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Thousand Oaks presents update to Active Transportation Plan as public outreach continues
Summary
City staff and consultants presented a draft update to the 2019 Active Transportation Plan, reviewed completed projects and outreach to date, and said they will return with a draft plan after more stakeholder meetings; commissioners and public urged targeted outreach for seniors, people with disabilities and non-English speakers.
Mark Bueno, an associate engineer in the Public Works Traffic Division, presented an update to Thousand Oaks’ Active Transportation Plan (ATP), saying the city and consultant LLG Engineers are updating the 2019 plan and are collecting public input prior to producing a draft for commission and council review.
The update team reported results from initial outreach and an existing-conditions analysis. Angela Beza, a transportation engineer with LLG, said outreach produced 135 feedback-form submissions and 99 mapped comments; top concerns were missing or poor bike lanes and unsafe speeds. The consultant reviewed collision data from the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) for 2020–2024 and reported 112 bicycle-related and 96 pedestrian-related collisions during that period, down from the 157 bicycle and 117 pedestrian incidents used in the 2019 plan’s study period. Zawar Syed, principal at LLG, said the team will use those analyses and the public input to develop a preliminary project list, produce a draft ATP, and return to the commission before taking the plan to city council.
Commissioners and public speakers urged broader, targeted outreach. Commissioner Guerra asked whether the update considered wheelchair users and other people with disabilities; Beza and staff confirmed accessibility is part of the analysis and that design recommendations include curb-ramp and sidewalk considerations. Commissioner Selm and public commenters recommended bilingual and community-partner outreach to reach Spanish-speaking residents, seniors and people who rely on multimodal transportation; staff said the Arbor Earth Day event included bilingual staff and that the project website and feedback form are available in Spanish, and they agreed to consider additional targeted outreach. Several commissioners and speakers also urged a stronger emphasis on separated (Class 4) facilities, more multi-use paths and reconsideration of lane diets on Thousand Oaks Boulevard as part of the update.
The ATP team described technical work already completed: updated city maps of bicycle and pedestrian facilities, revised crossing-guard locations, transit-route updates, and a propensity model for walking and bicycling that highlights Thousand Oaks Boulevard and nearby commercial areas as higher-propensity corridors. Beza said a school-focused workshop with Conejo Valley Unified School District is scheduled for Oct. 14 and that although the initial feedback form window is closed, the project web page (toaksatp.org) remains open for comments via the site’s contact form.
Public comment stressed safety for everyday utility cyclists and nighttime lighting. Benjamin Kuo, a resident who participates in the Bicycle Advisory Team, said many city facilities are designed for athletic cyclists rather than people who cycle for errands or work. Aiden Wright, a Hillcrest Boulevard resident, described traveling by bicycle at night and asked for improved lighting and bilingual outreach. Resident Clint Fultz urged study of a road diet on Thousand Oaks Boulevard and more protected Class 4 bike lanes to reduce vehicle miles traveled and improve pedestrian activity downtown.
Staff emphasized that the ATP is a guidance document and that specific projects listed in the plan will require further engineering study, outreach and, where needed, grant funding to move into design and construction. Nader Hidari, the city’s public works director, noted the city has used ATP recommendations to secure grant funding for sidewalks and bike elements and said there is no dedicated city funding stream for sidewalks; recent sidewalk and bicycle projects completed or in design totalled an estimated $15–$20 million in completed/under-construction work.
The commission provided feedback and asked staff and the consultant to consider additional targeted outreach, accommodations and programmatic measures (education/enforcement for e-bikes). The ATP consultants said they will incorporate feedback into the draft plan and return to the commission before forwarding recommendations to city council.
The update is informational; no commission vote was taken. The ATP team will finish stakeholder meetings, prepare the draft ATP and return to the commission; final adoption will occur at a future city council meeting once the commission and the public have had an opportunity to comment.
