Thank you to the many members who contacted CalTrans to stop the demonstration project because the results will not be representative of regular Ojai traffic.
The email campaign produced a very strong response. Thank you for taking time to send an email.
The CalTrans response suggests that it understands that the results are not representative (see highlighted email below) but passes responsibility to Ojai to keep the demonstration running until “normal pre-COVID-19 traffic pattern resumes”.
Who will decide that question? We’re skeptical of that judgement. We will monitor this situation and alert you to news.
Response from CalTrans:
To All, I appreciate you reaching out. The city of Ojai is the lead agency on this project. I refer you to the city’s website for a list of Frequently Asked Questions, https://ojaicity.org/goojai/. It notes the review process during and after the demonstration project.
“Caltrans has issued a permit to the City of Ojai to install the Demonstration Project, with an understanding that the traffic data acquired at this time is not reflective of the pre-COVID-19 traffic data and the demonstration project likely will be extended until the normal pre-COVID-19 traffic pattern resumes. The City of Ojai is in the process of updating its FAQ page to reflect this.”
Thank you.
Jim Medina, CalTrans District 7, Public Information Officer