RECENT COMMENTS
Proposal to transform Jefferson Avenue into a more pedestrian and bike friendly corridor
The next Union Hill Civic Association meeting will be next Wednesday, May 28, 2014, at 7:00 PM at Union Market.
The agenda will include this proposal for transforming Jefferson Avenue into a more pedestrian and bike friendly corridor.
The sketch is a starting point for neighbors and the city to create a master-plan for Jefferson Avenue.
This preliminary plan was developed with input from people like you, who during the past three UHCA monthly meetings, shared their ideas for improvements.
You can download a PDF of this proposed plan by clicking here.
We are expecting representatives from the City’s Traffic Engineering Department to attend our meeting. So please come with your ideas and support for creating a neighborhood-friendly avenue that will be safer for cars, pedestrians and cyclists to use, together. The goal is to encourage the ongoing commercial development of Jefferson Avenue, while creating more green space and a safer environment for everyone.
Also on the agenda:
Annual summer picnic in Jefferson Park (Wed June 25th) with the “Mr Smedley” unveiling with the Richmond Public Art Commission,
Public safety report from the 1st Precinct.
What about a more car, house and stoplight friendly one as well? After this weekend’s carnage it seems to be an all around dangerous road.
No more traffic circles, please! They aren’t pedestrian friendly (it takes 5 minutes to get around the one at 25th/M sometimes due to all the cars flying through it) and people always get confused by them.
Re-engineer the traffic signals and perhaps add some crosswalk signs. And build the bike path for sure!! That one is a no-brainer!
^^^Observer: I’ve never had any trouble with the one at M and 25th, except for when they had the sidewalk fenced off next to Subrosa while they were rebuilding. It does take a little longer to walk around because the crosswalks are set so far back, but that can also shorten travel time, depending on which direction you’re coming from and where you’re going. I wonder if a design that keeps the lights, but moves them somewhere else (perhaps the middle of the blocks) while also adding traffic circles could reduce the amount of traffic in the circle?
There are some good ideas at work here. Many thanks to those that are using their free time to try and help create a better, safer neighborhood!
Wow, that looks great! I really like the traffic circles. I think they look great and work great. I love that they have several down Jefferson St. Bring it on! It will look great and make for a much more pedestrian/bike friendly street.
We need to be really smart about the traffic circles – as mentioned before they are not pedestrian friendly. They are only designed to slow traffic, and at most intersections we need traffic STOPPING devices.
We must also consider the bus path. The busses do not do well with circles.
Awesome set of ideas. Absolutely love the traffic calming. Let’s do it!
I have, in the last couple of days, driven on both Monument Ave. at the huge circle at the Lee Monument, and on Marshall St. with the two small circles. The ones on Marshall confuse even ME – the sign says to yield to pedestrians. Am I supposed to yield to traffic on the side streets, too? I’m a fairly savvy driver but the small circles don’t appeal to me at all. The big one on Monument is clearly marked, yield to the traffic already in the circle – but it’s big enough to understand. I say *no* to more circles, either on Jefferson or anywhere else up here. Also, the buses cannot navigate them. They need some other sort of traffic calming/stopping device, NOT circles. The circles only work when they are huge and well marked as to who has the right of way (such as at the Lee Monument at Allen and Monument). Just my two cents.
Roundabouts! Roundabouts everywhere!
Think of the pedestrians! I hate rerouting historic streets… This is good for a new area of town but I am not for blocking off or rerouting any part of streets in a historic area.
I love this plan so much! Am wondering how going to one-way on Leigh and Clay will help cyclists- I thought that one way streets encouraged faster driving.
Thanks to everyone who participated at last night’s UHCA meeting. Your input on the plan to transform Jefferson Ave is invaluable, especially at this stage.
Next steps: our resident urban designer and civil engineer (two UH neighbors volunteering their time) will work with the city’s CAD files from last night’s meeting and incorporate our ideas.
As you might expect, this is an iterative process. We are learning a lot as we go and we’re thrilled that the city Dept of Traffic Engineering is helping us get there.
Many thanks to Tom Flynn, City Transportation Engineer, for attending last night’s meeting and continuing to work with us on Jefferson Avenue.
The one-way streets are a bad idea and are in contravention of every single current traffic best practice. Hope the meeting cut those out.