PHOENIX — Next week, a trial run will start on a Valley roadway to see if changes could mean safer streets.
Operation Safe Roads has been reporting about community concerns near 19th Avenue and Osborn Road within the St. Gregory Neighborhood Association.
The association contacted the Operation Safe Roads team after saying they were getting nowhere with the city of Phoenix on possible improvements.
After ABC15 got involved, a community meeting was held last month. The city now says they have a new option to try for these residents.
"We'd like to do a pilot program where we can simulate the loss of a travel lane," said Street Transportation Department Director Kini Knudson to ABC15 after that community meeting. "So, we'll be using barricades if the community is supportive of it, which it seems like they are, to be able to simulate three travel lanes other than four."
That testing will start on Monday, Feb. 10 and will go until Friday, Feb. 14 on Osborn Road from 15th to 19th avenues.
In the neighborhood notification, the city wrote: "This temporary closure will simulate a proposed change to reduce one eastbound vehicle lane and add bicycle lanes in both directions. This modification could have traffic calming and safety benefits. The bicycle lanes would add space between pedestrians and vehicles and the narrowed lanes could reduce speed and help guide traffic."
Once those four days of testing are done, the department will evaluate how the program went.
They are also looking for community feedback, calling it "crucial" to this evaluation.
Click here to submit comments, or you can also call Traffic Engineer Nicolas Santiago at 602-495-7542.