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 work downtown and have seen a couple accidents already. The parallel parking is an issue. Way too close to the street to even open doors safely and ends up stopping traffic because people can’t parallel park.
I work downtown and have seen a couple accidents already. The parallel parking is an issue. Way too close to the street to even open doors safely and ends up stopping traffic because people can’t parallel park.
Love it so much! We live near Hawthorne park and are so happy to see that traffic has slowed down already!! We have two young kiddos and we walk and bike downtown every day. These improvements make me feel a lot safer. Learning curve, yes! But that’s okay :-) . Took a little bit to get used to the bike lane being outside of the parking lane but we got it down now. So excited to see the addition of murals on the roadways too! Really appreciate the PROGRESS!
Love it so much! We live near Hawthorne park and are so happy to see that traffic has slowed down already!! We have two young kiddos and we walk and bike downtown every day. These improvements make me feel a lot safer. Learning curve, yes! But that’s okay :-) . Took a little bit to get used to the bike lane being outside of the parking lane but we got it down now. So excited to see the addition of murals on the roadways too! Really appreciate the PROGRESS!
Love it so much! We live near Hawthorne park and are so happy to see that traffic has slowed down already!! We have two young kiddos and we walk and bike downtown every day. These improvements make me feel a lot safer. Learning curve, yes! But that’s okay :-) . Took a little bit to get used to the bike lane being outside of the parking lane but we got it down now. So excited to see the addition of murals on the roadways too! Really appreciate the PROGRESS!
Hawthorn Park is in my neighborhood and I often visit with my 4-year-old. We usually walk or ride bikes, or he will take his scooter. 4th and 5th Streets, bordering the park, have always been roads that elicited the need to use extra caution compared to the rest of the neighborhood. The two lanes with no stops between Grand and North encourage higher speeds through that corridor, which in turn makes it much more dangerous for pedestrians. In my opinion, a popular city park should not be bordered by roads that frequently see cars driving 40+ mph. Hawthorn Park is as popular with small children as it is with adults chasing volleyballs across the street. I welcome these changes and hope to see these improvements stay especially between Grand and North Ave on 4th and 5th Streets. Having visited Hawthorn Park with my son yesterday, I can already see a noticeable and welcome change with cars slowing down.
Hawthorn Park is in my neighborhood and I often visit with my 4-year-old. We usually walk or ride bikes, or he will take his scooter. 4th and 5th Streets, bordering the park, have always been roads that elicited the need to use extra caution compared to the rest of the neighborhood. The two lanes with no stops between Grand and North encourage higher speeds through that corridor, which in turn makes it much more dangerous for pedestrians. In my opinion, a popular city park should not be bordered by roads that frequently see cars driving 40+ mph. Hawthorn Park is as popular with small children as it is with adults chasing volleyballs across the street. I welcome these changes and hope to see these improvements stay especially between Grand and North Ave on 4th and 5th Streets. Having visited Hawthorn Park with my son yesterday, I can already see a noticeable and welcome change with cars slowing down.
I fully support this project - though I do think the vehicle travel lane is a bit too narrow. I live very close to the 4th and 5th Street corridors and something _needed_ to be done to slow down vehicle traffic. I walk down 4th or 5th street almost every other day to get to downtown, and notice that those streets are sometimes indistinguishable from racetracks, even though they are residential in nature. Prior to these changes, I would have never considered riding my bike on either street - it seemed almost suicidal given the wide lanes and vehicle speeds.
I fully support this project - though I do think the vehicle travel lane is a bit too narrow. I live very close to the 4th and 5th Street corridors and something _needed_ to be done to slow down vehicle traffic. I walk down 4th or 5th street almost every other day to get to downtown, and notice that those streets are sometimes indistinguishable from racetracks, even though they are residential in nature. Prior to these changes, I would have never considered riding my bike on either street - it seemed almost suicidal given the wide lanes and vehicle speeds.
Hawthorn Park is my neighborhood park that I often visit with my 4-year-old. We are typically riding bikes or walking there and I find it reassuring to see this project put in place to help slow traffic down in this highly residential area. I also work downtown and typically drive, since no route feels safe from Teller to Main Street. I appreciate the slowing of traffic and the added safety for my kiddo to navigate our neighborhood.
Hawthorn Park is my neighborhood park that I often visit with my 4-year-old. We are typically riding bikes or walking there and I find it reassuring to see this project put in place to help slow traffic down in this highly residential area. I also work downtown and typically drive, since no route feels safe from Teller to Main Street. I appreciate the slowing of traffic and the added safety for my kiddo to navigate our neighborhood.
Hawthorn Park is my neighborhood park that I often visit with my 4-year-old. We are typically riding bikes or walking there and I find it reassuring to see this project put in place to help slow traffic down in this highly residential area. I also work downtown and typically drive, since no route feels safe from Teller to Main Street. I appreciate the slowing of traffic and the added safety for my kiddo to navigate our neighborhood.
As someone that works downtown and drives these roads thru out the day we have noticed several problems, Colorado and 4th street crossing this street has Major visibility problems . I would definitely
not want to drive down these narrow roadways in a truck nor park trying to get out of my car with kids.
Doors , Mirrors, and people are going to get hurt. And your problem aggressive drivers are not going to
slow down. If you wanted people to stay away from Downtown you are doing a good job of that .
I'm typically all for alternative modes of transportation, but I think the city is severely overestimating the amount of people that will be biking/scootering around town. Our town does not have the density that encourages walking, biking, or scootering and current parking standards only make this problem worse and less pedestrian friendly. The new corridors are dysfunctional and only going to cause problems for the vast majority of commuters who are going to continue to drive cars.
I'm typically all for alternative modes of transportation, but I think the city is severely overestimating the amount of people that will be biking/scootering around town. Our town does not have the density that encourages walking, biking, or scootering and current parking standards only make this problem worse and less pedestrian friendly. The new corridors are dysfunctional and only going to cause problems for the vast majority of commuters who are going to continue to drive cars.
I'm assuming the intent was to make the lane so narrow and dangerous with the parallel parking that you have to drive slow or risk taking someone's mirror or door off. I will not be parking on 4th Street. How are you supposed to get out of your car safely when you step out into oncoming traffic? I have to travel to my downtown office for work every day, and have already seen traffic backed up to Grand Avenue due to someone trying to parallel park at the post office. The answer to all the questions in the other section is "this is a pilot program," how long are we going to have to wait for this to be reversed? This was an expensive mistake.
I will be LESS likely to use these streets with the one lane changes. Also this inquiry should have been done BEFORE the changes began. You are proving to not only operate only on your own, without the feedback from the people you work for but wasteful with out money as well.
I took the bike lane on 4th the other day and loved it. It’s the first time I’ve felt safe as a bicyclist on that road. For being such a bike-loving community, I’ve been disappointed in the infrastructure for bicycle travel. I am happy to see this step. I live beside this street and watch cars race down 4th and 5th daily. While on a walk on 5th recently, my husband was hit by a car that was speeding and turned into a side street too quickly while we were crossing it. (He is fine, but it was scary.) I understand people are upset because of changes to traffic patterns, but I hope we can wait to pass judgement until we see the results. Many of our neighbors who live near the area that I’ve spoken with also appreciate the improvement.
What in the third world country did yall do to 4th street? It looks like a 5th grade build a city project, ugly as sin and amateurish. I will give you all some credit, you somehow made it even harder to get downtown. Congrats! I definitely won't be making my way down to Main St. again any time soon. What a complete waste of money and time. With the tight lanes and the even tighter turns, there is going to be some major damage to cars parked in the parallel parking spots. Not to mention all the white posts that have been set up. Busted mirrors and scratched fenders. The auto repair shops in town are going to love this! What city email should citizens send all the future damage claims to?
What in the third world country did yall do to 4th street? It looks like a 5th grade build a city project, ugly as sin and amateurish. I will give you all some credit, you somehow made it even harder to get downtown. Congrats! I definitely won't be making my way down to Main St. again any time soon. What a complete waste of money and time. With the tight lanes and the even tighter turns, there is going to be some major damage to cars parked in the parallel parking spots. Not to mention all the white posts that have been set up. Busted mirrors and scratched fenders. The auto repair shops in town are going to love this! What city email should citizens send all the future damage claims to?