If you frequent downtown Sacramento, you’ve likely noticed the recent changes on 5th Street. Until September 2024, 5 th St. (aka the Street), was a two-lane, one-way street – widening to three lanes, north of N – that served to shuffle cars northbound through downtown, past the state capitol. A steady river of traffic raced past narrow bike lines and rows of parked cars, with speeds often exceeding the posted speed limit of 30 MPH. At its widest, where it crossed Capitol Ave., the Street included one right turn lane, a bike lane traveling straight, two car lanes traveling straight, a left turn bike lane, and two left turn car lanes. Eventually, as it crossed L and passed by DOCO, the Street added more lanes becoming a two-way street for the remainder of its length.
Now, the former one-way thoroughfare has been transformed into a two-way street with dedicated northbound and southbound car lanes, bike lanes, and on-street parking on both sides in select areas.
The Street is an important piece of Sacramento’s downtown fabric. It plays host to a mixture of office buildings, residential units, and small shops, and is a direct route to the Wednesday Farmer’s Market for many State workers on Capitol Ave. It’s exactly the kind of place where pedestrians and cyclists should be protected and encouraged.
So, what finally prompted this face lift, and now that several months have passed, what’s the impact?
Before the Change
I work downtown near 5th St., so I’ve ridden down the Street to get to the office and walk on it during lunch or my breaks. I’ve also used the Street to travel to the Amtrak station a few times, although 4th St. is my preferred route.
As a one-way, cars moved down the Street quickly; even though it was only two-lanes and had apartments on it, you wouldn’t see many bikes or the street. Walking also felt discouraged because the waiting time at many intersections were consistently over 30 seconds (up to 1.5 minutes). This may not seem like a long time, but imagine how long waiting at a light for 1.5 minutes feels in a car, and then imagine if it were raining or hot outside. You’re probably glad you’re in a car, and not waiting outside that long without shelter.
Plus, when approaching Capitol Ave., there was no crosswalk on the West side of the intersection, forcing you to cross the street three times. This adds up to 270 ft. to get to the other side of Capitol Ave. instead of the 140 ft. it would take if there was a crosswalk on the West side. Not so good if you’re a pedestrian, even if it’s not raining.
So if it wasn’t good for supporting local businesses, and was dangerous for pedestrians, what purpose did the Street serve in its previous configuration? The ugly truth is that it was nothing more than a car sewer, or a way to leave work starting around 3:30PM until the end of commuter hours. It wasn’t unpleasant, but there wasn’t a draw to use the Street for anything but a quick way to leave downtown when work was over. Cars weren’t typically traveling at freeway speeds, but they weren’t traveling slowly through the residential areas and mixed use sections, either. This design also encouraged several near misses that I have seen and been part of.
The Immediate Aftermath
In the days right after the change, traffic on the Street and the one-way streets that fed into it were notably worse. Cars were stacked bumper-to-bumper and drivers were honking and yelling at each other. At one point, as I was crossing the street, a driver nearly hit me and when he realized what had almost happened, he yelled at me for being in the crosswalk even though I had the signal. It was miserable, and it felt like Carmagedon.
After the Dust Settled
But, after a week of two had passed, something magical happened. The traffic jams and near-misses stopped. There was no more honking or yelling. The Street and its surroundings were suddenly calmer and quieter.
The Current Pedestrian and Cyclist Experience
I was walking down the Street last week, and I crossed in front of the Capitol Tower Apartments to get to the O St. Lightrail station. While crossing, I was struck suddenly with how the change to a two-way street impacted how I used it. Normally, walking in Sacramento leaves you with an all-to-obvious sense that walking isn’t welcome. Of course, you’re allowed to walk, but it feels like speed and throughput have been prioritized over all other metrics, most notably pedestrian safety and comfort.
Don’t think that’s the case? Try walking in downtown Davis on a weekend and compare that to walking in downtown Sacramento any day.
When I crossed the Street this time, though, I casually looked both ways as I approached the crosswalk, and the approaching driver was moving at a slower speed, I’d guess 15, which gave them time to see me and slow down. At that moment, the sun started shining a little brighter, the colors more vibrant, and the bird songs more beautiful.
All joking aside, the improvements were quiet, but they made a noticeable impact. Even as an amateur urbanist who is steeped in street engineering terminology, I didn’t notice how comfortable the Street’s new features made me in using it until it happened.
Suggested Improvements
The Street has already seen several changes that make the pedestrian experience better have already been made, but there’s still room to create a better pedestrian experience.
First, the West side of the Capitol Ave. intersection is still not marked for pedestrian crossing. Adding a crosswalk would help the flow of foot traffic, especially on the way to DOCO or Sutter Health Park, and is critical for rainy or hot days.
Second, even though L St. is near the Street is near DOCO, a lifestyle center that capitalizes on a comfortable pedestrian experience and should expect extensive foot traffic with all the sports and entertainment that have been brought to town, the general design is hostile to pedestrians. If we want to reduce traffic downtown on game days, then we need to consider the pedestrian and cyclists experience near the arena and ballpark, especially from nearby transit connections.
Third, signaling all across the Street still prioritizes drivers. Signaling should include leading pedestrian intervals (LPIs) and signaling should prioritize pedestrians when they approach the crosswalk and request a signal to cross. We shouldn’t have to wait 1.5 minutes to cross on any day, but that’s especially the case when it’s 100F outside. Drivers have access to air conditioning – pedestrians do not.
Fourth, and oddly, some of the signs weren’t removed after the conversion. Some are either backwards or covering the newer pedestrian signage.
Even with these suggested improvements, I am pleased that Sacramento is taking the guidance from the 2040 General Plan to heart, and the city is making real change to make Active Transportation the priority form of transportation.