Will Traffic Increase?
Our current sanctuary will result in no increase in traffic in the neighborhood because we will be moving just one block to the west.
Two-thirds of Sufism Reoriented’s members live within a half mile of the church. Nearly fifty percent of our membership has committed in writing to walk to services in all weather. The remaining members have committed to carpool or shuttle. The 350 members will bring only seventy-four or fewer cars to the new church for services. We think this plan to reduce cars traveling to the site will address the issue of potential congestion. The members of Sufism Reoriented have honored this plan at our current building since 2007 (see next section, “Is Parking Adequate?”).
Further, our regular services only occur during off-peak periods, generally between 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., on two weekend evenings.
The Kinney Drive–Boulevard Way Corner
On a related topic, we have heard our neighbors express concern about the safety of the nearby Kinney–Boulevard Way corner. We agree it needs attention. Fortunately, our property is the one around which Boulevard Way curves at that point, and our design calls for us to place the new wall farther back to improve the sightlines for drivers coming from both directions. We are just as concerned about safety at this corner as anyone, since the majority of our members live in this part of the neighborhood.
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| For years the intersection had poor sightlines. |
This photo shows the improved sightlines now that the fence has been moved back to where the wall will be. |
In May 2011, we decided to move the fence back without waiting to break ground on the project. Our landscaping plan includes trees, shrubs, and layered, multi-colored beds of flowers along the sidewalk that will wend around our property.