At their January 18, 2022 meeting, the Walnut Creek City Council awarded a contract to design the Walnut Boulevard Safe Routes to School Sidewalk Safety Improvement project. The Walnut Boulevard Safe Routes to School project and sidewalk safety improvements are part of the City’s focus on improving neighborhood traffic safety.

The Walnut Boulevard Safe Routes to School project will close gaps in the sidewalk near Walnut Heights Elementary, along Walnut Boulevard between Fraser Drive and Kevin Court. In addition to being a major collector street that connects southeast Walnut Creek to Ygnacio Valley Road and Downtown Walnut Creek, Walnut Boulevard is also the home to Walnut Heights Elementary School. Improved pedestrian safety and traffic calming will promote walking to school and around the neighborhood.

The design consulting agreement is a material step towards the sidewalk gap closure project. The consultant will evaluate and find solutions to address deficient pedestrian facilities and implement traffic calming measures to improve safety for users in this corridor. Future improvements may include traffic calming at the Fraser Drive intersection; pavement delineation to better define lanes to reduce speeds; curb, gutter, and sidewalk work; roadside drainage with gutters; and better delineation and safety improvements along the school frontage. The City’s Traffic Engineering and Capital Improvement divisions are undertaking numerous efforts to improve neighborhood traffic safety throughout the City.