4th and 5th Street Improvements Pilot Project
The City of Grand Junction and Downtown Grand Junction launched a pilot project in Aug. 2024 designed to reduce speeds on 4th and 5th Streets to increase safety for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians. Throughout the early stages of the pilot, challenges became apparent from a layout perspective, and community feedback provided areas of improvement for modifications to the pilot.
2025 Modifications to the Pilot Project
City staff recommended and received direction from City Council to modify based on challenges with the current layout, feedback from the community, and data collected since the project’s implementation. The pilot will maintain the one-way, one-lane configuration with minor alterations, while several modifications are planned to improve the functionality and address concerns. Review the pilot project modifications in the presentation.
Timeline for modifications:
In the first quarter of 2025, modifications will include minimizing the number of vertical delineators and replacing them with more subtle, lower vertical, elements such as curb stops and rollover humps, to define bulb-outs. Parking spaces near intersections will also be adjusted to increase visibility and sight distances.
In the second quarter of 2025, alterations including restriping both corridors to adjust the bike lane adjacent to the travel lane which accommodates an increase in lane width for vehicular users, and pre-pilot parking configurations will be restored. These recommendations cannot occur until consistent warmer temperatures return.
After the second round of modifications is made, city staff will continue to monitor the pilot project for three to six months collecting data, receiving community feedback, and assessing the pilot’s progress to determine the next steps.
Planning of 4th and 5th Street Pilot Project
Planning done in the 1980s helped lay the foundation for designs developed for 2024 that were implemented. These were based on how the City grew and how downtown evolved for more pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists driving in for business, shopping, a cold beverage, or a meal.
The original study completed in 2022 had contemplated two lanes instead of one. In 2023, at the request of downtown merchants, the City's consultant evaluated a single-lane configuration which confirmed from a traffic volume standpoint, that a single lane on 4th Street and 5th Street would work in the context of the entire downtown street network. This single-lane design accommodated diagonal parking to remain.
The first iteration of the pilot project from Aug. 2024 to early 2025 proved layout challenges with increased community feedback. Early pilot modifications were completed to adjust the configurations.
Notable Changes Include (updated Sept.9):
City Leadership reviewing project plans for 5th Street
- The turning radius at various corners has been modified based on feedback from the original 4th Street design
- Additional diagonal parking will be provided along the west side of 5th Street south of Grand Ave.
- Bike lanes will be added and buffered by parallel parking on both 4th St. and 5th St.
- Angled parking will remain on the left side of both 4th St. and 5th St. in the downtown area
- Reduction to a one-lane, one-way configuration on both 4th St. and 5th St. between North Ave. and Ute Ave
- Belford Ave. is converted to a two-way street between 4th St. and 5th St.
- A westbound bike lane is added to the north side of Belford Ave. and parking is restricted to only the south side between 4th St. and 5th St.
- Travel lanes were adjusted from the original 11 ft. width to 18 ft. creating more room for car doors on either side and providing more room for drivers to navigate around parallel parking vehicles. The Fire Department initially reviewed the designs and since operating emergency vehicles has recommended the increase in travel lane
- Select parking spaces will be restriped to "no parking zone" to increase pedestrian ability to view oncoming traffic, two specifically in concern are along Colorado Ave.
- Three parking spaces near St. Regis will be restored in order to maintain self-waiting areas for riders
Living Streets Mural Project
As a part of the 4th and 5th Street Pilot Project, the Living Streets subcommittee, Community Development, and Parks and Recreation Departments created several Living Streets Mural along these corridors. The artist's work can be seen along the road sections in the downtown area.
I’ve used 5th street for the last 7 years to get to work. I’ve never once seen people going too fast or an accident. It’s a great way to get into town from OM. I will be finding a new route now. It’s a mess and I believe more dangerous with all the congestion. Really sad that city planners decided this, and asked for feedback AFTER, not before.
I like to come downtown for lunch and to shop, however since these changes, I'm actually considering other places to go. I also use the the 4th Street Post Office, but now, I'm reconsidering that, because you can't just get in and out now with the parking changes, people blocking the street to parallel park in very tight spots. The traffic is too much for lunch time now. I work about 7 miles away and walking to downtown or riding a bike at lunch is not an option.
I like to come downtown for lunch and to shop, however since these changes, I'm actually considering other places to go. I also use the the 4th Street Post Office, but now, I'm reconsidering that, because you can't just get in and out now with the parking changes, people blocking the street to parallel park in very tight spots. The traffic is too much for lunch time now. I work about 7 miles away and walking to downtown or riding a bike at lunch is not an option.
I like to come downtown for lunch and to shop, however since these changes, I'm actually considering other places to go. I also use the the 4th Street Post Office, but now, I'm reconsidering that, because you can't just get in and out now with the parking changes, people blocking the street to parallel park in very tight spots. The traffic is too much for lunch time now. I work about 7 miles away and walking to downtown or riding a bike at lunch is not an option.
I’ve worked downtown for 10 years. Driving down 4th street is terrible now. Taking the road down to one lane and having random parking in the middle of the road is absurd. What a mess.
I’ve worked downtown for 10 years. Driving down 4th street is terrible now. Taking the road down to one lane and having random parking in the middle of the road is absurd. What a mess.
Visibility when driving on Colorado and looking for cross traffic is non existent. You are unable to stop at the stop sign and see if any traffic is coming. In addition large delivery trucks are unable to use the alleys any more.
The changes, didn’t make any sense, and accomplished nothing. A single lane with cars parked on both sides makes it dangerous for people getting out of their cars, and also makes it difficult for larger vehicles to commute. I was over in that area for a few hours and not once did I see a bike travel through the massive lane that was opened up. If the purpose of this is to reduce speed, maybe reduce the speed limit? Or put other traffic enforcement’s on the streets. Seems like the logical thing to do.
The changes, didn’t make any sense, and accomplished nothing. A single lane with cars parked on both sides makes it dangerous for people getting out of their cars, and also makes it difficult for larger vehicles to commute. I was over in that area for a few hours and not once did I see a bike travel through the massive lane that was opened up. If the purpose of this is to reduce speed, maybe reduce the speed limit? Or put other traffic enforcement’s on the streets. Seems like the logical thing to do.
Absolutely horrible layout. One person trying to parallel park is backing up the street. It’s too congested for me to feel comfortable parking or riding a bike there. Everything is too tight and there isn’t enough room to turn if there is another vehicle at the intersection. Traffic jams make the area more dangerous to everyone
Absolutely horrible layout. One person trying to parallel park is backing up the street. It’s too congested for me to feel comfortable parking or riding a bike there. Everything is too tight and there isn’t enough room to turn if there is another vehicle at the intersection. Traffic jams make the area more dangerous to everyone
This is a complete disaster. Traffic is now backed up creating more congestion than ever before. Bicycles come darting out of blind spots caused by the row of parked vehicles. I believe this is going to cause people to avoid downtown. I feel sorry for those businesses
This is a complete disaster. Traffic is now backed up creating more congestion than ever before. Bicycles come darting out of blind spots caused by the row of parked vehicles. I believe this is going to cause people to avoid downtown. I feel sorry for those businesses
4th and 5th Streets are main arterials. There are other side streets with bike lanes that are far safer for bicyclists to use. There is absolutely no reason to make a main arterial virtually useless to drivers when there are already safe north-south options for bicyclists. This was a complete and utter waste of taxpayers money, and you wonder why people here have no trust in local government entities when it comes to spending??
4th and 5th Streets are main arterials. There are other side streets with bike lanes that are far safer for bicyclists to use. There is absolutely no reason to make a main arterial virtually useless to drivers when there are already safe north-south options for bicyclists. This was a complete and utter waste of taxpayers money, and you wonder why people here have no trust in local government entities when it comes to spending??
I drove downtown yesterday to shop on Main. As usual, I came down 4th from Grand. Nice job on the thoughtful ideas, and as expected with a pilot program, a couple of glitches. The parallel parking stalled traffic as people parked. Also, drivers accessing the parallel vehicles requires traffic to stop while the enter and exit their vehicle. Drivers and passengers of the parked cars opened their doors into traffic, causing very near misses, both the the vehicle doors, and also the people exiting. It also stopped traffic again. The lane is very narrow, which I know is intentional to force traffic calming, and compounded with the parallel parking, actually raises problems. Excellent handling of the bike lane; lose the parallel parking. The few number of spaces generates doesn't make it worth the congestion and risks. Also, PLEASE open access back for the parking lot on 4th. That restricts parking and forces people to park in the Wells Fargo lot, which was completely full. Technically that is private property. Forcing cars to go left on Colorado, left on 5th and then left into the lot will just exacerbate problems on 5th as it too, becomes a single lane--I didn't walk over yesterday, to see if those changes have started. Traffic flying north on 5th and suddenly hitting downtown has always been problematic, so I welcome traffic calming and raising awareness that traffic is now entering a high density area. Please don't repeat the problems in the 4th street pilot on 5th. You are also playing to a different set of drivers...thank you for tackling the problems with bold initiatives.
11111
I regularly ride my bike to town 4-5 times a week. I avoid 4th and 5th streets due to fast moving traffic above the set speed limit of 25mph. I ride 6th street both ways to Main St., or Rood as the traffic is a lot less. I'm all for slowing down the traffic as few follow the speed limits. I'm not sure how I feel about reduced parking in the downtown corridors.
Pilot projects are good...!
Thanks,
Peter
We recently used 4th Street heading South from North Ave. to Orchard Mesa. The way the road is spray painted is awful and makes no sense. It needs to be two lanes.
I do not support these changes. I believe that continuing with these changing brings a much higher safety risk to everyone as well as traffic jams in these areas. Reducing the lanes creates traffic jams, especially when buses need to stop and gather or let out passangers. Adding the parking spots adds to both hazards and traffic jams as people will have to wait while cars park. Hazards increase for those exiting their vehicles while parked in those spaces as they must either step into traffic coming from behind them, or enter the bike lane. The parking spaces also create physical and visual barriers to both pedestrians and larger vehicles like large delivery trucks that will not be able to enter alleys with the sharp turn created by both the pillars and parked cars.