Danville Town Council Directs Downtown Hartz Avenue Pedestrian Safety and Sidewalk Calming Upgrades

The Danville Town Council on Monday unanimously approved a comprehensive pedestrian safety enhancement package for historic Hartz Avenue, authorizing the immediate installation of curb extensions, decorative stamped asphalt crosswalks, and pedestrian-activated flashing beacons.

Downtown Hartz Avenue represents the cultural and retail heart of Danville, where thousands of residents and visitors stroll daily among boutique stores, outdoor restaurant patios, and the historic Village Theatre. Business owners and parent organizations have advocated for enhanced visibility measures following recent near-miss incidents involving distracted drivers during peak evening dining hours in the San Ramon Valley corridor.

The $620,000 project allocates municipal capital improvement funds to reconstruct seven high-traffic pedestrian crossings between Diablo Road and Linda Mesa Avenue. Contractors will install bulb-out sidewalk curb extensions that shorten crosswalk distances by eight feet and integrate high-intensity rectangular rapid-flashing beacons (RRFB) equipped with low-glare nighttime LED arrays across Contra Costa County.

Danville Police Department traffic division officers reported that high-visibility pedestrian infrastructure significantly reduces vehicle speeds in downtown pedestrian corridors by creating clear visual cues for motorists. Town planners coordinated with local accessibility advocates from Contra Costa County to ensure all new curb bulbouts incorporate ADA-compliant tactile warning pavers and smooth transition gradients for wheelchairs and strollers.

Mayor Karen Stepper emphasized during the council vote that preserving Danville’s beloved small-town ambiance while adopting modern roadway safety design remains a top municipal priority. The Danville Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Danville Business Association participated in design reviews to ensure construction staging causes zero disruption to weekend outdoor dining and boutique shopping.

Initial pavement marking and underground conduit preparation will commence on Monday, November 2, with work restricted to daytime non-commute hours between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM. Town staff will host a public information webinar for downtown merchants on Thursday, October 22, to outline parking management and pedestrian detours during construction. Town transportation planners noted that pedestrian-oriented street calming supports active local commerce by encouraging outdoor foot traffic throughout the downtown retail and restaurant district. Danville municipal engineers will conduct comprehensive post-installation speed assessments and pedestrian volume counts six months following project completion to evaluate safety performance across the San Ramon Valley.