Help Improve the Safety of Freedom Boulevard!
The Freedom Boulevard Vision Zero project 30% concept design is being reviewed by city decision makers, and your input is requested!
The report calls for a "complete streets" redesign of Freedom between Main Street and Green Valley Road that would provide complete sidewalk systems and protected bike lanes, while also implementing a "road diet" for vehicles.
The draft Vision Zero Corridor Study is ready for public review and they are collecting feedback until February 27th.
Why the study matters:
- Watsonville has one of the highest rates of pedestrian and bicycle crashes in California.
- Although walking and biking represent a small share of trips, 65% of serious injury and fatal crashes involve pedestrians and bicyclists.
- Over a recent four-year period, 13 people lost their lives in traffic crashes in Watsonville.
Vision Zero commitment:
- In 2018, the City Council adopted Vision Zero, committing to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2030.
- In 2021, the City followed up by adopting a Vision Zero Action Plan.
Advancing the work:
- In 2023, Watsonville secured a Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant to move Vision Zero efforts forward.
- Ecology Action served as co-awardee and led community outreach and report drafting.
- Fehr & Peers provides technical and safety analysis.
Why Freedom Boulevard:
- Freedom Boulevard currently has no bicycle facilities and inconsistent pedestrian infrastructure, creating safety risks for non-motorized users.
- The corridor has been identified as a high-priority location for addressing roadway safety challenges.
- Focusing on Freedom Boulevard allows the City to align near-term safety improvements with long-term planning goals.
Connection to long-term planning:
- The Draft General Plan 2050 identifies Freedom Boulevard as a priority area for:
- Infill and multi-family housing
- Mixed-use development
- Enhanced bus transit
- Neighborhood-serving retail and services
Vision for the corridor:
- The study re-envisions Freedom Boulevard as a complete street that safely supports walking, biking, and transit while remaining a key north–south route.
- Safety improvements reduce the risk of severe and fatal crashes for all users.
Broader community benefit:
- A safer, more comfortable corridor supports housing production, compact growth, and economic investment.
- Improvements help create a more vibrant, accessible corridor that serves both current and future residents.