Active Transportation Commission Meeting Summary - August 21, 2025

The Active Transportation Commission (ATC) of Sacramento met on August 21, 2025, at 5:31 PM in the City Council Chamber. The meeting included approval of the consent calendar, a vote to recommend the Streets for People Active Transportation Plan to City Council, review and comment on the Connecting Howe Avenue Safety and Mobility Plan and the Norwood Mobility Project proposals, and discussion of the 2025 Annual Report. The meeting was extended past two hours and adjourned at 7:40 PM.

Consent Calendar

• Item 1: Approval of Minutes – Passed a motion to approve the draft minutes from June 12, 2025 (File ID: 2025-00239).
• Item 2: Commission Log – Passed a motion to adopt the Active Transportation Commission Log (File ID: 2025-00198).
• Both items were approved unanimously (10-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Item 3 (Streets for People Plan): Alyssa Lee (District 4) expressed support for the plan but noted it lacks specificity and funding, urging the commission to emphasize implementation to the City Council.
• Item 4 (Howe Avenue): Three speakers:
  • Michael Bevins (District 2) advocated for protected bike lanes with physical barriers to separate cyclists from high-speed traffic.
  • Alyssa Lee preferred Alternative 2 (shared use path) and questioned right-of-way challenges for Alternative 2.
  • Matt Anderson (District 4) called for additional analysis, including red-light cameras, and urged reconsideration of the Average Daily Traffic (ADT) metric used to exclude lane reductions.
• Item 6 (Annual Report): Two speakers:
  • Alyssa Lee suggested low-cost recommendations, including a 20 mph speed limit in business districts, no right-turn-on-red studies, leading pedestrian intervals, and a civilian quick-build program.
  • Matt Anderson supported exploring red-light cameras and community-supported pilot programs for modal filters, noting the plan's $2 billion price tag lacks funding.

Discussion Items

• Item 3: Streets for People Active Transportation Plan – Staff presented the plan, which recommends over $1.5 billion in walking facilities and $893 million in biking facilities. Changes since the spring include updated costs, improved methodology explanation, and a new section on return on investment. Commissioner Banks asked about evaluation metrics and sub-targets; staff noted the Transportation Priorities Plan (TPP) will prioritize projects, but timelines are uncertain due to funding unpredictability. Commissioner Hyatt supported a community implementation advisory group. Commissioner Thao inquired about coordination with Sacramento County on border crossings. The commission voted to recommend City Council approval (9-0, with Vice Chair Gonzalez absent).
• Item 4: Connecting Howe Avenue Safety and Mobility Plan – Staff presented two alternatives: Alternative 1 (signal improvements, speed reduction, sidewalk gap closure) and Alternative 2 (shared use path, cantilevered bridge structures, landscaping). A lane reduction was not included due to projected traffic volumes (30,000+ vehicles per day), but staff agreed to revisit the analysis. Commissioner Gibson, Hyatt, and Moore favored Alternative 2, with Commissioner Harris noting west-side right-of-way constraints. Commissioner Banks criticized both alternatives and urged interim speed reduction. Vice Chair Gonzalez advocated for automated speed enforcement. The commission provided comments; no vote was required.
• Item 5: The Norwood Mobility Project – Staff presented three alternatives: 1 (minor improvements), 2 (lane reduction with separated bikeways, roundabouts, and trees – with sub-options A, B, C), and 3 (shared use path with cantilevered freeway crossing). Commissioner Wadhwani questioned why Alternative 1 was included. Commissioner Moore and Harris discussed shade placement and community support for roundabouts. Commissioner Hyatt favored 2C for shade and two-way bike access. Chair Hodel preferred Alternative 3 for safe freeway crossing. Commissioner Banks supported 2C with a cantilever addition. No vote was required.
• Item 6: Active Transportation Commission 2025 Annual Report – Staff presented the draft report template and six recommendations from the previous year (totaling ~$8.1 million in year one). Commissioners debated whether to keep, modify, or start from scratch. Vice Chair Gonzalez argued for robust funding requests, while Commissioner Harris questioned the budget cycle urgency given projected deficits. The commission decided not to form an ad hoc committee; instead, members will bring ideas to the next meeting for public discussion, aiming for a finalized report by November.

Key Outcomes

• Item 3: Motion passed (9-0) to recommend City Council adopt the Streets for People Active Transportation Plan. The plan will be prioritized through the TPP process.
• Item 4: Commission reviewed and commented on Howe Avenue alternatives. Staff will incorporate feedback and revisit lane reduction analysis, with a draft plan expected in fall 2025 and commission review in January 2026.
• Item 5: Commission reviewed and commented on Norwood alternatives. Staff will refine the draft plan based on input, with public engagement in fall 2025 and commission vote in January 2026.
• Item 6: Commission agreed to continue discussion of the Annual Report at the September 2025 meeting, with members preparing individual recommendations for public deliberation. No ad hoc committee was formed; the goal is to finalize the report by November 2025 for potential budget considerations.