A process is currently underway to develop a plan for Parking, Circulation, and Transportation in Downtown Redding. Share your thoughts on these important community development issues: contact information here – Downtown Redding Transportation Plan

The second Community Workshop will be in September, TBA.

A Short History of Downtown Redding Development. Want to learn a little more about the history and development of Downtown Redding? From the beginning of Redding’s history until today, it’s fascinating! View it here: Downtown Redding: A Timeline

There are many things to celebrate about the recent street improvements in Downtown Redding:

It’s not just about the bike lanes. This project benefits pedestrians, drivers, businesses, and property owners too.

Downtown is more comfortable for people walking. Everyone walks. Every trip downtown begins and ends with walking. This is why the most important thing to do to create a vibrant downtown is to make it comfortable, convenient, and downright fun to walk! California Street is much easier for people to walk across now and. calmer traffic on Pine makes people feel more comfortable walking along the sidewalk.

Improvements created calmer traffic that businesses and residents have hoped for and is in the general plan. Drivers behave more predictably as they drive through downtown. Far fewer erratic lane changes, less speeding.

This project conforms to recommendations from the Downtown Specific Plan as well as the 2000=2020 General Plan regarding bicycle facilities, circulation, and linkages between downtown and other areas.

Calmer street traffic creates better visibility for businesses. Business owners like calmer street traffic; it’s easier for people to notice their businesses as they drive by.

Better for people parking and getting in and out of cars. Businesses have already commented that customers are finding it easier see to park, enter, and exit their cars. The buffer lane gives people space to open their doors and get in/out safely without disturbing passing cars.

Improved flow for driving. Drivers report the changes to California Street have improved the ease of driving from California Street through the intersection with Cypress Avenue, and/or South Market Street.

Better turn lanes on California. California Street has better turn lanes, especially noticeable at Placer Street. The improvements are especially noticeable for turning by trucks.

No added cost: it’s all just paint. The asphalt and striping project was already planned and budgeted. The changes to striping have added a minimal amount of extra cost for paint.

It was a highway, and now we don’t need a highway downtown. The streets were originally configured for traffic that is no longer there. Prior to this project, the streets had not changed since they were part of Highway 99, the primary north/south highway through the state before I-5. Traffic on California Street has dropped 27% from 2002 to 2012. Traffic on Pine Street has dropped nearly 20% during the same time. We heard a business owner say: We have six lanes of traffic moving through Redding along I-5; we don’t need that downtown!

Peak traffic is only 40 minutes per day, 5 days a week. Living Streets are used by everyone. Peak auto traffic might exist for 40 minutes a day for 5 days a week or less, but people move, work, and live on these streets for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

It’s safe. The projects are expected to decrease accidents for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. Studies of similar traffic calming and bicycle lanes show reduced crashes and increased safety.

Increase retail sales and raise property values. Studies of similar traffic calming and bicycle lanes show increases in retail sales.

It sets the stage for the future of Downtown Redding. Caltrans will be monitoring results and considering further improvements to be made in five years.

Results from these improvements will inform the planning efforts underway now to build a better future for a vibrant downtown.

We are grateful to Caltrans District 2 and the City of Redding for making these improvements to benefit businesses and our community.

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Why is this a Big Deal?

Bicycling is good for our community, for families and businesses. This is just one of the steps to make it easy for people to choose a bicycle for some of their daily trips. Bicycling is fun, economical and healthy, and this law helps remind all drivers to think about passing safely.

“The CHP says there’s really no excuse for breaking the upcoming three foot rule. “If you can’t give them three feet, slow down, reduce your speed and only pass when it’s safe to do so”, CHP Officer Edgar Figueroa said. http://abc7.com/news/ca-law-requires-3-feet-buffer-between-drivers-bicyclists/292322/

When drivers give bicyclists more space as they pass, a leading cause of deadly collisions is minimized and more people feel comfortable about choosing to ride their bikes, which in turn promotes a more livable and economically viable community for us all.

The law now requires motorists to give at least three feet of clearance when passing a bike in the same lane. If not enough space is available, the motorist must slow down and pass when no danger is present to the bicyclist. This is one step in a comprehensive set of actions local communities and the state are taking to make bicycling safe for people of all abilities.

The three foot law goes into effect in California September 16th, 2014.

A person traveling by bicycle on a street is vulnerable. Similarly, road construction crews are vulnerable. As are pedestrians – nearly 4,300 people died when hit by cars in 2010, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.

Slow down and think about passing safely

What you can do: Pass people on bicycles safely when you drive, giving at least a three foot buffer zone between your car and a person on a bicycle. Tap your brakes, slow down, and think about passing safely.

Help your friends and family understand that by doing so they help prevent crashes that kill more adult bicyclists than any other cause in California and the US.

A car obviously weighs several thousand pounds and a pedestrian or bicyclist, as a result, will lose in any collision.

Some key points

California embraces and is encouraging bike use. This law is one of the elements in that campaign.

By California law, bicycles are legal vehicles on the street.

24 other states already have this law.

Three feet is the minimum.

Does the law prohibit a bike from passing a car closer than three feet, for example in a downtown area? No.

Research has proven that with more people riding bikes the safety environment improves for all users as both motorists and bicyclists become more accustomed to sharing the road safely.