A proposal to declare a state of emergency to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety passed its first hurdle before a Sacramento committee Tuesday — less than a week after the city saw its 31st traffic death of 2024. The four members of the City Council ...

SACRAMENTO — Traffic safety advocates say the growing number of people being killed in crashes on Sacramento streets is a public health crisis. On Tuesday, a committee of Sacramento city leaders unanimously approved declaring a state of emergency to help make immediate changes. Julie Berrey is a bicyclist familiar with the dangers on city streets.

Councilmember Caity Maple proposed that the city of Sacramento declare a state of emergency for pedestrian safety after an uptick in injuries and deaths.

The full Sacramento City Council will now have to review the vote and pass it at a future meeting for it to go into effect.

An emergency declaration in response to the number of pedestrian and bicyclist deaths on Sacramento streets cleared another hurdle and is being prepped for City Council. The city's Law and Legislation Committee voted to move the proposed emergency declaration forward Tuesday.