Central City
Two-Way
Conversion Study – Purpose of the Study
Why
is the City Conducting the Central City Two-Way
Conversion Study?
Background:
A change in thinking regarding downtown traffic
control and circulation is taking place throughout
the U.S., and is exemplified by the one-way street
debate. In the 1950s and 60s, one-way streets were
implemented in cities across the U.S., including
Sacramento, in an attempt to rid downtowns of traffic
congestion. The relative efficiency of one-way
streets in moving traffic reduced congestion without
street widening or the construction of new facilities.
Many streets were converted to one-way couplets
before freeways were built to improve vehicle access
to downtowns but were not converted back to two-way
operations after freeways were built in the 60s,
70s and 80s.
During the 1990s, a trend began around the US
to convert some one-way streets back to two-way
operations. It is not that the one-way street strategy
failed, or that traffic volumes have decreased.
However, the prevailing wisdom is that two-way
streets can enhance a neighborhood's environment,
reduce speeds to levels that are more compatible
with pedestrian traffic, and that a "busy" street
can be an indicator of a healthy business environment.
There are pros and cons of one-way streets and
two-way streets, but one must recognize that they
will differ from one City or street to another.
The City of Sacramento has been a leader in exploring
and implementing ways to make the traditional neighborhoods
in the Central City more livable. The City has
already converted several one-way streets in the
Central City back to two-way operations, including
E, F, S and T streets, and more recently, G and
H Streets east of 16th Street. Converting one-way
streets to two-way operations is one of the measures
that the City would consider in its Neighborhood
Traffic Management Program (NTMP). Most of the
City's one-way streets are located in the Central
City, and some requests have been made for street
conversions. Instead of considering conversions
on a piecemeal basis, the City has decided to conduct
this systematic study of all the one-way streets
in the Central City.
Need and Potential Benefits of Conversion Project
The Sacramento Central City is comprised of a
dense commercial/office core area that is surrounded
on three sides by medium density residential neighborhoods
and smaller commercial districts. The Central City
is the largest employment center in the region.
The Sacramento Area Council of Governments estimates
that employment in the Central City will grow from
about 100,000 today to about 154,000 in 2025. One-way
streets extend from the freeways that ring the
Central City through the neighborhoods to the business
core. During weekday peak hours, a substantial
number of commuters utilize these one-way streets
to access jobs from outlying areas of the region.
During off-peak hours, a significant amount of
traffic bound to the business core also flows through
these neighborhoods. Residents of the Central City
neighborhoods are concerned that high traffic volume
and travel speeds on one-way streets are impacting
their neighborhood environment.
To address these concerns the City applied for
federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ)
Program funds to evaluate, select, design and implement
one or more projects to convert one-way streets
to two-way operations in the Central City. The
City was successful in securing $1.9 million in
funds for this purpose. The technical analysis
and community input from the Central City Two-Way
Conversion Study will help the City select the
highest priority conversion project(s) to implement.
The intent of a two-way conversion project is
to improve neighborhood livability by reducing
the impact of traffic in residential neighborhoods,
which promotes safe and pleasant conditions for
all users of local streets. The City hopes that
two-way streets would reduce travel speed, increase
safety for pedestrians and improve bicycle access.
Yet such efforts must always be balanced with the
need to allow the City's economic engine, the Central
Business District, to revitalize and grow.
Study Purpose:
The purpose of the Central City Two-way Conversion
Study is:
- To review all the one-way streets in the Central
City and define a full range of "conversion options" (i.e.
segments of one-way couplets or streets that
could potentially be converted to two-way operations).
- To develop and apply a screening process to
focus the study on conversion options that are
feasible for conversion.
- To evaluate the pros and cons of the conversion
options.
- To select one or two conversion options for
implementation.
The Central City Two-Way Conversion Study will
not:
- Review and/or evaluate traffic calming techniques
such as, half-street closures.
- Re-examine the existing Midtown Neighborhood
Preservation Transportation Plan (NPTP).
Study Objectives:
The Central City Two-Way Conversion Study will
identify and evaluate potential conversion options
and select a conversion project for implementation
that strives to meet the following objectives:
- Enhance neighborhood livability.
- Supports continued revitalization of the commercial
area of the Central City.
- Promotes a pedestrian friendly and safe environment.
- Is feasible and can be implemented.
- Is developed with stakeholder and community
participation.
- Maintains a viable transit strategy.
- Supports a balanced transportation system.
Purpose
of the Study
Summary
of the Study
Considered
Streets
Public
Participation
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