Safety for pedestrians and bikers, as well as concerns for access to businesses, were taken into consideration when city of Sacramento planners proposed two options to community members for new bike lanes, as well as four possible options for intersections along busy Freeport Boulevard.
City planners sought input from community members about their proposal for bike lanes and alternatives for intersections along the busy street.
Approximately 110 people were in attendance Dec. 1 at C.K. McClatchy High School to listen to Project Manager David Edrosolan, city Traffic Engineer Hector Barron, and Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator Ed Cox.
The city has developed two alternative plans to implement bike lanes north of Sutterville Road and south of Vallejo Way. The planners also presented four options to reconstruct the intersection between 21st Street and Vallejo Way.
Both plans require changing the lane confi gurations on Freeport Boulevard from four total lanes to only two lanes going northbound and southbound. The difference between alternative one and alternative two is that alternative one does not consist of a third two-way left turn lane in the center of the north and south lanes, while alternative two does, according to the plan.
The alternatives will also reduce the number of parking spaces on Freeport Boulevard. The number of parking spaces removed will depend on which alternative is chosen, the planners said.
City resident Patty Jensen of Sacramento said she prefers alternative two instead of alternative one.
“For one, we need businesses in our area. They are our jewels,” said Jensen, “[and] not being able to turn would back up traffic.”
Bill Dean of downtown Sacramento said he rides his bike down Freeport twice a month, and riding .92 miles without a bike lane is difficult.
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“I looked at both [alternatives], and any one would be fine with me,” said Dean. “If they put a bike lane here, I would feel much better riding along this street and would probably do it more often.”
Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator Cox presented four possible options of how to reconstruct the intersection between 21st Street and Vallejo Way. The four options ranged from the least expensive option one to the most expensive option four, though the planners did not offer specifi c dollar fi gures.
Taylor’s Market owner Danny Johnson said he has been watching this problem for 28 years, since his business fronts Freeport Boulevard, and he favors the option two intersection.
“Option two solves both problems. [It] puts a light in for the bicyclists where [it] stops traffi c, has a bike route, [but] doesn’t give them a bike lane, which they wished. But I think it’s a compromise,” Johnson said.
Tricia Hedahl, executive director of Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates, said her group supports intersection option three.
“It’s a controlled intersection, a controlled right hand turn, [and] it goes into a dedicated bike lane,” said Hedahl. “It doesn’t make sense to have a bike lane only for one block and then not have a bike lane. It defeats the purpose of this project.”
The city started planning for this project for about eight months ago, according to city Traffic Engineer Barron, who said the goal of this project is to serve all modes of transportation.
Project Manager Edrosolan said the city plans to add this project to Freeport Boulevard’s scheduled maintenance in 2013.
“I think it’s a great project that is looking to balance the needs of everyone. Adding bike lanes to Freeport for us is pretty key,” said Barron. “This is a missing critical link in terms of our biking system.
