Part 1 of two: Transportation.
The Avalon City Council discussed, but took no action, on transportation and potential changes to the vehicle code on Wednesday, Dec. 14. The study session lasted about a two and a half hours.
(Because the discussion was divided into two sections—public transportation and potential changes to the vehicle code—the Islander will report on this session in two parts. Next week: The vehicle code.)
One of the issues raised was the city’s bus system, which has passengers wait 40 minutes for the bus.
Mary Schickling said she was thinking about having people take a bus to the boat to the mainland.
City Manager David Maistros said the city was using a giant bus that his hardly ever full. He said the city was looking at a more reasonable solution.
Public Works Director Bob Greenlaw said the city had two groups that have unique needs—residents and visitors.
According to Greenlaw, it doesn’t make sense to have a bus that has one person or no one aboard the bus that is going to places nobody wants to visit. He argued that residents need point-to point transportation service.
Mayor Anni Marshall asked if there was anything keeping Avalon from having its own Uber or Lyft system.
Councilmember Michael Ponce asked if the city had an ordinance that doesn’t allow for Uber or Lyft.
Maistros said the city would have to establish regulations. Maistros hopes to introduce something at the first of the year along those lines—a system of smaller vehicles not on a fixed route.
Schickling said in the meantime, dial-a-ride is available.
One suggestion raised was “wayfinding,” which apparently means providing the public with information about how far they would need to travel from one point to another in Avalon.
Greenlaw suggested using a QR code to provide that information.
Schickling suggested putting a wayfinding map on a screen on the Catalina Express.
Later, Love Catalina President and CEO Jim Lüttjohann said that COVID information had taken over signage on boats.
Lüttjohann said Love Catalina has pocket maps on the boat. He said Love Catalina could work with boat crews to let people know the maps are on boat.
Councilmember Lisa Lavelle said she would like the city to reach out to Google for a map update.
As for Google, Lüttjohann said the Google registered expert system was no longer functioning as it used to.
Lavelle called for getting out the idea that it is better to walk to a location than use a vehicle. As for rideshare services, according to Lavelle said there’s no broadband in some areas so people can’t use their phone systems to call for rides.
Lavelle apparently liked the idea of wayfinding signage with distances.
The discussion moved on to the city’s Vehicle Code.
City Manager Maistros said one thing he had learned is that it is too big.
