Safer Routes for Walkers and Bikers
Residents of Napa will notice projects beginning later in the year that will improve the safety crossings for pedestrians and bicyclists. The work will be most apparent along Soscol Avenue.
Green Conflict Lanes on Soscol Avenue
The northern portion of Soscol Avenue from La Homa Drive to Central Avenue will undergo a repaving. The improvement will also include the addition of “conflict lanes” that are painted green with the intent to alert drivers that cyclists may be crossing at intersections.
The new green segments will also be added to other east-west streets. They will be incorporated into the existing bike lanes on the shoulders of Soscol Avenue.
Areas where the green conflict-zone painting is proposed include crossings at:
- Costa Drive
- Central Avenue
- Pueblo Avenue
- River Glen Drive
- La Homa Drive
Projects Largely Funded By Measure T
The improvements planned for the Soscol Avenue area are part of a package for city road repair for the 2021-2022 fiscal year. A large part of the funding will come from Napa’s portion of Measure T, the county sales tax allotment that voters passed, which has funneled several million dollars to the city for road work improvements since 2018.
Soscol Avenue – Does More Need to be Done?
While the green conflict zones represent an improvement to bicycle safety along Soscol Avenue, an official from the Napa County Bicycle Coalition believes that more needs to be done. He believes that bicyclists need to be physically separated from vehicle traffic by a protected bike lane, given the area’s high traffic volume. He pointed out that paint does not keep a distracted motorist from veering into the bicycle lane.
Watch the YouTube video. The clip below, uploaded by the City of Fremont, explains green bike lanes.
Other Areas Slated for Improvements
A section of the Bay Trail close to the Stanly Ranch resort will swap out its current gravel top for a more bicycle-friendly surface of smooth asphalt. The new surface will improve riding conditions for those who traverse the area on two wheels. The news regarding this planned improvement was recently relayed to the city’s Bicycle and Trails Advisory Commission. The area was previously going to be surfaced with a crushed stone material known as decomposed granite. Local cyclists objected to this type of loose surface, and a change was proposed to pulverize the existing surface, roll it flat, and re-pave with asphalt.
A starting date for the resurfacing of the Bay Trail section is not yet confirmed, but it could get underway in July or August. The new surface will improve the safety for bicyclists above and beyond what is minimally required.
Napa Personal Injury Lawyer
Thanks for reading our discussion of the new pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements coming to Soscol Avenue in Napa. I’m Ed Smith, a Napa, California personal injury attorney. Distracted driving and other types of negligent behavior cause pedestrian and bicycle accidents every day in Northern California. Those accidents cause many innocent people to suffer serious injuries or wrongful deaths. If you have been injured in a traffic accident or your family has lost a loved one due to driver negligence, the skilled injury lawyers at my firm are available to help. Reach out to us for compassionate, free, and friendly advice. Our local telephone number is (707) 564-1900. If you are calling from outside the (707) area code, please feel free to call our toll-free number: (800) 404-5400.
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Photo: Pixabay
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