Sacramento Active Transportation Commission Meeting - May 16, 2024

The Active Transportation Commission met on Thursday, May 16, 2024, at 5:30 PM at City Hall Complex. The meeting included a consent calendar, four discussion items, and public comments. The commission reviewed safety improvement projects for Folsom Boulevard, two Broadway corridor projects, and the draft Sacramento Urban Forest Plan. All discussion items were receive-and-file with no votes required, and the meeting was extended by a two-thirds vote to accommodate the full agenda.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the Active Transportation Commission Meeting DRAFT Minutes from April 18, 2024 (Item 1).
• Adopted the Active Transportation Commission Log (Item 2).
• Motion passed with a vote of 7-0 (Commissioners Banks, Erasmus, and Lidicker absent at the time).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Item 3 (Folsom Boulevard Safety Improvements): No public speakers.
• Item 4 (Envision Broadway in Oak Park): Jerry Choppa provided comments, stating he had no preference between the roundabout and protected intersection options but noted the roundabout would likely reduce severe crashes more effectively. He also pointed out that unsignalized crossings could be mitigated with beacon treatments.
• Item 5 (Broadway Vision Zero Project): Jerry Champa commented that lane reductions alone may not reduce speeds during off-peak periods and advocated for roundabouts as a more effective speed-reduction strategy. He also noted concerns about the cost and appearance of signal reconstruction work on the Broadway Complete Street project.
• Public Comments – Matters Not on the Agenda:
  • Art Taylor informed the commission about a $300 million Caltrans Local Highway Safety Grant program focused on intersection safety, urging the city to apply for low-cost safety measures at crash-prone intersections.
  • Jerry Champa elaborated on the grant opportunity, emphasizing modular mini-roundabouts as a quick-build, permanent solution that reduces speeds and severe crashes, referencing state and federal guidance.

Discussion Items

• Item 3: Folsom Boulevard Safety Improvements Project (48th to 65th Street) – Staff presented a $6 million project to add bike lanes, a road diet from 59th to 65th Street, and pedestrian safety upgrades. Commissioners strongly supported installing bollards (vertical elements) for physical protection, despite concerns about street sweeper access raised by Commissioner Harris regarding equity. Commissioner Doerr Westbrook questioned bike lane placement in gutter pans and requested a cost breakdown. Commissioner Banks asked about gutter treatments and the project's connection to adjacent segments. The project has no vote; comments only.
• Item 4: Envision Broadway in Oak Park (Franklin to MLK) – Staff presented two options for the MLK Boulevard intersection: a roundabout requiring right-of-way and tree removal, and a protected intersection with signalized crossings. Commissioners favored the roundabout for passive traffic calming, but Vice Chair Gonzalez strongly opposed rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs), calling them “suggestions that are always ignored.” Commissioner Moore and others requested wider shared paths and better bus stop amenities. Commissioner Gibson supported maximizing bollards and removing parking to activate the area. No vote.
• Item 5: Broadway Vision Zero Project (MLK to Stockton) – Staff detailed a road diet, buffered bike lanes, pedestrian refuge islands, and crosswalk improvements. Commissioners requested vertical separation for bike lanes and raised crosswalks instead of RRFBs at the Rancho San Miguel crossing. Vice Chair Gonzalez noted concerns about center turn lanes enabling passing in bike lanes and questioned Aggie Square funding for the Stockton Boulevard intersection. Commissioner Banks asked about narrowing medians to provide more bike lane space. No vote.
• Item 6: Draft Sacramento Urban Forest Plan – Staff presented the plan's 35% canopy goal by 2045, requiring 25,000 trees planted annually. Commissioners emphasized equity, with Commissioner Harris proposing amendments to include shading for areas without sidewalks and around transit. Commissioner Gibson recommended removing problematic tree species (e.g., Bradford pear) and encouraging taller trees in new developments. Commissioner Moore urged creative incentives for private property tree planting. Commissioner Doerr Westbrook inquired about monitoring private tree health and replanting requirements. Commissioner Banks raised maintenance issues (leaf accumulation in bike lanes and sightline obstruction). No vote.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar items 1 and 2 were approved unanimously.
• All discussion items (3–6) were reviewed and received comments; no motions or votes were taken.
• The commission voted unanimously to extend the meeting past 5:30 PM to a maximum of 3 hours to complete the agenda.
• Staff announced that the ATP Cycle 7 applications were approved by City Council and will be submitted by June 17, 2024.
• Commissioner Gibson acknowledged two recent traffic violence deaths (Gary Clark and Brandon Nichols) during Bike Month.
• New Commissioner Dr. Jeffrey Lidicker was welcomed and introduced himself, noting his background in bicycle locker design and transportation engineering.