City staff recommend reconfiguring Fourth and Fifth Street pilot to diagonal parking and single travel lane; council gives tentative support

City staff presented detailed findings from the Fourth and Fifth Street downtown pilot and recommended modifying the temporary configuration by moving parking adjacent to the travel lane and placing the bike lane between parked cars and the curb (a layout similar to portions of Seventh Street). The presentation and council discussion took place Jan. 13, 2025.

Staff described why the modification is proposed: the current separated bike lane has produced visibility issues at unsignalized intersections, generated strong public debate and led some riders and motorists to experience conflicts. Staff said average speeds on the corridors have dropped since the pilot but that interaction points (for example, right‑turn conflicts and diagonal‑parking backing movements) require design adjustments. Mike (staff presenter) summarized the recommendation as a "flip‑flop" of the bike lane and parking to a configuration residents see on other local streets, and staff emphasized this would be a modification of the pilot rather than a final permanent…