City presents three 1st Street multimodal options; commissioners request pedestrian-safety study after fatality
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Summary
Traffic staff outlined three design options for 1st Street that trade vehicle capacity for bikeways and transit lanes; commissioners also asked for a focused pedestrian safety review after an elderly pedestrian was killed in a residential area.
Traffic engineer Zed Kikula told the commission the 1st Street multimodal study has been narrowed to three top options and the project team is seeking community input at public meetings. Option one would keep three vehicle lanes each direction and add a two-way cycle track on the south side with additional crossings. Option two would maintain three eastbound lanes and reduce westbound lanes to two while providing sidewalk-level bike lanes. Option three would remove one travel lane in each direction to create two vehicle lanes each way plus a transit-only lane that could accommodate bikeways, a change that would reduce vehicle capacity but prioritize transit reliability.
Kikula urged commissioners to attend community meetings and review exhibits; staff said they will return with a fuller analysis early next year when consultant traffic analysis is reviewed.
During comments, an unidentified commissioner raised concern about a recent pedestrian fatality in which "an elderly woman was struck by a trash truck" in a residential area and requested a focused pedestrian study to evaluate whether roundabouts in tight neighborhood streets adequately protect older adults and people with mobility challenges. The commissioner asked for an analysis of safety enhancements and a post-accident lessons-learned review. Commissioner Mario asked staff to consider investigation findings from the private company and city inquiries to inform that study; staff acknowledged the request and said they would follow up.
Other brief updates: staff said the OC Streetcar will begin non-revenue testing along tracks ahead of planned revenue service in July 2026, and reported a ribbon cutting for Santiago Park Phase 2 (about $3,000,000) with grant applications planned for a Phase 3.
What’s next: staff will continue community outreach on 1st Street, return with consultant analyses, and follow up on the requested pedestrian-safety review and investigation findings.