City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: APRIL 22, 2025 FROM: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WARD: 1 SUBJECT: MARKET STREET AND SIXTH STREET – TRAFFIC CIRCULATION 12-MONTH PILOT PROJECT ISSUE:
Consideration of a traffic circulation 12-month pilot project to prohibit through and left-turn movements at the eastbound and westbound approaches at Market Street at Sixth Street.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council approves a 12-month traffic circulation pilot project to prohibit thru and left-turn movements at the eastbound and westbound approaches of the intersection of Market Street at Sixth Street.
BOARD RECOMMENDATION:
On March 5, 2025, the Transportation Board scheduled this item on the meeting agenda. Due to a lack of a quorum, the meeting was cancelled. Consistent with historical practice, the agenda item was forwarded directly to City Council for review and approval.
BACKGROUND:
The Public Works Department may utilize turn-restrictions to prohibit specific turning movements particularly during peak commute hours. Pilot projects using temporary improvements including rubber curbing and signage offer the ability to assess the impacts of traffic circulation changes prior to the consideration of more costly and permanent improvements.
The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Fox Plaza Project required specific traffic mitigation measures to be implemented as conditions of development including installation of traffic diverters to prohibit thru and left-turn movements at the eastbound and westbound intersection approaches of Market Street at Sixth Street and such measures were being applied to ‘The Mark’ Project. This EIR was developed prior to the installation of the High Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) signal on Market Street at Sixth Street and the City wishes to pilot the improvements and discuss with business owners prior to both the pilot and potential full project implementation.
On September 1, 2021, the Transportation Board reviewed a similar 1-month pilot project with eight of eleven members present. Following discussion, the Board voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council approve the establishment of a 1-month traffic circulation pilot project to prohibit through and left-turn movements at the eastbound and westbound approaches of the intersection of Market and Sixth Streets.
On December 7, 2021, the City Council reviewed a similar 1-month pilot project with all seven members present. Following discussion, the City Council unanimously approved the establishment of a 1-month traffic circulation pilot project to prohibit through and left-turn movements at the eastbound and westbound approaches of the intersection of Market and Sixth Streets.
The city planned to implement the 1-month pilot project after the completion of The Mark Riverside apartment complex which is located on the southeast corner of Market Street at Sixth Street. The Mark Riverside, an apartment complex in downtown Riverside, California, was completed in 2023.
Following additional engagement given the gap in time, from June 3, 2024 through July 7, 2024, the 1-month traffic circulation pilot project prohibited thru and left-turn movements at the eastbound and westbound approaches at Market and Sixth Streets was implemented.
DISCUSSION:
The previously implemented 1-month pilot allowed the City and downtown patrons to assess the feasibility of turning restrictions at the subject intersection over a brief period. To fully evaluate the potential for permanent improvements, the Public Works Department is proposing a 12-month pilot project to prohibit thru and left-turn movements at the eastbound and westbound approaches to the intersection at Market and Sixth Streets. This extended pilot period will allow for additional assessment of impacts to traffic, pedestrian crossing activity at the intersection utilizing the existing HAWK signal, and local businesses prior to proceeding with permanent diverter improvements in accordance with traffic mitigation measures associated with “The Mark” based on the Fox Plaza Project EIR. Installation of traffic diverters may also result in potential negative impacts to the community including the loss of on-street parking adjacent to the improvements, the shifting of area traffic to nearby streets, affects to local businesses due to changes in access, aesthetic effects, and potential effects to Public Works services and emergency vehicle operations.
Figure 1: Existing & proposed traffic pattern modification as detailed in the adopted Fox Plaza E.I.R.
During the 1-month pilot project (6/3/24-7/3/24), the city constructed pavement markings, delineators and signage to limit the eastbound and westbound movements to right turns only on Sixth Street. An on-street parking stall was removed on the north side of Sixth Street east of Market Street to accommodate the taper length to direct vehicles to turn right. Ten-foot gaps in the delineators were created to allow for pedestrian movement in the north-south direction. Additional lane line markings were installed through the intersection to align bike lanes in the north-south directions.
Intersection operations were evaluated and compared for existing conditions and the right-turn only Sixth Street movement conditions during the AM and PM peak hours. A total intersection delay reduction of twenty-five percent was documented during the morning peak hour and eleven percent during the evening peak hour.
During the development of the citywide Local Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP), the intersection of Market Street at Sixth Street was evaluated as one of the case studies. During the 5-year study period of July 2018 to June 2022, there were a total of 30 collisions reported with 12 broadside collisions. The twelve broadside collisions, included westbound through and left turn movements and eastbound through and left turn movements, could all potentially be eliminated with the proposed right turn only movements along both directions on Sixth Street.
During the 1-month pilot project (6/3/24-7/3/24), there were two reported collisions both involving vehicles traveling westbound thru despite the delineators, pavement markings and signage in place to restrict westbound through movements. For both reported collisions (CVC 22450(a) & 21802(a)), the motorists failed to yield the right-of-way to traffic along Market Street. Thus, the city is now including delineators in the middle of the intersection to further restrict the eastbound and westbound left turn and through movements as part of the 12-month pilot project and to be consistent with the Fox Plaza Project EIR.
Figure 2: Signing & Striping Plan of the actual implementation during the 1-month pilot period in June 2024 Table 1: Level of Service Operations (Before & After Comparison During 1-month Pilot Project) Market & 6th (1-month pilot project comparison)
Existing
Right-Turn Only (6th Street)
Delay Improvement
AM
PM
AM
PM
AM
PM
Intersection Delay (seconds / vehicle)
0.4 0.9
0.3 0.8
25%
11%
Based on strong community support, the proposed eastbound and westbound right turn only movements were re-implemented on January 22, 2025 to start the 12-month pilot project in advance of the formal public approval process. At the conclusion of the 12-month pilot project, recommendations and a summary of the findings will be brought forward to the city. Should the city decide not to approve the proposed 12-month pilot project, city staff will remove the constructed temporary improvements immediately.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This project aligns with Strategic Priority 6 - Infrastructure, Mobility, and Connectivity and the following goals:
6.1 – Provide, expand and ensure equitable access to sustainable modes of transportation that connect people to opportunities such as employment, education, healthcare, and community amenities.
6.2 – Maintain, protect, and improve assets and infrastructure within the City’s built environment to ensure and enhance reliability, resiliency, sustainability, and facilitate connectivity.
Furthermore, this project aligns with each of the five Cross-Cutting Threads:
Community Trust – The Public Works Department will host a meeting with business owners in the immediate area during the pilot project to receive input regarding the traffic circulation modifications, perceived impacts, and to gauge support for potential permanent improvements.
Equity – The proposed project manages the intersection’s access points while maintaining the connectivity for bicyclists, pedestrians and buses.
Fiscal Responsibility – The traffic diverters are a cost-effective measure to regulate access movements, minimize vehicular conflict points, and improve overall traffic safety conditions. The pilot project will allow for evaluation of the proposed improvements to ensure the cost of permanent infrastructure is justified.
Innovation – The left turn and through movement restrictions are inventive in meeting the community’s changing needs and prepares for the future through collaborative partnerships with the adjacent business owners.
Sustainability & Resiliency – The construction materials specified for the proposed projects meet or exceed industry standards, many of which can be reused for future pilot projects.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact of this action is estimated at $7,465 for the cost of signs, channelizers and installation. Sufficient funding is budgeted and available in the General Fund, Public Works Streets Maintenance, Signing Supplies account number 4110100-424143.
Prepared by: Philip Nitollama, City Traffic Engineer
Approved by: Gilbert Hernandez, Public Works Director
Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Jack Liu, Interim City Attorney
Attachments:
Site Map
Aerial Map
Transportation Board Meeting Minutes – September 1, 2021 City Council Meeting Minutes – December 7, 2021
Local Roadway Safety Plan Case Study – Market & 6th
Signing & Striping Plan
Street View Photos during 1-Month Pilot Project
Traffic Count Data during 1-Month Pilot Project
Level of Service Operations Comparison (Before & After) AM & PM Peak Hours Presentation
Market Street and Sixth Street – 12-Month Traffic Circulation Pilot Project Page 2