A reader just commented on my Elvas Ave and Hornet Tunnel update post with:

“Recently the city has installed a new 6-inch curb in the center of Elvas Ave. right alongside The Line, probably to prevent Doordash drivers from making left turns in or out of there. Now if you are coming from 62nd St., you can’t turn left to get to the Hornet Tunnel. They didn’t put in curb cuts for bicyclists. The old curb had some openings. Your options are to ride to 65th St. and make a U-turn, salmon up Elvas on the wrong side of the street, ride on that horrendous excuse for a sidewalk on the east side of the street, or stop in the middle of the street and carry your bike over the curb. The section of Elvas Ave. between 62nd St. and the Hornet Tunnel should have protected bike lanes, similar to what was built on Rod Beaudry Dr. several years ago.”

So I went to take a look. This seemingly minor project has indeed made things worse for bicyclists. A bicyclist eastbound on Elvas Avenue used to be able to use the center turn lane to come close to the Hornet Tunnel entrance before having to cross to the east side of Elvas. Not ideal, but acceptable for ‘strong and confident’ bicyclists. Now, that transition must occur way back at 64th Street.

I have written several times about the hazard that Elvas Ave presents to bicyclists (as well as everyone else) and requested that the city come up with a plan to fix it. A large number of other advocates have requested the same. The city has done absolutely nothing. (Elvas Ave and Hornet Tunnel, Elvas Ave and Hornet Tunnel update, M Street to Hornet Tunnel. The route which includes L Street, M Street, and 63rd Street is one of the most used bicycle routes in the city, particularly when Sac State is in session, but throughout the year. It is quite pleasant and safe, except for this short stretch along Elvas Avenue which is incredibly dangerous and uncomfortable. Stress level 4 plus.

As pointed out by the commenter, this concrete curb was probably placed to eliminate left turns into and left turns out of the driveway at The Line. (By the way, this is a 7 inch curb. The city no longer uses 6 inch curbs because drivers with large trucks just drive over them.) So for motor vehicle drivers, it is at least somewhat safer. I’m not sure how long it has been in place, but there are black tire marks on both sides of the curb, indicating that drivers are running into the curb. The city could have placed a short cut in the curb to allow bicyclists to turn left onto the sidewalk and into the tunnel. But they did not.

Probably even more egregious is that the city permitted The Line and Garden at The Line developments without any requirement for, or even plan for, calming traffic at this location. Why was the development approved without a solution. The problem was known, and it was known that traffic would get worse with this development.

When I was there today, I crossed Elvas Avenue so as to get photos from both sides. Crossing back to the west at the north end of the curb, three drivers failed to yield to me, though there is a crosswalk (unmarked) there. The fourth driver, turning out of 64th Street to Elvas, accelerated belligerently towards me and I had to run to keep from getting hit. This was broad daylight with a not particularly high volume of traffic. In the evenings when hundreds of people are trying to cross Elvas to and from Garden at The Line, it is much worse. People will die here. And those deaths will be on the city staff that has failed to fix this traffic hazard.