Quick Take
The Watsonville City Council will receive a report on conceptual plans to make Freedom Boulevard safer for pedestrians and cyclists at its Tuesday meeting.
Watsonville’s effort to prevent traffic injuries and fatalities will take a step forward Tuesday when the city council hears about recommendations for changes to Freedom Boulevard to make it safer.
Freedom Boulevard has high rates of pedestrian and bicycle collisions, which make up 65% of crashes resulting in death or severe injury. Watsonville has higher rates of traffic injuries than other similar-sized California cities.
A staff report says that the Vision Zero Corridor Study for the city is the result of dangerous conditions along Freedom Boulevard. The initial concepts for safety modifications include protected and buffered bike lanes, new landscaping and new sidewalks to improve pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure.
The study also looks at traffic collisions along Airport Boulevard, East Lake Avenue, Riverside Drive, Green Valley Road and Main Street, but Freedom Boulevard is its priority because it has the highest collision rates of the listed roads. The city’s assistant public works director, Murray Fontes, and assistant community development director Justin Meek presented the report.
During public engagement for this plan, 413 people gave input. In total, 77% of respondents prioritized safety over concerns about added driving time, and there was strong support for separated bike lanes and optimized traffic signals to maintain smooth traffic flow.
The city council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Watsonville City Hall, 275 Main St.
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