We compiled a list of several problems to help city staff and those
providing input to the city on their concerns about the Corridor during the first phase of the process in November and December 2008.
Firth Street concerns
Traffic speeding along Fifth:
- poses safety risk to bikes, pedestrians crossing
- poses safety risk to cars turning on and off street
- much greater risk of death or serious injury at 35 mph compared to 25 mph
Current four lane configuration:
- encourages cars to go faster and speed past downtown
- current configuration with wall-to-wall car lanes makes crossing, turning tricky
- cars often make sudden turn movements across two opposing lanes
- cars often make sudden lane changes
- two cars approaching in parallel lanes, only one visible to someone about to cross or turn
- cars about to turn left often stop, block traffic in left lane
- cars turning right may also stop for ped/bike in parallel crosswalk, blocking right lane
- buses make stops and block right lane
- unpredictable lane blockages often lead to erratic traffic flow
- unpredictable lane blockages make Fifth Street more like a gauntlet for cars
Crossing at C, D, E, I, J, K Streets (no stoplights)
- Cars, bikes, peds must wait for all traffic to clear before crossing
- no safe zone to wait halfway across street when crossing
- two cars approaching in parallel lanes, only one visible to someone about to cross
- collision scenario: one car stops to let bike/ped cross, but other car(s) fail to yield
Long cycle between green lights at F and G Streets for travel along Fifth
- protected turns with green arrow are safer, but long delay in all directions
- longer wait may have led to increase in cars on Fourth and Eighth Streets
- unacceptably long wait sometimes for some turn movements due to long cycle
Lack of bike lanes on Fifth in downtown:
- not possible to prohibit bikes from using Fifth anyway
- hazardous because they are in car lane, with too little width for cars to safely pass
- bikes making short trips along Fifth have to go extra distance to avoid this
- bikes coming from east of L Street make difficult left turn at L to avoid this
- similar problem for bikes taking 2nd Street to L and 3rd/4th Streets to reach downtown
Why calmed Fifth Street is desirable:
- crossing Fifth a safety problem for access to downtown from many parts of Davis
- difficult left turns off Fifth hinders access to downtown from the east
- calmed street would lessen risk of collisions from sudden turns
- calmed street would make Fifth easier to cross, more convenient to shop downtown
- calmed street would make Fifth less stressful to drive, but harder to speed
5th Street Redesign