Level of Traffic Stress and What It Means for Governor Drive
When cities talk about redesigning streets, the conversation is often framed as a trade-off: safety versus convenience, bikes versus cars, change versus the status quo. But decades of transportation research tell a much clearer story.
Designing streets for safer, lower-stress biking doesn’t just benefit cyclists: it improves safety for everyone, supports climate goals, and creates more livable communities. And right now, that research is directly informing conversations happening locally around Governor Drive.
Level of Traffic Stress: Who Our Streets Are Really Built For
A helpful way to understand bike comfort is through Level of Traffic Stress (LTS), a framework developed by the Mineta Transportation Institute that categorizes streets by how safe they feel for people biking.
LTS 4 (high-stress) streets are comfortable for only about 4% of adults (typically confident riders with a high tolerance for traffic risk)
LTS 2 (low-stress) streets are comfortable for roughly 60% of adults, including everyday riders and people interested in biking but who currently feel unsafe.
Courtesy Alta Planning
Today, Governor Drive operates as an LTS 4 roadway: four travel lanes, parking on both sides, and a 35 mph speed limit. That design effectively excludes the vast majority of residents from feeling comfortable biking there.
A proposed reconfiguration, replacing one travel lane with a buffered bike lane and lowering the speed limit by just 5 mph, would bring the corridor down to LTS 2. That single change would dramatically expand who feels safe using the street.
This isn’t theoretical. It’s backed by extensive research.
Lower-Stress Facilities Lead to More People Biking
A 2025 study by Ferenchak and Marshall, The Link Between Low-Stress Bicycle Facilities and Bicycle Commuting, found that:
“Lower-stress bicycle facilities, such as protected and buffered bike lanes, are associated with significantly larger increases in ridership than painted bike lanes or shared routes.”
In practical terms, protected and buffered bike lanes outperform striped lanes and sharrows by wide margins in attracting new riders.
People don’t avoid biking because they don’t care. They avoid biking because streets feel dangerous.
Lower-stress infrastructure changes that.
More Biking Means Safer Streets for Everyone
Increases in ridership have ripple effects. In another Ferenchak and Marshall study, Traffic Safety for All Road Users, researchers compared small and mid-sized U.S. cities with high and low bicycling rates. Their conclusion was striking:
“Cities with higher bicycle use consistently experience better traffic safety outcomes for all road users, including drivers.”
Their recommendation is direct:
“If cities wish to improve traffic safety outcomes, they should first and foremost plan and design for the convenience and safety of those not using a personal automobile.”
In other words, designing streets that feel safe for biking and walking makes roads safer for everyone.
Road Diets: A Proven Tool for Safer Corridors
Governor Drive is also a strong candidate for a road diet, a well-established approach that typically converts four-lane roads into three lanes, creating space for bike facilities while calming traffic.
According to the Federal Highway Administration’s Road Diet Informational Guide:
Road diets reduce crashes by 19–47% on average
They shorten pedestrian crossings, which means car drivers’ wait time is also reduced!
They slow vehicle speeds, which reduces the severity of injuries and minimizes fatalities
They improve overall corridor safety
They often can be implemented during routine resurfacing, minimizing cost
Traffic volumes on Governor Drive currently range from approximately 1,500 to 6,000 vehicles per day, well within FHWA guidance for successful road diet projects. National examples show road diets remain effective even on corridors approaching 25,000 vehicles per day.
Even if updated traffic counts come in slightly higher, Governor Drive remains a strong candidate for reconfiguration.
Connectivity Matters as Much as Infrastructure
One final critical insight from the Mineta Transportation Institute: isolated bike lanes aren’t enough. People need connected low-stress networks that link homes to schools, jobs, parks, and shops without forcing riders back into high-speed traffic. Without continuity, bike facilities become islands of relief rather than a usable transportation system.
Projects like Governor Drive aren’t just individual improvements; they’re building blocks toward a network that works for real people making everyday trips.
Why This Matters
Street redesigns like the proposed Governor Drive project aren’t about taking something away.
They’re about:
Reducing serious injuries and deaths
Expanding transportation choices
Supporting climate and mode-share goals
Advancing Vision Zero commitments
Creating streets that serve entire communities — not just the fastest vehicles
The research is consistent. The outcomes are measurable. And the opportunity is right in front of us. We’re upset that the City of San Diego is choosing AGAINST a reconfiguration, especially when they already budgeted for it. The lives of real people are in their hands, and they failed to protect us.
Safe cycling conditions are a cornerstone of healthy, resilient cities. With data-driven design and civic leadership, corridors like Governor Drive can become safer, more accessible, and more welcoming for everyone who uses them.
