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Residents raise concerns about bicycle safety on Channel Islands Avenue and malfunctioning railroad crossing arms
Summary
During public comment, residents told the Oxnard neighborhood council that Channel Islands Avenue lacks a three‑foot lateral clearance for bicyclists and reported a recent failure of railroad crossing arms at Vineyard and Oxnard Boulevard.
Two members of the public used the neighborhood council's public comment period to raise transportation safety concerns for Oxnard road users.
An unidentified resident who spoke during public comment said they found a bicycle road decal on Channel Islands Avenue and warned that the stretch between Ventura Road and Old Highway 1 is not safe for cyclists. The speaker said they "did some measurements" and concluded the roadway lacks the three‑foot safety area referred to in state law. "If you ride bicycles, stay away from Channel Islands, take an alternative route," the speaker said, adding they had observed cyclists using the sidewalk to avoid the roadway.
A second commenter, identified as Noemi, said she recently encountered a malfunctioning railroad crossing at Vineyard and Oxnard Boulevard when the crossing arms did not lower. "I just wanted to... inform everyone to be careful when you guys are crossing," Noemi said and asked for guidance on how to contact responsible agencies and to report similar incidents.
Council staff told the meeting that public‑comment items would be referred to the executive secretary for follow‑up or scheduled on a subsequent agenda. No formal action or staff report was made during the meeting to address either the Channel Islands bicycle safety concern or the reported crossing‑arm malfunction; both were recorded as public comments.
The bicycle commenter also said they had observed two fatalities on Channel Islands in recent years, and that in some segments the roadway width makes it "impossible" to achieve a three‑foot buffer for cyclists. The speaker said they had not yet filed a written report but planned to do so.
Neither commenter identified a specific statutory citation beyond an oral reference to "state law" requiring a three‑foot area for bicycles; meeting materials did not include a staff follow‑up schedule or confirm which agency (city, county or state) would handle the crossing‑arm complaint or road‑safety measurements.
