The Streets of North City Farms are set to undergo a transformation as the Sacramento Department of Public Works gears up to start the Franklin Boulevard Complete Street project. As reported by the Sacramento City Express, the initiative surfaced from a community-driven effort by the Franklin Boulevard Business Association recognizing the neighborhood's need for safer, more family-friendly thoroughfares.
Started in 2016, the project's development included conversations with residents and leaders in an effort to make the street safer for all, whether they're on foot, on bikes, or cruising in cars. The current plans aim to scale down traffic, with vehicle lanes on Franklin Boulevard between 12th Avenue and 32nd Avenue to be reduced from four to two, while retaining the center turn lane. This notable change was designed, with the expectation being, to subdue the thrum of traffic and to carve out space for protected bikeways and sidewalks, promoting a safer environment for the community.
Senior Engineer Megan Johnson, conveying the need for such a project, stated, "Franklin Boulevard has a lot of great amenities for families, including restaurants, shops, La Superior and La Esperanza markets, La Familia Counseling Center's abundant services, and the nearby Ethel Phillips Elementary School, but the current street feels uncomfortable and unsafe to travel along – especially by foot or bike." Johnson told the Sacramento City Express how the project will reconfigure Franklin Boulevard to match the needs of those it serves.
The construction will not only rework the vehicle lanes but also includes plans to redo the roadway's surface, refurbish and expand sidewalks, position trees and landscaping, and install new streetlights and pedestrian-friendly lighting. Completing the aesthetic and practical revamp, raised concrete islands aim to provide a buffer between people on bikes or scooters and moving vehicles in a significant stride toward safeguarding the community's diverse transit modes.
With the Sacramento City Council recently greenlighting a contract for the project's construction management team and ensuring the necessary federal and local funds, the project is moving forward. Funded by several federal grants, including $9.3 million from the state's Active Transportation Program and $8.3 million through the Sacramento Area Council of Governments' transportation offerings, along with $750K from local funds by the Sacramento Transportation Authority, the project is currently calling for construction bids. If all goes as scheduled, shovels are expected to hit the ground this fall and the work shall stretch into 2025.
