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MARLEI: ALL EYES WILL BE ON THIS OAK PARK INTERSECTION TOMORROW. SACRAMENTO TRANSPORTATION ANALYSTS SAY IT’S A PROBLEM. THE CITY WILL BLOCK OFF CARS AT THIS SECTION OF 2ND AVENUE, BETWEEN 34TH STREET AND BROADWAY. THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A TEST TO SEE IF THE INTERSECTION SHOULD BE PERMANENTLY SHUTDOWN. THE CITY SAYS POLICE HAVE RESPONDED TO OVER 20 CRASHES AT THIS SPOT OVER SEVEN YEARS. >> WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE AREN’T DETERRED FROM BIKING AND WALKING IN OAK PARK BECAUSE THEY’RE INTIMIDATED BY ALL THESE COLLISIONS AT THAT LOCATION. MARLEI: WHICH IS WHY THEY’RE SETTING UP THIS POP-UP PLAZA ALONG THE INTERSECTION WHERE PEOPLE CAN SHARE THEIR IDEAS AND CONCERNS. >> WE DECIDED TO TEST THE FULL CLOSURE TO REALLY GIVE THE COMMUNITY TO THINK BIG ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS SPACE, LIKE A PARK OR PEDESTRIAN PLAZA. MARLEI: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSTS SAY THE GEOMETRY OF THE INTERSECTION, WHERE THREE ROADS CONVERGE, IS THE PROBLEM. THE COUNCILMAN FOR THE DISTRICT SAYS IT’S TIME TO DO SOMETHING. >> A LOT OF ACCIDENTS. EVEN MY WIFE HAD AN ACCIDENT ON THAT INTERSECTION A COUPLE YEARS AGO AS WELL. SO WHAT WE’RE LOOKING AT IS WHAT ARE OUR MOST DANGEROUS INTERSECTIONS, WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT. MARL

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The city of Sacramento will temporarily shut down a problematic intersection in Oak Park to vehicles on Wednesday. The temporary closure will last through the weekend as part of an experiment to see if a permanent closure would fix traffic concerns.>> Download the KCRA 3 appThe section of 2nd Avenue between 34th Street and Broadway will be closed to vehicles through Sunday, but it will still be open to bike traffic and pedestrians.“We decided to test the full closure to really give the community (a chance) to think big about the opportunity for this space, like a park or pedestrian plaza,” said transportation analyst Leslie Mancebo.According to Mancebo, police have responded to 21 crashes at that intersection between 2011 and 2017, and those are only the reported accidents.“We want to make sure that people aren’t deterred from biking and walking in Oak Park because they’re intimidated by all these collisions at that location,” she said. Transportation analysts said the geometry of the intersection is the biggest problem since three roads converge there. The councilman for the district, Jay Schenirer, said it is time to take action. “A lot of accidents, even my wife had an accident on that intersection a couple years ago as well,” he said. “So what we’re looking at is, 'What are our most dangerous intersections?' 'What can we do about it?”If city officials decide to permanently close the intersection to vehicles, some replacement options include a small park, pedestrian plaza or bike hubs where cyclists can park their bikes. City staff will set up a pop-up plaza at the site on Thursday, Friday and Saturday where people can weigh in on the study.The study is funded by a $7,600 grant from the Sacramento Area Council of Governments. According to Mancebo, this experiment is part of the city’s larger plan for Broadway.