The Sacramento City Council has approved a $676.9 million plan to improve connectivity, safety and mobility across the city’s neighborhoods. The Neighborhood Connections Plan details 147 street infrastructure improvement projects. In total, they cover 237 miles of primary network routes and 194 miles of secondary routes. As they’re built and implemented, these updated routes will provide non-motorized travelers with low-stress options for walking, biking and rolling.
Projects outlined in the plan will connect residents to schools, parks, shopping centers and other critical amenities. The plan emphasizes traffic calming measures, safer crossings and enhanced wayfinding.
Examples of traffic calming measures detailed in the plan include:
- Installing speed humps, lumps and tables to slow vehicles and help cyclists navigate.
- Using traffic diverters and street closures to reduce cut-through traffic and give priority to non-motorized travelers.
- Building median and refuge islands to protect pedestrians.
- Creating mini roundabouts and traffic circles to manage traffic, slow drivers and reduce crash severity.
- Using chicanes to increase driver safety and available public space.
- Developing pinch points in conjunction with other traffic calming features.
- Building raised crosswalks and intersections to increase visibility and make it easier for people with mobility impairments to cross the street.
- Planting street trees to expand greenspace, reduce noise and enhance comfort.
- Expanding on-street parking.
- Narrowing lanes.
- Extending curbs.
- Changing geometry and curb radii to improve visibility and reduce crossing distances.
- Using hardened centerlines to encourage slower turn speeds and to guide turning vehicles.
Sacramento will implement additional pedestrian and cyclist-focused improvements to enhance overall safety and accessibility. These efforts will include shortening crosswalks at intersections or mid-blocks, improving turning movement treatments and installing regular crossings and shade.
The Neighborhood Connections Plan is a foundational element of the city’s broader Streets for People Active Transportation Plan. The Streets for People plan recently had its latest draft released for public review. Adoption of the full plan is anticipated later this summer.
(Photo courtesy of wal_172619 on Pixabay.)
