffic was accurate. And you know it too - that's why you moved on to portray opponents to the project as paranoid, selfish bigots opposed to low income housing. Now who's exaggerating??? Go to www.save-our-creek.com - the website for the citizen's group opposed to SummerHill's project - and get the facts. There's no alarmist rhetoric using fear-mongering to gain support. But please do research the trends in housing today as seen in the large scale developments in San Ramon - multiple generations now live in one home which has led to dramatic understatement of incremental traffic associated with new homes using traditional data tables for calculating car trips. So please stop with the personal attacks on a concerned citizens' group. Do your homework instead of trying to vilify us. And why do you think we are more selfish than Jed Magee - he has the right to develop his property under its current zoning. It's just worth a lot more money to him to get it rezoned. So he is trying to make a windfall on the backs of ordinary people trying to get to school and work each day. How's that for selfish? But none of this personal stuff matters and it's beneath us. Magee has the right to ask for rezoning and we have the right to oppose it. So let's everybody stick to the facts and let the democratic process work.

Sherry: You changed the subject. No one is talking about rentals or property values. We are talking about excessive traffic which has been documented by a Traffix study that found that this Diablo Road corridor is one of the two most congested areas in the San Ramon Valley. That objective fact is why we were awarded a subsidized bus system. No one needs to exaggerate the traffic here. Even SummerHill admits it is bad.

And because you brought up the subject of "casitas"---SummerHill's euphemism for second residential units---I notice that no one except you is talking about the income of those that will be residing in them. The point is, Sherry, that someone creating more CAR TRIPS in the Diablo corridor will likely be using them, whether it is a grandmother, Uncle Elmer, an au pair, an adult child returning to the nest, or whomever. Thus, that additional dwelling unit has to be considered when traffic impacts from the project are being assessed in the legally required EIR. Danville can't claim that it is satisfying affordable housing requirements by having SummerHill build second residential units, and at the same time argue that for traffic analysis purposes no one will be living in them!

Finally, on the subject of rights, I don't, you don't, and neither does Jed Magee, have the RIGHT to REZONE property. That is why Danville decision-makers must VOTE to allow him to do it. I live in an area where the zoning is a minimum of 1/2 acre. If I asked to rezone my property to two 10,000 square feet lots (which is how Jed Magee is asking to subdivide a large part of his property) I undoubtedly would be turned down by Danville. Why should Jed Magee be given an entitlement that I can't have? His current zoning allows for 1 home per 5 acres. Let him develop his property within his existing zoning.

The BIG back up really folks is from Magee Ranch Rd to the stop sign at Mt Dialbo scenic Dr. It needs a traffic light NOW! With the Summerhill homes coming in right in the middle it'll be BEYOND SCAREY. They will need a light there also to get out of their subdivision. There goes the reason we moved here for the "Country Feeling"

More buses = more $ to the schools = more property taxes.

More homes = more property taxes.

Want buses? Either re-budget existing school funds (ain't gonna happen) or grow school revenue (build houses and/or raise taxes).

Traffic is horrible. But have you ever considered how much worse it would be if drivers using Diablo road would DO THE SPEED LIMIT!! As proved yesterday at around 5:00 PM with the white suburban with the Monte Vista stickers on the back. The young man was doing well above the posted limit as his vehicle left the road on the winding section. Luckily he didn't take out any vehicles traveling in the opposite direction. Thankfully mom arrived to ease the situation. SLOW DOWN, the faster you drive allows for more cars to travel through. I for one will now be driving the speed limit through there so don't honk and get mad at me.......I'm just trying to support the cause.

Sorry, Diane, but your logic doesn't work. Numerous credible studies (and our town officials agree) have demonstrated that converting agricultural land (that would be Magee's land) to residential usage (that would be Summerhill's project)is a net drain on a town's budget. In other words, the incremental tax revenue from homes built on agricultural land is less than the incremental costs associated with providing services to those homes. So those new homes create a deficit that would need to be funded with a tax increase or a reduction in services to the entire community. So in this situation, Jed Magee get a big windfall from the rezoning of his property and the rest of Danville gets left holding the bag. Here's the correct equation: more houses on agricultural land = higher taxes or reduced services.

Well folks if you really think traffic is horrible NOW...wait and see in 10 to 12 years.

Do not depend on the town council to help. They couldn't care less.

They won't even be around in 10 to 12 years.

Traffic in the entire area will be at a stand still in a few short years.

Get a horse or ride a bike.

Thanks, Julia Pardini from Alamo

You are all talking about the horrific traffic in Diable Road. What about the traffic on Stone Valley Road and Green Valley Road? It can easily take 10 minutes in the morning from Monte Vista to the freeway driving down Stone Valley Road. Try to cross from Stone Valley Road to Diablo Road via Green Valley and you just may be there through the evening commute. Just think of the folks who live in the houses on the side streets. It is absolutely impossible for them to leave their homes or to get home during these peak times. If Summerhill is allowed to build the new development, not only will traffic be impossible, but just think of the children walking along the streets that will cause traffic to slow.

Trying to get onto Diablo Road from a side street each morning becomes a challenge. I've succeeded, but you must be a dare devil and cut off an approaching car. It's not recommended for the average citizen but I would like members of the Town Council to give it a try. It might help them realize that along with traffic congestion you are open to some serious accidents.

sigh..
we've been over this so many times.. with the Quail Ridge development on SRV, the Matadera drive connection, the Danville Hotel (what was the final on that one 3? 4 stories? condos and empty storefronts wasn't that what the town fathers finally agreed on?) oh the Ackerman/Diablo townhomes.. Would four lanes with designated turn lanes help remedy this traffic?

Also have teenage driver complaints ~ the ones that make a turn on McCauley only to make a U turn and head back towards Green Valley, and Mom get off the phone a pick one lane you only get one can't straddle both and see which one goes faster doesn't work that way..

The bottom line is that our decision makers care not at all about the will of the citizens they serve. And their choices continue to foul our hillsides, streams, and roads. Replacing them seems the best option.

Also, please note that hell just froze over. Anti-tree-hugger Julia from Alamo actually recommended we ride bikes? How very green of her. Perhaps her tongue is in cheek?

thank god we go to THE and later diablo vista. Whew!

I have lived in Danville for more than forty years. Most folks that are against development are living in neighborhoods that are now contributing to the traffic on Diablo Road. On the list of concerned citizens are many that I know have moved here within the last ten years.
Each of our neighborhoods and additions to our houses infringes or inconveniences someone else's rights.
Our City Council is serving our community each day. It is so disrespectful to trash their service. What are you doing to make a difference in our community?
Those that move into Summerhill will be the future petitioners on developing another parcel that will infringe on their rights.
Just something to think about...

Big deal. Sounds as if the bus needs to leave about 12 minutes earlier to make up for the traffic... same as we all have to do when traffic's a factor as we drive to work.

I drive that traffic everyday. It is such a unique and beautiful setting I would hate to add a horrific looking stop light or have road widening. It is questionable how much help these would offer anyways. The time that the traffic is bad is so short and not all year it would be a tragedy to alter in anyway one of the most treasured parts of our area. This incredible area is very special. It is worth it to me to have the wait and not have a traffic light.
And definately do not put in more houses. Having lived here since 1964, I've seen some stupid developments, and this one qualifies under that category.

Dear Editor,

Our regional roads only have certain capacity for traffic and further development on those roads impose traffic on the current and new reidents. Little can be done to Diablo Road or any of the diversion corridors to support more traffic. Regional neighborhoods realize this result and are asking for a fair, reasonable review of Diablo Road traffic impact on Diablo, Blackhawk and Alamo by our county supervisors and public works transportation division.

Since our county supervisors for our region have avoided such challenges to Danville government planning, neighborhoods have taken the issue to the state and federal transportation organizations to gain fair review of traffic impact of the Danville government approval of the Magee and Weber Ranches development.

Your continuing story is the impact on infrastructure of Danville's continuing approvals of developments and the imposition of traffic on communities outside Danville's boundaries.

Simply stated, no good will come of this development, except for Summerhill and Jed Magee. It is silly of someone to state that those who complain now are those who moved in when still earlier residents were complaining. Does this mean we should continue to build homes ad nauseum in a corridor that has reached its limit or no doubt exceeded its limit given the current dreadful traffic situation?

I urge everyone attend all Planning Commission meetings and Town Council meetings whenever Summerhill is on the agenda. If you don't make your presence known then we are doomed to live with the consequences.

To Simple George, whose solution to traffic in the Diablo Road corridor is "just leave earlier"! Brilliant, George. No one has ever thought of that solution before! Now there will never be a reason to complain about being stalled in traffic again. The children from Hidden Oaks that catch their bus at 7:16 a.m. every morning in order to arrive at Los Cerros by 7:45, ten minutes before school starts at 7:55, should now leave at 7:00, to make the 3.5 mile trip to Los Cerros. And when SummerHill builds its 123+/- new dwelling units, let's have the kids leave at 6:30 a.m. Who cares about their lost sleep and wasted time in traffic. And the people that need to get to their jobs, so what if they waste their money and dozens of hours in traffic every year because they had to "leave earlier" because of SummerHill's development to make it to work on time.

Thanks for your wisdom, George. Now, you better get off your computer and leave your house to get to work at SummerHill's offices on time---I hear there is heavy traffic in your neighborhood!

At 8:00 a.m. this morning, I counted 118 cars backed up from the Mt. Diablo Scenic Blvd./Diablo Road intersection almost to the entrance to Hidden Oaks (a distance of about .8 miles). It took almost 11 minutes just to drive that .8 miles. If SummerHill and Jed Magee get their way, will it take 20 minutes to make that drive?? And when the buses disappear (funding for them has to be reauthorized by the Measure J Traffic Relief Board every few years; other projects could displace them; and in any case, Measure J itself expires in about 20 years), we might as well all get helicopters. Perhaps "mitigation" for the SummerHill project will require SummerHill to build a helipad!! How cool!.

I just counted 83 cars backed up beginning at the signal at Green Valley Rd and ending at Alameda Diablo (including two busse)this morning at 8:28am. The traffic continued on from there but I stopped counting at the Diablo sign.

Obviously adding another signal on Diablo Rd. is NOT the solution to this problem--Stopping the rezoning request and a "SlummerHill" development is!

Traffic is horrendous! It is unsafe to pull out from one of the side streets onto Blackhawk Rd during the morning and evening school commutes. You hope and pray that there are kind considerate drivers who will willingly let you merge in front of them. Needless to say that is not the case especially as it becomes closer to the time that school starts - anxious drivers + inexperienced drivers = accidents and at best very unsafe conditions for all concerned.

Can just hardly wait for an actual emergency to happen during these times like a huge fire!! It would then become impossible to get out safely what with the additional traffic, emergency vehicles, and panic!!!

How can the city of Danville even entertain this development when they have not dealt with the current traffic grid lock and unsafe conditions?

Agreed - it is painful to get out of the neighborhood with exisitng traffic. It will only get worse with expanded development.

As a 20-year resident of Diablo I am concerned that increasing traffic on Diablo Road exacerbates the safety risk which already exists when traffic prevents emergency vehicles from reaching my neighborhood.

Solutions to the late bus and harried drivers.

Bus needs to leave earlier... duh

Stop thinking it is ones duty to drive their kids to school. Have your kids ride bikes, and instead of getting fat and angry behind the wheel, volunteer as a crossing guard.

Start charging parents that drive their kids.
Start charging for parked cars in highschool parking lots. That can subsidize busses.

Learn to avoid the roads at school time. Leave early, leave late oh what a concept.

Here is a great one. Send all students east of the intersection, including Diablo to Dougherty Valley High School and middle and elementarys schools out that way.

Quit coddling your kids, shove them out the door and have them get to school on their own if they are physically able.

Whose right is it to have traffic free school commutes. I say do nothing and let the traffic stay the way it is and let the parents who are lucky enough to be stay at home to suffer from a commute.

Comments back to :Solutions to late bus & harried drivers":

Charging parents that drive kids to school - sure we can charge but not sure how that helps with the traffic - families are already carpooling, and trying to reduce the traffic but bottom line we still have to get our kids to school safely

Charging kids for parking at school - already being done

Leaving at an alternative time: works if you are retired doesn't work so well if you are
working full time
still have to get the kids to school and do not want them just
hanging out without supervision for over a half hour

Quit coddling kids: and have them walk from Blackhawk to Monte Vista - let's see that will only take a good hour ++++, bike to school - let's see how that impacts the commute and the safety of everyone thru Diablo.

Just let it be and let stay at home parents suffer the commute like other worker bees do - I believe that a lot of parents who drive their kids to the schools everyday are also fully employed full time workers who try to work their schedules around the schools start and finish times.

I'm sure whatever I say will not change your mind but I will still come back to my original statement - Safety thru this corridor is at risk and by adding additional traffic will only make it worse. I believe that Danville needs to address the current safety issue before adding more people and cars to the current mix.

Traffic is already horrible and very unsafe for drivers, bikers, and pedestrians. Why isn't a solution to the increase in traffic a requirement for Summerhill before they are awarded the contract. Their solution needs to be at no cost to existing homeowners - i.e. NO NEW TAXES!

I don't understand why our elected officials are even considering this! If you read 'Concerned''s comments, this new development will increase our taxes (or decrease or services. What will the town of Danville get out of approving this development?

As far as considering other people's rights to allow this to go in - these other people aren't residents - they are one land owner (Jeb Magee) and a developer. One old timer, and one big pocket.

I don't understand the logic.

Danville still has three agricultural preserves zoned A-4. Even when Summerhill converts the Magee property we'll still have two left. So there is really no need to be concerned.

It appears the Danvile Town Council is not listening. I agree with an early comment about starting the process to elect council members who will listen to the people!

I really don't understand all those people who bleat about buying here for the country feel. Did you think that nothing would ever change? Or that nobody else should have the opportunity to use their private property the way they see fit? How'd You make Your money? I'd bet a bunch of you work for companies that make their money trampling people's property rights all the time -- here, in Ecuador, Nigeria, Central America, etc., etc. May be you even helped them do it. Shoe's on the other well-manicured foot now, huh?

having lived in this neighborhood longer than any other posts..let me say how do you think we felt as your new homes were being built? and no one organized to keep you out. as for the long lines of cars. it makes for good talk but not a fact i walk the area daily and i may be old but i did learn to count when my mommy or daddy did not drive me in their mercedes or bmw..to school and by the way for the great math experts please measure your car and verify its only 13 feet

The Danville citizens raising concerns about the traffic and life safety issues that will be imposed by this proposed major subdivision are frequently accused by a small handful of posters here of distorting facts and using scare tactics. Hmm. These same folks say (and I paraphrase) "there's no traffic" (e.g., Tom, two posts up), or "just deal with it lazy parents and children" (e.g., John Tanner, six posts up.)

Whose rhetoric is not reasonable? Don't be absurd. The traffic is horrific, as recognized by residents, the Town, the regional partners, numerous studies, and even SummerHill -- all uncontroverted. The question is what to do about it, and whether we can add more to the mix and still be safe, and still maintain adequate road service levels.

(As for John Tanner's absurd diatribe against parents and children, I'm not sure what to say. Ride a bike through Diablo S-curves in 40 degree weather in the pouring rain battling cars? Just send them to school in non-commute times? Wow. Perhaps counseling.)

I think it was Mark Twain who said "Better to keep your mouth closed and let folks suspect you're stupid, than opening your mouth and removing all doubt."

Why don't we merely discuss whether (or how) it is possible to adequately mitigate the traffic and life-safety issues that this propsed development represents. This it will exacerbate traffic, lengthen emergency response times, create safety hazards, and represent a disaster emergency ingress/egress problem is pretty uncontestable. But perhaps we can mitigate it, so as to still allow Jed Magee to do whatever he wishes with his property, and to allow SummerHill their rights to generate profit from the community.

The "No Development" arguments here are mistaken. There ARE solutions to the additional traffic if folks want to develop. It would change the nature of the community and the Mt. Diablo gateway, but if the Town Council wants to see it happen, it can be done.

There is enough land available in the proposed development and existing right-of-ways to widen Diablo Road to two lanes in each direction from nearly Blackhawk to the Green Valley intersection. The edges of the development on Jed Magee's land would have to be dedicated to it. The hillside could be cut back with retaining walls, and the Creek rerouted, or simply channeled (or entubed under the new lanes). The edge of Jed Magee's land could also be dedicated to expanding outbound (Northbound) lanes on Macauley. The generous front setbacks of some homes and HOA's would have to be condemned along Diablo up by existing Magee Ranch and Diablo communities, but the space is there. Full traffic signals could be placed at Tennis Club, Magee Ranch Road, Still Creek Road, Jillian, Mt. Diablo Scenic, Avenue Nueva, Alameda Diablo, and Fairway (at St. Tim's). These could be timed to remain green during non-commute times, and to regulate traffic in four lanes all the way through the corridor during peak hours, much the way traffic is regulated on any other major urban thoroughfare (think Ygnacio Valley Road in Walnut Creek). Additional dedicated turn lanes could be added at Green Valley. (I doubt it would require relocating the fire station, just taking some of the setback.) Green Valley Road itself (from Diablo to Stone Valley Road) is a bit of a problem. Widening it there would requires some additional condemnation of property, but it's doable. And the new cut-throughs teh Town Council approved as part of the Weber Development could be used to route through-traffic (680 commuters) and Monte Vista traffic into Alamo through Ackerman Road and those communities. It would be a different community - more like the highly developed portions of San Ramon or Dublin -- but it's doable. And as some of the old-time Danville residents posting here point out, you can't stop progress if that's what the Town Council want for the Town.

Have Magee pay for the entire road widening. I am sure he would be willing to do that. Has anyone asked? You just need a few dirt movers and can comandeer some of the asphalt trucks on 680. Besides, the curvy section of Diablo Road does not belong in the middle of a city, it needs to be straightened for safety reasons, and we all need to be able to drive that route faster than 25 mph. Perhaps the Mt. Diablo South Gate road can be realigned to go through Diablo, so as to eliminate the traffic calming and creating stop sign.

Dear Editor,

This story has become a sequence of questions concerning Danville govenment authority versus the interests of regional residents:

#1 Did Danville government have a moral right to put its own interests and income ahead of the interests of impacted communities and neighborhoods?

#2 Did Mary Piepho and staff refuse their obligation to protect Diablo, Blackhawk and Alamo from Danville's approvals that will impose exceptional traffic on these communities?

#3 Did Danville government fairly consider traffic impact including clogging accesses to its own business district? and where is the Chamber's concerns for such loss of access to their members' businesses?

#4 Why would neighborhoods along the Diablo Road corridor want expansion of that roadway and invitation to more foreign traffic accessing north and west destinations?

To comment on Traffic Solutions comment: "And as some of the old-time Danville residents posting here point out, you can't stop progress if that's what the Town Council want for the Town." WE CAN REPLACE THE TOWN COUNCIL in the upcoming years if we are not happy with them, their views and their decisions. Remember, WE ARE THE RESIDENTS, NOT the developer, and there's an upcoming election for 3 of the Town Council members in 2012.
Candace Andersen, Newell Arnerich, Mike Doyle: Their term expires November, 2012:
Karen Stepper, Robert Storer: Their term expires November, 2014

WARNING ! The citizens of this area need to be very aware of the powers and political influence that will be exercised on this development. As voters you must research the politicians who will push this through for special interest.

People must demand from Mary N Piepho and Tomi Vanderbrook a straight answer on their position regarding this development.

My opinion is that they will dance around a straight answer. My prediction is if Tomi Vanderbrook and/or Mary N. Piepho get seated at the county level, the project will fly through.

Unseat Mary N Piepho and do not elect Tomi Vanderbrook if you want to retain your way of life.