Does Los Osos Valley Road need roundabout, new bike lanes? New plan could help shape route

Los Osos Valley Road is known for idyllic views of rolling hills, farmland, goats and cows — but it’s also known for unsafe intersections and heavy traffic during rush hour.

The San Luis Obispo County Public Works Department is developing a plan to guide future projects that improve traffic circulation and safety in the Los Osos Valley Road corridor. As part of that, the department asked the public for input.

The study area of the plan extends from West Foothill Boulevard in San Luis Obispo to the Montaña de Oro State Park Visitor Center on Los Osos Valley Road.

The plan will introduce new ideas suggested by the community, as well as consolidate improvements outlined in the 2020 Los Osos Community Plan, the 2021 Los Osos Circulation Study, the 2019 Froom Ranch Specific Plan Transportation Impact Study and the 2016 SLO County Bikeways Plan.

The county is expected to release a draft of the Los Osos Valley Road Corridor Concept Plan in the spring and present a final draft to the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors in the summer, the project website said.

People can offer comments on the plan online, or attend a public meeting at Monarch Grove Elementary School in Los Osos on April 22 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., according to the Public Works Department.

Online comments can be left on an interactive map at safetyplan.mysocialpinpoint.com/lovr/map#.

To comment on the map, click on one of the five icons at the top of the webpage. The icons are for driving, pedestrians, public transit, biking and other concerns.

Drag your preferred icon to the place on the map you’d like to make a comment. From there, you can write your feedback in the comment box and select the “submit” button, according to the website.

What are people saying about LOVR?

So far, comments on the interactive map recommended protected bike lanes, a roundabout and a bus route along Los Osos Valley Road.

Numerous commentators said traffic builds up at the intersection of Foothill Boulevard and Los Osos Valley Road during rush hour. Some suggested expanding the merge lane there, while others recommended a new timer on the traffic signal. Another suggestion was to add a roundabout to the intersection.

People also said the left turn from Los Osos Valley Road to Foothill Boulevard is dangerous for bikers.

Some commentators asked for Los Osos Valley Road to be widened to four lanes in certain areas, while others did not support the idea.

One person advised the county to build a protected bike like along Los Osos Valley Road, a comment that received 65 likes and four dislikes.

“Vehicles are traveling 60+ mph and are often not staying in their lane,” another person commented. “Cyclists, runners and pedestrians are 4 feet away from certain death.”

Another person said “loose rocks, several potholes and other road debris like glass and metal” litter the bike lane and make it dangerous to navigate. They recommended repaving parts of the bike lane, then separating it from the rest of the road with a concrete barrier.

Some asked for turn lanes at various intersections, including Clark Valley Road, Jacaranda Road and Paradise Lane.

Commentators also asked for a better bus route connecting San Luis Obispo and Los Osos.

“Taking the bus from SLO to Los Osos (via Morro Bay) takes too long to be useful,” one person wrote.