With the goal of making it easier and safer for cyclists to traverse the streets of downtown San Diego, construction on the first phase of the Downtown Mobility Plan has begun.
The project calls for the installation of two-way cycle tracks on major arteries in downtown for use by cyclists and scooter riders, creating safer passage from Balboa Park to the San Diego Convention Center as well as other popular destinations.
“As we encourage people to get out of their cars more, we need to build transportation networks that provide safe paths of travel for everyone,” San Diego Mayor, Kevin L. Faulconer said.
“Connecting the popular destinations in downtown to surrounding neighborhoods is an important step in that direction and will give San Diegans more opportunities to embrace the surge in mobility options over the past year.”
The first phase of the Downtown Mobility Plan will redesign three main corridors with cycle tracks. They include Beech Street, from Pacific Highway to Sixth Avenue; Sixth Avenue, from Beech Street to Harbor Drive; and J Street, from 1st Avenue to Park Boulevard.
“The Downtown Mobility Plan is a vital step forward in providing safe infrastructure for all San Diegans and to meet our mobility goals,” City Councilmember, Chris Ward said. “San Diegans are ready for new and innovative mobility options as they move around our city, and this investment will improve the quality of life for those living and working downtown while moving San Diego closer to achieving our Climate Action Plan benchmarks.”
Cycle tracks are a special kind of bike lane that provide a right-of-way designated exclusively for bicycle and scooter travel within the roadway. The cycle tracks will be painted green and will be separated from vehicular traffic by parked cars, flex posts or grade variations.
“Building the first phase of the Downtown Mobility Plan will create a tangible example of a protected urban bicycle facility, and serve as an example for the region,” Executive Director of Circulate San Diego, Colin Parent said. “Once people see that it works in downtown, they will want protected lanes for their own neighborhoods.”
The 9.3 miles of cycle track in the Downtown Mobility Plan accounts for 16.5 percent of the total downtown street network.
The second and third phases of the Downtown Mobility Plan will be completed over the next three years, including some sections that are part of SANDAG infrastructure projects.
