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Sacramento Plans to Fix Dangerous ‘Bermuda Triangle’ Streets

Posted on behalf of Arnold Law Firm in
business man riding a bikeThe City of Sacramento plans to invest $1 million to improve the triangular area comprising of H Street, J Street and Carlson Drive to fix its confusing layout and end the dangers posed to motorists and pedestrians. The remake is intended to tame complicated street formations and safety hazards caused by its poor design, which has some calling it the “Bermuda Triangle.” City planners and engineers will make the $1 million investment on Monday in an attempt to make the area safer for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.

The Current Problem

The dysfunctional area between the entrances of Sacramento State Park and River Park has persistently posed problems for the city’s commuters. Concerns for residents’ safety stems from the strangely mismanaged layout of the area. This includes oddly placed traffic signals that serve no purpose and sidewalks that start and end abruptly. The Sacramento State student parking lot on J Street does not have a reliable route for students to safely cross the street to access the campus. H Street offers drivers a second lane that only lasts for one block before it suddenly disappears. Carlson Drive has green lanes marked for bicycles that end long before their intended destination and leave cyclists stranded in the road with no protection from the surrounding traffic.

Sacramento’s Plans to Fix the Area

The improvement project for H Street, J Street and Carlson Drive is so complex that the City of Sacramento is planning to release a video to adequately share its plan to fix the affected areas. The project include:
  • H Street will be reduced to a one-car lane on both sides of Carlson Drive to eliminate unsafe competition between drivers to get ahead of one another before the second lane ends.
  • Sidewalks will be installed to cut through three traffic islands on the west side of Carlson Drive at H Street.
  • A crosswalk will be installed across J Street connecting the Sacramento State campus to the student parking lot.
  • The misplaced, mid-block traffic signal on northbound Carlson Drive will be removed.
  • A new traffic device will be installed on H Street to grant cyclists sole access to make a left turn while motorists wait their turn in traffic, which is expected to greatly increase roadway safety.
  • Green bike lane markings will be added and “bike boxes” will be created at intersections, which would allow cyclists to wait at red lights in front of idle cars

Sacramento Addresses Safety Concerns for Cyclists and Pedestrians

Cyclist safety measures are also expected increase from Sacramento’s plans to address the problems that plague the area between Sacramento State and River Park. Although the Sacramento’s auto accident rate has fallen 14 percent in recent years, the same cannot be said for cyclist and pedestrian-related car crashes. Sacramento’s efforts to improve roadway safety for all commuters comes as the city has experienced one of the higher instances of cyclist and pedestrian-related auto accidents, with people age 60 or older being the ones most often struck. Sacramento safety officials are devoting some of the city’s limited street funds to address the dangers older commuters face and identify the exact cause of the issue. The initiative, called “Vision Zero,” is a city-wide traffic safety program devoted to eliminating pedestrian traffic fatalities. Visions Zero will identify the factors contributing to traffic deaths and severe injuries and use effective countermeasures by integrating education, traffic engineering, enforcement and evaluation.

Accomplished Legal Help for Auto Accident Victims

Sacramento’s initiative to improve roadway safety throughout the city is a step in the right direction, but there are still many people who have been injured or lost a loved one during a severe auto accident. Those who have suffered pain and loss because of a negligent driver can contact Arnold Law Firm’s experienced personal injury lawyers for a free legal consultation. We will review the details of your claim to determine if you are entitled to legal action and compensation. Our attorneys work only on a contingency fee basis, which means you will never be charged upfront for our services. We only require payment if we recover damages for your claim.

Call (916) 777-7777 to contact a member of our legal team.

Settlement - $3,767,000

Truck Accident

A 20-year-old man who had been married for just 12 days left home on his way to work. He was driving on Pleasant Grove Road in Sutter County in the early morning when he came upon a slow-moving truck. As he pulled out to pass the truck, the truck driver turned left in front of him. The young man attempted to steer back into his lane but his vehicle struck an un-flagged piece of metal extending from the back of the truck. He died in the resulting crash.

Expert witnesses brought in by the Arnold Law Firm proved that the truck, owned and operated by a hauling firm, should never have been on the highway that morning. Specifically, the rear and side turn signals did not work and the rear-view mirror was in a poor state of adjustment at the time of the collision. As a result, the driver, who had failed to properly inspect the vehicle before setting out that morning, couldn’t see the young man’s vehicle as it attempted to pass.

The poor condition of the truck, its lack of maintenance and the manner in which it was operated were found to be substantial factors in causing the collision that killed the young man. The testimony also established that the man had been making a lawful pass at the lawful speed limit and acted reasonably when he attempted to avoid the collision.

The man’s 20-year-old widow was awarded $3,767,000.77, his parents were awarded $185,131 and the family was reimbursed $11,899 in funeral expenses. Though money is a poor substitute for a young man’s life, this verdict demonstrates that drivers who endanger the lives of others will be held accountable for their actions.