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Parents, teachers and children urge Calistoga to add protected bike lane on Washington Street
Summary
Multiple residents and school staff told the council that Washington Street near Calistoga Elementary School lacks safe infrastructure for young bicyclists; commenters cited a 2022 Napa County Safe Routes to School audit, reported low bike counts at the school, and asked the council to study a protected lane.
Several parents, teachers and children used the June 3 public‑comment period to urge the Calistoga City Council to add a dedicated or protected bike lane on Washington Street near Calistoga Elementary School.
Elizabeth Tangney read a letter from her daughter asking the council for a bike lane so students would "be safe and not get crushed by cars." Teacher and parent Pam Fredellizio described counting only eight bikes at the school on a recent Monday and cited a 2022 Napa County Safe Routes to School walk audit that identified the lack of a bike lane on Washington Street as a top barrier to students biking to school. "Providing a protected bike lane would improve safety for the elementary school students while supporting a healthier, more active community," she said.
Other speakers—including parents and children—said portions of the route to school are bumpy or dangerous and urged the council to explore options. One commenter suggested the council consider the Boys and Girls Club and other locations when planning routes; another speaker urged support for the Boys and Girls Club as part of community priorities.
The council did not take action on a bike‑lane plan at the meeting; several council members acknowledged the safety concerns and signaled interest in studying the issue. Letters read at the meeting were included in the official record.
Next steps: Council members and staff may consider the Safe Routes audit and weigh options for study, traffic analysis, and funding as part of future transportation or CIP discussions. No timeline was set during the June 3 meeting.
