On Friday, September 14, 2012, People Reaching Out and WALKSacramento conducted a pedestrian count and traffic observation of the Fruitridge Road and 58th Street intersection. This intersection has been a focus of WALKSacramento’s work in the past year in partnership with the community to support pedestrian safety improvements in the area. This area is one of the City’s most dangerous for pedestrians. On January 19, 2012, a West Campus High School student was fatally struck by a driver while traveling across the marked crosswalk on Fruitridge Rd at 58th Street.
The review on September 14 was a follow up to the pedestrian counts and observations performed in June and July 2012 with community members. with findings and recommendations in WALKSacramento’s Fruitridge / Stockton Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Review.
On August 8, 2012, WALKSacramento, with People Reaching Out, West Campus High School students and Tallac Village Neighboard Association president Michael Minnick met with Councilmember Kevin McCarty and the Division of Transportation to discuss the safety review’s findings and recommendations. The Division of Transportation will review the report and consider options for improving pedestrian safety.
Pedestrian Count on Sept 14
The pedestrian counts on September 14 were designed to observe conditions when students are leaving school for the afternoon. From 3 – 3:30 pm:
- 32 pedestrians crossed all legs of the intersection.
- Eight pedestrians crossed 58th Street and Fruitridge Road.
- Three bicycles traveled across the intersection, one crossing Fruitridge Road at the marked crosswalk.
General observations of pedestrian and driver behavior on Sept 14
- There is significantly more pedestrian traffic in the afternoon than the morning, likely due to more students being dropped off by adults in the morning.
- Pedestrians at the intersection, either waiting or crossing, create multiple potential conflicts as drivers do not know if the pedestrian is about to cross or not.
- Pedestrians are unsure when to cross, which causes frustration among drivers who do not know if and when pedestrians will cross.
- Drivers find it challenging to negotiate the intersection on to and off of 58th Street to and from Fruitridge Road.
Key Findings
- Pedestrians crossing Fruitridge Road must wait up to five minutes for a break in the traffic to cross.
- Drivers do not consistently respond to pedestrians at the marked crosswalk. Some stop for pedestrians to cross; others traveling at high speed in adjacent lanes or in the opposite direction, do not.
- Drivers from both the east and west on Fruitridge Road are often in conflict with each other negotiating the turn.
- Drivers turning left from Fruitridge Road eastbound will stop in the left hand westbound traffic lane to wait for westbound Fruitridge Road traffic turning on to 58th Street to clear. This interferes with car traffic continuing to travel west on Fruitridge Road and risks collision.
- Drivers queue on Fruitridge Road traveling west toward Stockton Blvd due to the Stockton Boulevard traffic signal and block the pedestrian crosswalk at 58th Street.
- Drivers will use the west edge of the marked crosswalk as a stop bar while queuing.
Recommendation for 58th Street and Fruitridge Road
The September 14 pedestrian count and traffic review supported and confirmed the recommendation that was made for a controlled traffic signal at this intersection. A traffic signal would:
- Reduce traffic speed along Fruitridge Road.
- Control and manage cars turning on and off Fruitridge Road from 58th Street.
- Provide a safe, timed interval for pedestrians to cross Fruitridge Road at the marked crosswalk.
Next Steps
- Meeting with Councilmember Jay Schenirer, whose district includes the Lawrence Park neighborhood northwest of the Fruitridge/Stockton intersection to for his input and support.
- Community review of the Division of Transportation’s upcoming recommendations for pedestrian safety improvements to the intersections of Fruitridge Road and Stockton Boulevard, and Fruitridge Road and 58th Street.
- Working with the Sacramento Tree Foundation to develop a plan to implement the community’s recommendation for more shade trees in the area. The community’s input will be called on to set tree planting priorities and locations.
WALKSacramento looks forward to continued working with our partners to make it safer for people of all ages and abilities to travel on Fruitridge Road.