I went by the Slow & Active Streets again today. Ali Doerr Westbrook and Katie Valenzuela had a table set up on 26th Street at K Street to inform the public, and giving out Valentine’s goodie and bike network maps.
Since Friday, the signs have been moved out into the street, rather than on the side. I spent some time watching traffic, and this placement does seem more effective. I saw people starting to turn onto the routes and then not, and also drivers going less than a block to homes.
An unexpected feature was that the traffic signals on 26th Street had been set to flashing red along 26th and the cross streets. I was surprised because it is rare that the city changes traffic signal operations for anything.
I heard from people that the street had been very active yesterday on a warm sunny day, but there weren’t a lot of people out today. More bicyclists than walkers. Everyone seems very happy to see this program in effect.
One driver stopped while I was taking a photo, to ask what I thought. He then mentioned that he lived on O Street, and was very happy to see this traffic calming, as he said many drivers went way to fast on O Street, coming off 21st Street (which is a one-way street with higher traffic speeds even though posted 25 mph).
So far, so good.
Getting Around Sacramento 
I passed by 26th St yesterday. No one really using the slow street. And the sidewalks are already wide enough for the low amount of foot traffic on 26th Street. The slow streets, in this case, seemed like kind of a solution in search of a problem. On the other hand, 20th Street between J and K where they’ve blocked off the street by Lowbrau, seems necessary and valuable. There was already a manifest problem with pedestrians spilling off the sidewalk, into the roadway. Same with Capitol Ave by Zocalo, and R Street by Iron Horse. I like these segments better as a ped malls than their former uses as ordinary roadways, and I hope the changes are made permanent. Likewise, the way so many restaurants have improvised cafe/sidewalk seating, often pushing into the roadway, seems to be well-liked by customers and downtown visitors. I hope it stays. I worry that a car will eventually crash into someone, however. It’s been good to see the City adding bollards at some of the entrances. Also, I’ll be interested to see if the outdoor seating remains popular, and the tents and heaters economically justifiable for the business owners, after COVID dies down.
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