The intersection at 49th Street and Broadway was recently upgraded to improve pedestrian safety. The project cost about $140,000 and was mostly funded by the City’s Active Transportation Safety Program. Changes include new traffic signals with a green arrow for left turns and a flashing yellow arrow indicating that drivers must yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians, as reported by the City of Sacramento.
The project was partly prompted by local student Lucas van Houtryve, who raised concerns about the intersection’s safety for his classmates. He contacted city officials, including Mayor Pro Tem Eric Guerra, who said, “It’s young people like Lucas who make a change. He saw the danger his classmates faced and took action by calling his local representative,” according to the City of Sacramento.
The City of Sacramento has installed Leading Pedestrian Interval signals and new yield signs at the intersection of 49th and Broadway to improve pedestrian safety. Leading Pedestrian Interval signals give pedestrians a few seconds to start crossing before vehicles get a green light. City Traffic Engineer Megan Carter said this intersection was suitable for the upgrades, but similar changes may not be possible at all locations due to certain constraints. The project involved coordination between the City and community members.
