4th and 5th Street Improvements Pilot Project

I am a resident of downtown GJ and I live on 5th St between Grand Ave and North Ave. I walk and drive both streets daily. I want to thank the City for their flexible approach to the 4th and 5th St improvements, particularly for listening to citizen feedback and making adjustments.

Reducing traffic to one lane and adding cross-walks has been a game changer for residents of the neighborhood north of Grand Ave.

From a vehicle perspective, the impact on traffic movement appears to be minimal: a similar volume of traffic still moves through the corridor despite reducing it to one lane. For northbound traffic, my sense is that this has a lot to do with the changes to the traffic light cycle at 5th St and North Ave. Whereas traffic previously sped through the neighborhood via two lanes -- only to find a long wait for a short traffic light at 5th and North ("hurry up and wait") -- it now moves through at more reasonable speeds and with less congestion during peak times due to the longer traffic light at 5th and North ("slow-ish but steady"). My own driving experience mirrors this observation -- there has been no noticeable change in transit times when driving through downtown on 5th or 4th Streets.

From a pedestrian/cyclist perspective, residing in the neighborhood north of Grand Ave is a dramatically better experience. For example, crossing 4th and 5th streets to get to Hawthorne Park -- previously a harrowing experience -- has become notably safer due to the addition of crosswalks and reduction of traffic to one lane. As a result, visibly more people and families are out walking and using Hawthorne Park, and it "feels" much more like a neighborhood. In sum, livability in this densely populated area of downtown GJ is much better as a result of the 4th and 5th St improvements.

I've been closely watching the comments on the 4th/5th St project by citizens who live in GJ and surrounding areas. These comments have been overwhelmingly about the changes that were made in the core downtown area to the south of Grand Ave (the potential impact on downtown businesses, parking, etc). All of the comments are relevant and reflect real experiences. I applaud the City on working diligently to strike the right balance in the downtown core. And, I hope that the more contentious debate about traffic in the downtown core does not come at the expense of the neighborhoods along the 4th and 5th St corridors to the north of Grand Ave. The changes in these neighborhoods are working, and they strike the right balance between traffic, bikes and pedestrians.

Please, please, please consider keeping all or most of the traffic improvements north of Grand Ave in place, regardless of what ultimately is done in the downtown core south of Grand Ave.

As a resident of this corridor, I would like to extend my gratitude to the City's Transportation and Engineering department for making my neighborhood safer. I appreciate that they took the time to run a pilot phase before blindly laying concrete. As a driver, I feel safer knowing that I won't be passed by drivers speeding 10, 20 mph over the speed limit. As a pedestrian, the crosswalks give me confidence. As a cyclist, I feel my existence is validated with the bike lanes. You're making our city more equitable.

I use this corridor 4-5 times a week coming from Orchard Mesa (which has been denigrated as unimportant in this project). In the last several weeks I have not seen ONE bike on the bike lanes. I see them on the sidewalk once in a while but NOT in the bike lanes. I see more bikes on Unaweep Ave.!!! The comments have been for the most part negative on this project yet the City DOES NOT listen to us! If you want lower speed limits, lower it though downtown to 20 MPH, put up many signs with LIGHTS FLASHING as cars go by! Putting art on these streets is ridiculous. Am I going to stop my car and look at it? NO. That's a hazard! Also, as I approached Main St. on 5th yesterday, there were 3 groups of pedestrians waiting to cross 5th. 4 people within these groups tried to cross in front of me, when I had the right of way. It's pedestrians causing this issue, not the vehicles.

I realize that the biggest purpose of this project was to slow down traffic, but this is excessive. Coming up from Orchard Mesa, traffic slows to 5-10 MPH from Colorado to Grand. The synchronized traffic lights have become pointless, because traffic is now so slow that we're not making it through before they turn red again. I also ride my bike a lot, and I don't think wide bike lanes are worth ruining the only fast, convenient north-south streets connecting North Ave and downtown. I'd rather have bike lanes on less-travelled streets. And the bollard placement is egregious. I drive trailers and trash trucks downtown for work, and a lot of these intersections are impossibly restrictive for large vehicles. There needs to be at least some allowance for long trucks and trailer offtracking. 4th and 5th have become a congested, confusing mess, and I hope this pilot doesn't become permanent. Surely there are better ways to slow people down a bit than to make these streets so frustrating that people avoid them altogether. At the very least, I would hope that it can be opened up a little more instead of forcing as many parking spots as possible into the street with traffic flow being nothing more than an afterthought.

Not a fan of this project. You have two lanes of traffic coming off the 5th Street bridge and suddenly the traffic has to merge into one lane which is dangerous because there isn’t really any warning that the lanes are merging. And at several points through the one lane project, it is not clear where the through lane continues. There are other ways to slow down traffic in downtown. This set up is ridiculous. I miss many of the diagonal parking spaces along 4th and 5th. Now you have to pull into parallel parking spots which is more difficult for most drivers and delays traffic when drivers try to back into these spots. Also, the newly created bike lanes are not necessary as very few people bike in downtown. Your own poll shows that 83% of people move through downtown by car. Your project should make driving through downtown safer, not more dangerous trying to weave around all these white poles. Who came up with this stupid project??

I cycle, drive, and walk downtown, but your poll did not offer multiple responses.

A bike lane on the passenger side is dangerous for cyclists. I almost ran into an opening door of a passenger. Passengers are not accustomed to looking in the side view mirror or looking back before opening the door. Henceforth I will ride in the traffic lane.

I am 74 years old, and moved to Grand Junction five years ago. I live on N. 5th St., north of the high school. It took me one trip down fourth Street and fifth Street to figure out the changes. I have absolutely no problem with them! I love having extra parking at the post office, If the change makes it safer for bikers and walkers, and decreases the speeding, then I am all for it. I know that a lot of people my age have a big problem with any kind of change, but I am not one of them. Good work!

Your stated purpose for this project emphasized safety and improved access to downtown. Phooey! 100% of the citizens I talk to absolutely HATE the project. Downtown business owners are suffering from loss of access. It is not safe - it is dangerous. Cars parking in the center of the street?? People on the bus are being let off in the middle of the street and have to navigate their way to a sidewalk?? Just look at the black marks on the ridiculous white markers - they are restrictive even to the best of drivers. And at night?? Take yourself on a drive heading East on Rood and try to turn left onto 5th Street with oncoming traffic and the white "demons" are all lit up. Geez, please put it back the way it was. PLEASE

Everyone in charge of the 4th and 5th street changes need to be fired! And what the heck is the crazy intersection on Main that makes you try to figure out how to go around barriers instead of going straight down a straight street? We parked in one of the “new” parallel parking spots on 5th street and first of all it took about 5 minutes before the speeding vehicles got a red light so the driver could safely get out of the car. If anything. Cars coming from Orchard Mesa are speeding to get through the narrow one lane street. We walked to Main Street and waited and waited and waited to get a walk signal to cross 5th street going towards 4th street. Three cars must have ran red lights because they were still coming after we got the ok to walk. There is so much traffic congestion now. Cars backed up as far as you could see. I don’t know what makes any one think this is a good idea! The mere fact that you don’t look at the comments on Facebook shows you don’t really care about what the citizens, taxpayers of Grand Junction really think. I just got into Engagegj.org to voice my opinion because that is the only place we have to voice our opinions that you might look at. City council and all involved: Shame on you for not listening to the people that live here and making it so difficult to be heard. Social media is used by most everyone now days as apposed to trying to figure out how to get to the place on your website to make a comment. I have wanted to comment in the past on your website but didn’t want to have to set up an account to do so but, after my recent experience, i decided it’s time! Welcome to Calirado like it or not, the place where nobody listens to the people they are supposed to be representing.

Traffic speeds on 4th and 5th are noticeably slower with the new design. It is now a much safer and more pleasant environment to use alternative active mobility. It actually feels safe to cross 5th street to get to Hawthorne Park. This is one of our legacy parks and it had no cross walks to access it. I feel much safer in this transit corridor when I walk, when I ride my bike and when I am in my vehicle. Thank you for your forward thinking and commitment to making our city a place for humans, not just cars.

Traffic speeds on 4th and 5th are noticeably slower with the new design. It is now a much safer and more pleasant environment to use alternative active mobility. It actually feels safe to cross 5th street to get to Hawthorne Park. This is one of our legacy parks and it had no cross walks to access it. I feel much safer in this transit corridor when I walk, when I ride my bike and when I am in my vehicle. Thank you for your forward thinking and commitment to making our city a place for humans, not just cars.

Traffic speeds on 4th and 5th are noticeably slower with the new design. It is now a much safer and more pleasant environment to use alternative active mobility. It actually feels safe to cross 5th street to get to Hawthorne Park. This is one of our legacy parks and it had no cross walks to access it. I feel much safer in this transit corridor when I walk, when I ride my bike and when I am in my vehicle. Thank you for your forward thinking and commitment to making our city a place for humans, not just cars.

I work downtown and drive 4th street to Colorado and across 5th street. I wish I could say that this is a successful idea but the reality is a different story. Upon entering Colorado I have seen a lot if issues with cars coming from Orchard Mesa onto 5th street. That transition from 2 lanes to one is less than smooth. 5th street is a heavily burdened road with vehicles being spilled into the downtown from the overpass Bridge. I have seen near accidents on numerous occasions not to mention the delays on Colorado trying to cross 5th to continue towards 7th. I am also concerned how these traffic issues will dissuade patrons from shopping in our thriving downtown business. Road diets are not what our downtown needs. The ideology of equity not equality for travel is not justified. I do believe everyone deserves to be safe however, your own survey shows that 85% of the travelers are using vehicles. So you are giving priority or equity to the other 15% of the users? I would also venture to say that your data does not account for tourism or people visiting from outlying communities. It seems like a lot of money to spend for an ideal. It also feels like the effort to truly inform the community was merely the motions of checking a box. If you were really interested in the opinions of the constituents you would not be in such a hurry to start the 7th street project. I am concerned of what the real motivation is here since after all, the current majority just voted down a tax break for those who shop second hand goods. What population in this community shop at those stores? I bet it isn't the affluent population is it? So I ask what is your real motivation? Do you really care about the safety and needs of those less fortunate in this community? It just feels like these decisions are being made based on agends, not what is common sense for our community.

We are months into this now, and I am still being crowded on 5th as it changes to one lane coming from Orchard Mesa. . . people in the left lane STILL realizing they're all of a sudden in a left turn only lane, so they back up traffic and then cut into the moving lane. I have personally had to slam on my brakes with someone behind me to avoid hitting one of these people. Then, continuing on up 5th towards North last week, I had a gal in a hurry that would NOT get off my tail. There was no way I could keep track of all the possible obstacles and street markings, and I couldn't watch easily for bike riders, which is super difficult with the cars parked anyway. I was so worried about getting rear ended. This new configuration feels so much LESS safe and then when you add in dealing with people that no matter what you do, they're going to tailgate. I felt safer and much more in control and had an easier time navigating the street while watching for hazards prior to this. Ugh!!

We are months into this now, and I am still being crowded on 5th as it changes to one lane coming from Orchard Mesa. . . people in the left lane not STILL realizing they're all of a sudden in a left turn only lane, so they back up traffic and then cut into the moving lane. I have personally had to slam on my brakes with someone behind me to avoid hitting one of these people. Then, continuing on up 5th towards North last week, I had a gal in a hurry that would NOT get off my tail. There was no way I could keep track of all the possible obstacles and street markings, and I couldn't watch easily for bike riders, which is super difficult with the cars parked anyway. I was so worried about getting rear ended. This new configuration feels so much LESS safe and then when you add in dealing with people that no matter what you do, they're going to tailgate. I felt safer and much more in control and had an easier time navigating the street while watching for hazards prior to this. Ugh!!

We are months into this now, and I am still being crowded on 5th as it changes to one lane coming from Orchard Mesa. . . people in the left lane not STILL realizing they're all of a sudden in a left turn only lane, so they back up traffic and then cut into the moving lane. . . . and continuing on up 5th towards North last week, I had a gal in a hurry that would NOT get off my tail. There was no way I could keep track of all the possible obstacles and street markings, and I couldn't watch easily for bike riders, which is super difficult with the cars parked anyway. I was so worried about getting rear ended. This new configuration feels so much LESS safe and then when you add in dealing with people that no matter what you do, they're going to tailgate. I felt safer and much more in control and had an easier time navigating the street while watching for hazards prior to this. Ugh!!

I am in total agreement with the negative views on the "woke Project" Lets not try to be a proxy Denver / Portland, etc. city. In the few times we have driven down once implemented, I have yet to see a bicycle. The desingn is confusing and ugly, more like a driving obstacle test course, I now refuse to use either of these streets, and almopst eliminated ant travel to downtown. The planners should be replaced, especially considering the this and the recent projects - e.g. round about on 24 1/2 road. The 2 lane merge with insufficient space will only casue rage as well as accidents. This is similar to the abrupt turn / straight lanes on 5th and Grand. The County needs to implement a bicycle tax (collected upn salers) to pay for this - I would assume this "Pilot" would not pass any City vote on a ballot. I also assume these comments are also in vain, as having attended several council planning meetings, the residents (and those directly impacted) concerns were quickly ignored, and the councils members minds were already made up prior to any hearings. The bottom line of revenue is their only goal. We will see how this pans out once the "pilot" is finished.
Additionally, on your "quick poll" to be completely inclusive, you need to add a selection which states "Do not use now due to complexity and protest........

I am in total agreement with the negative views on the "woke Project" Lets not try to be a proxy Denver / Portland, etc. city. In the few times we have driven down once implemented, I have yet to see a bicycle. The desingn is confusing and ugly, more like a driving obstacle test course, I now refuse to use either of these streets, and almopst eliminated ant travel to downtown. The planners should be replaced, especially considering the this and the recent projects - e.g. round about on 24 1/2 road. The 2 lane merge with insufficient space will only casue rage as well as accidents. This is similar to the abrupt turn / straight lanes on 5th and Grand. The County needs to implement a bicycle tax (collected upn salers) to pay for this - I would assume this "Pilot" would not pass any City vote on a ballot. I also assume these comments are also in vain, as having attended several council planning meetings, the residents (and those directly impacted) concerns were quickly ignored, and the councils members minds were already made up prior to any hearings. The bottom line of revenue is their only goal. We will see how this pans out once the "pilot" is finished.
Additionally, on your "quick poll" to be completely inclusive, you need to add a selection which states "Do not use now due to complexity and protest........

I am in total agreement with the negative views on the "woke Project" Lets not try to be a proxy Denver / Portland, etc. city. In the few times we have driven down once implemented, I have yet to see a bicycle. The desingn is confusing and ugly, more like a driving obstacle test course, I now refuse to use either of these streets, and almopst eliminated ant travel to downtown. The planners should be replaced, especially considering the this and the recent projects - e.g. round about on 24 1/2 road. The 2 lane merge with insufficient space will only casue rage as well as accidents. This is similar to the abrupt turn / straight lanes on 5th and Grand. The County needs to implement a bicycle tax (collected upn salers) to pay for this - I would assume this "Pilot" would not pass any City vote on a ballot. I also assume these comments are also in vain, as having attended several council planning meetings, the residents (and those directly impacted) concerns were quickly ignored, and the councils members minds were already made up prior to any hearings. The bottom line of revenue is their only goal. We will see how this pans out once the "pilot" is finished.
Additionally, on your "quick poll" to be completely inclusive, you need to add a selection which states "Do not use now due to complexity and protest........