A commission member urged residents to attend an upcoming Caltrans meeting to press for pedestrian safety improvements at the Highway 166 crossing, saying recent incidents have made parents reluctant to let children traverse that route.

At the meeting the commissioner said they know of at least three children and one bicyclist who have been struck near the crossing in recent years. The commissioner added that some recent public reporting and remarks by a Caltrans representative appeared to understate or omit pedestrian incidents; the commissioner said they track local reports on social media and recommended residents bring testimony to the public meeting so it will be part of the official record.

Staff said Caltrans has scheduled a meeting in the auditorium on Jan. 21 to present multiple projects; the staff member said collective funding for the projects to be discussed was about $90,000,000. Commissioners and residents said that if children and others do not feel safe crossing Highway 166, access to recreation on the far side of town is limited and that community members should attend the meeting to register concerns.

No policy decision or vote was recorded during the commission meeting. The commission encouraged public comment at the Caltrans meeting and at future commission and city council hearings so concerns will be recorded in the public record.