Emerson Avenue Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety Improvements Project

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Safe Routes to School Project

This project is identified as the City’s top priority in their Local Roads Safety Plan due to the crash rate within the project area involving non-motorized users.

Project includes:

  • Construction of shared-use path on north side of Emerson Avenue (SR 109)

  • Improvements to the intersection of US 101 and 6th Avenue to reduce vehicle speeds

  • Adding protected pedestrian crossing to the existing traffic signal at US 101/5th Avenue

  • Construction of curb extensions that shorten pedestrian crossing distances

  • Improvements to non-compliant ADA curb ramps

  • Lane reduction on Emerson Avenue between Simpson Avenue and US 101

The Problem

This project is identified as the City’s top priority in their Local Roads Safety Plan due to the crash rate within the project area involving non-motorized users.

  • Gaps in the pedestrian and bicycle facilities have contributed to the crash rate within the project area.

  • Lack of continuous pedestrian or bicycle routes requires non-motorized users to enter the roadway where drivers are not expecting them.

  • Roadways are wider than needed at the intersections which increases the pedestrian’s exposure time in the roadway.

The Project

  • Funding Sources: Safe Routes to School (state funds) and Transportation Improvement Board (state funds)

  • Current Status: design phase, and permitting

  • Construction expected 2023

  • Budget:

    • Design/Permitting/Right-of-way…$198,000

    • Construction estimate…$1,650,000

The Impact

The project intends to:

  • Construct a combined use path on the north side of Emerson Avenue between Levee Street and Emerson Elementary School

  • Reduce lane width on Emerson Avenue (from 12-ft to 11-ft wide)

  • Reduce the number of lanes on Emerson Avenue between Levee Street and Simpson Avenue

  • Add a protected pedestrian crossing at the existing traffic signal at 5th Street/Levee Street

  • Improve non-motorized facilities between the Riverside Bridge and the Central Playground

  • Improve the intersection of Levee Street/6th Street to reduce pedestrian crossing widths and slow vehicle speeds