Road Safety Concerns in Davis
Union Pacific (UP), the largest freight-hauling train line in the United States, is currently bidding to close or otherwise alter a popular Interstate 80 shortcut, County Road 32A.
Roadway Hazardous?
UP has pointed to a series of hairpin turns on both sides of the railroad tracks near the intersection at Road 105 which make the roadway hazardous for motorists and liable to cause serious injury collisions.
This may come as big news to those who frequently drive in the area, as the roadway is often used as a shortcut for those who commute between Davis, Sacramento, and cities in the Bay Area. Closing this roadway would mean one less alternative for drivers that travel across the Sacramento Causeway.
Backlash
Patrick Maolini, a resident of Sacramento who frequently uses the shortcut, told reporters “I use (County Road 32A) every day to bypass the traffic.” Maolini added that causeway traffic in Sacramento and Davis will only worsen if the road is shut down without additional investments in alternative transportation solutions.
Protests against the bid to shut down the road have been filed by the city of Davis, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, and the California Farm Bureau Federation. All of the protesting groups stated their concern about increased traffic on I-80 as well as a shift in vehicle traffic toward already congested roads like Mace Boulevard in East Davis.
One resident, Alan Miller, spoke at a city council meeting and said that the road should be closed due to its dangerous nature, but that doing so without an alternative would be “unconscionable.”
Biking Concerns
The road isn’t just used by commuters but is frequently used by bicyclists as well. One bike commuter from Davis, Leon Kelley, told reporters that, despite the dangers of the roadway, 32A is the only road bike commuters have to get from Davis to Sacramento conveniently. Kelley added that it would “be a shame” if the closing of one small stretch of the road forced him to find another means of transportation.
The local bike advocacy group Bike Davis has joined the debate over the potential shut down. The group’s executive board president signed a legal motion suggesting that a compromise be made and that the westbound lane of the roadway is closed to everyone except “cyclists and farm equipment.”
Further Information
All five city council members have expressed support for the construction of a new structure for bicycles that runs along the causeway. Deputy Director for Planning at Caltrans Marlon Flournoy made clear that a bike route would be constructed before Road 32A was altered in any way.
Additionally, in November 2017, Caltrans and Yolo County officials announced that they were attempting to secure funds for a bike or pedestrian structure to aid causeway commuters as well as funds for additional bus and carpool lanes along I-80.
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photo: “sacramento Valley-causeway crime spree” by Robert Couse-Baker under CCA2G
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