The Dec. 15 issue of the Palo Alto Weekly included an article about a plan for University Avenue which proposed bike lanes next to traffic, and parked cars next to the curb.

I believe a much better plan would position the bike lane next to the curb, separated from traffic by a line of parked cars. That is, looking from the curb towards the middle of the street: first a bike lane, then a parking lane, then a traffic lane.

The bikes would be separated from traffic by a line of parked cars, which would be directly next to the traffic lane - so that parking a car would not require driving through the bike lane.

This would improve safety without changing the amount of space used by bikes, parked cars and moving cars.

This traffic plan has been implemented in parts of Arastradero Road, near Terman Middle School, which serves as a successful model that could be copied on University Avenue.

Such traffic designs have been implemented in other cities, including New York City.

I urge us in Palo Alto to adopt this simple, yet much safer, improvement to the proposed plan for University Avenue.

Jim Fox

Carlson Circle, Palo Alto n