As the leaves have turned, I have noticed the beauty that Bunts currently has with its many mature trees. I am saddened that the city does not value this, but instead favors less green space, saplings, and more pavement. I spoke with a realtor recently who said that mature trees attract homebuyers more to neighborhoods; homebuyers are turned off by areas that have been leveled for construction and replaced by saplings that will take years to provide any meaningful beauty or shade.
Allow me to connect the dots. A lack of mature trees and an abundance of pavement will turn people away from Lakewood. Our home values will be reduced, that is according to five realtors Bunts residents have spoken to, Once potential homebuyers drive into Lakewood via Bunts, given that it is one of three major thoroughfares into the city, they will be turned off. That will have a ripple effect on the rest of Lakewood. Home values will dwindle, Lakewood will decline further.
All because city administrators and elected officials voted to put a multi-modal path on Bunts - and on other streets in the near future .
We all know it isn't too late to make changes to the plan. You changed the plan recently for those living on Edgewater.
I implore you to update the plan to not include the multi-modal path, Practice responsible, thoughtful government. Listen to the 1,300+ people who signed a petition against this ill-fated plan.
As both a parent and a member of the Safe Routes to School team, I want to raise a growing concern about the strain the crossing guard program places on City resources and about the larger need for shared responsibility for student travel safety.
Lakewood is a walking district. With no bus transportation for most students, the City—through the Lakewood Police Department—bears the full burden of ensuring that children can travel safely to and from school. This includes recruiting, training, and paying crossing guards, and covering absences when guards are unavailable.
After reviewing crash reports from the first 47 days of this school year (August 22–October 29, weekdays only), I found 35 crashes on our city streets (not including I-90) during typical school travel times (7:00–9:15 a.m. and 2:45–4:30 p.m.).
Among them:
2 involved drivers entering or exiting school property
2 involved child pedestrians
2 involved adult cyclists
7 involved teen cyclists
1 involved an 18-year-old on an e-scooter
2 involved teen drivers
6 involved vehicles carrying child or teen passengers
These data are deeply concerning—and they only reflect the incidents that were reported. They underscore what many families already experience daily: near misses, unsafe crossings, and dangerous speeds during school travel hours.
Student travel safety cannot rest solely with the Police Department or the City. It must be a shared responsibility between the City and the School District, with structured coordination across enforcement, infrastructure, and education.
I encourage City Council to begin a formal conversation with the School District about establishing a Safe Routes to School partnership framework—one that includes cost-sharing for the crossing guard program and a coordinated process for reviewing crash data, conducting audits, and prioritizing improvements.
Thank you for your continued leadership and commitment to keeping Lakewood’s students safe.
Bunts Road Multi-Modal project: A Major Disconnect between Safety, Sustainability and Community Needs.
The proposed 10-ft multimodal path on Bunts Road removes existing sidewalks and mature trees, harming an established residential corridor without a full environmental review or proper traffic studies.
Locating this project beside a 16-pump gas station and multiple high-traffic intersections raises SERIOUS safety and environmental concerns.
While many cities invest in green, pedestrian first infrastructure, this plan prioritizes pavement over people, contradicting Lakewood’s sustainability and safety goals. City data does not support this design, which risks more congestion, accidents, and reduced walkability for nearby schools, families, and seniors. Residents overwhelmingly oppose it, reflecting a clear DISCONNECT between what is planned and what the community wants.
At the very least, the following must be addressed: use concrete for durability and aesthetics (keeping residential feel),; plant two trees for every one removed; BAN e-bikes and scooters for safety; restrict Get-Go right turns; limit parking where possible; establish defined maintenance and accountability plans; enforce existing bike and truck restrictions; and provide full transparency about post-construction impacts.
Lakewood can do better - pause, review, and engage residents before permanent harm is done.
Let this serve as a solemn reminder that without genuine care and reconsideration, the Bunts Road project may become a lasting corridor of risk and regret.
As the leaves have turned, I have noticed the beauty that Bunts currently has with its many mature trees. I am saddened that the city does not value this, but instead favors less green space, saplings, and more pavement. I spoke with a realtor recently who said that mature trees attract homebuyers more to neighborhoods; homebuyers are turned off by areas that have been leveled for construction and replaced by saplings that will take years to provide any meaningful beauty or shade.
Allow me to connect the dots. A lack of mature trees and an abundance of pavement will turn people away from Lakewood. Our home values will be reduced, that is according to five realtors Bunts residents have spoken to, Once potential homebuyers drive into Lakewood via Bunts, given that it is one of three major thoroughfares into the city, they will be turned off. That will have a ripple effect on the rest of Lakewood. Home values will dwindle, Lakewood will decline further.
All because city administrators and elected officials voted to put a multi-modal path on Bunts - and on other streets in the near future .
We all know it isn't too late to make changes to the plan. You changed the plan recently for those living on Edgewater.
I implore you to update the plan to not include the multi-modal path, Practice responsible, thoughtful government. Listen to the 1,300+ people who signed a petition against this ill-fated plan.
As both a parent and a member of the Safe Routes to School team, I want to raise a growing concern about the strain the crossing guard program places on City resources and about the larger need for shared responsibility for student travel safety.
Lakewood is a walking district. With no bus transportation for most students, the City—through the Lakewood Police Department—bears the full burden of ensuring that children can travel safely to and from school. This includes recruiting, training, and paying crossing guards, and covering absences when guards are unavailable.
After reviewing crash reports from the first 47 days of this school year (August 22–October 29, weekdays only), I found 35 crashes on our city streets (not including I-90) during typical school travel times (7:00–9:15 a.m. and 2:45–4:30 p.m.).
Among them:
2 involved drivers entering or exiting school property
2 involved child pedestrians
2 involved adult cyclists
7 involved teen cyclists
1 involved an 18-year-old on an e-scooter
2 involved teen drivers
6 involved vehicles carrying child or teen passengers
These data are deeply concerning—and they only reflect the incidents that were reported. They underscore what many families already experience daily: near misses, unsafe crossings, and dangerous speeds during school travel hours.
Student travel safety cannot rest solely with the Police Department or the City. It must be a shared responsibility between the City and the School District, with structured coordination across enforcement, infrastructure, and education.
I encourage City Council to begin a formal conversation with the School District about establishing a Safe Routes to School partnership framework—one that includes cost-sharing for the crossing guard program and a coordinated process for reviewing crash data, conducting audits, and prioritizing improvements.
Thank you for your continued leadership and commitment to keeping Lakewood’s students safe.
Bunts Road Multi-Modal project: A Major Disconnect between Safety, Sustainability and Community Needs.
The proposed 10-ft multimodal path on Bunts Road removes existing sidewalks and mature trees, harming an established residential corridor without a full environmental review or proper traffic studies.
Locating this project beside a 16-pump gas station and multiple high-traffic intersections raises SERIOUS safety and environmental concerns.
While many cities invest in green, pedestrian first infrastructure, this plan prioritizes pavement over people, contradicting Lakewood’s sustainability and safety goals. City data does not support this design, which risks more congestion, accidents, and reduced walkability for nearby schools, families, and seniors. Residents overwhelmingly oppose it, reflecting a clear DISCONNECT between what is planned and what the community wants.
At the very least, the following must be addressed: use concrete for durability and aesthetics (keeping residential feel),; plant two trees for every one removed; BAN e-bikes and scooters for safety; restrict Get-Go right turns; limit parking where possible; establish defined maintenance and accountability plans; enforce existing bike and truck restrictions; and provide full transparency about post-construction impacts.
Lakewood can do better - pause, review, and engage residents before permanent harm is done.
Let this serve as a solemn reminder that without genuine care and reconsideration, the Bunts Road project may become a lasting corridor of risk and regret.