City presents conceptual Faraday Avenue safety upgrades tied to Veterans Memorial Park

John Kim, the city traffic engineer, and Associate Engineer Nick Gorman presented a conceptual design for Faraday Avenue intended to improve pedestrian and bicycle access to the forthcoming Veterans Memorial Park, which staff said the council approved in July 2022 and expects to complete by 2026. The presentation framed the park as a driver of the roadway changes and showed conceptual locations for three raised crosswalks enhanced with rectangular rapid‑flashing beacons (RRFBs), center median refuge islands, curb extensions and left‑turn lanes into the park driveways.

Gorman explained that the raised crosswalks act as traffic‑calming features and that one proposed change includes removing a secondary eastbound travel lane in certain segments to tighten crossing distances; staff said this would not reduce segment capacity and that the lane currently ends approximately 500 feet east of Cannon Road. He also said the design includes left‑turn lanes into the park access points and that all design elements remain conceptual and subject to engineering refinement.

Staff noted they met with the fire department in December 2023, which supported the conceptual improvements after reviewing potential access implications. Commissioners focused questions on signal timings at RRFB locations, parking lane and buffer widths for bike safety, and whether raised crosswalks should be limited to the one nearest the bus stop if funding is constrained. Staff said conceptual work will be incorporated into an engineering design and then brought back to the commission before council and construction approvals.

No formal vote was taken; staff said they are pursuing a design contract and will return with detailed engineering plans and funding steps once council approval is in place.