I participated in Slow Down Sacramento’s Traffic Safety Forum on March 2. I participated in the session looking at specific locations that need safety improvements, with two individuals interested in the North Natomas area, specifically the locations where the Jackrabbit Trail, a multi-use path, crosses streets. We focused on the crossing of Truxel Road at Natomas Crossing Drive. I intend to write more about the forum in a future post.

Jackrabbit Trail is not just a recreational trail, it is also the main route between North Natomas and downtown Sacramento, which is why North Natomas Jibe has been active in promoting the trail and working with the city to complete the trail. There are still gaps, but it is heavily used, and I have used it a number of times when I was doing bicyclist education in North Natomas. The UEDA trail is also a north-south route, but it is far to the east, serving an industrial area and along a levee, rather than serving residents and businesses.

Summary

• The crossing of Truxel Drive by the Jackrabbit Trail is poorly designed and hazardous for bicyclists and walkers.
• The crosswalk should have an exclusive phase, without motor vehicle movement, to protect walkers and bicyclists using the crosswalk.
• The crosswalk should be painted in a high-visibility pattern rather than the low visibility parallel lines.
• The ends of the path should be aligned with a multi-use crossing just south of the existing crosswalk, and perpendicular to Truxel Road.

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