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Daylighting Implementation Moves Forward, Citations Delayed

On January 1, 2025, California’s new “Daylighting Law” went into effect, prohibiting stopping, standing, or parking of a vehicle within 20 feet ahead of a marked or unmarked crosswalk. In response, the City of Alameda intends to expand efforts to improve intersection visibility and make changes to parking enforcement later this year.

Alameda Post - in front of a stop sign, an intersection has been "daylighted" because red paid has been added to the curb for 20 feet
Red curb was recently applied to “daylight” this intersection at Haight Avenue and Fifth Street. Photo Ken Der.

Also known as the “Daylighting Bill to Save Lives,” Assembly Bill (AB) 413 created a new section of the California Vehicle Code (CVC) to improve safety and increase visibility of all road users to reduce the incidence and severity of collisions, particularly at intersections and crosswalks.

Alameda Post - an image of an intersection with cars and crosswalks, including indications of where the cars may park or stop. None of the cars may be within 20 feet of the intersection, thanks to the new Daylighting law
Parking 20 feet ahead of crosswalks is prohibited regardless of whether the crosswalk is marked or the curb is painted red. Image from City of Pinole via City of Oakland.

“Daylighting” refers to the act of removing parked cars and other visual obstructions to provide a clearer line of sight for drivers to see pedestrians, cyclists, or other vehicles crossing their path. This is typically accomplished by applying red curb paint or installing “no parking” signs at intersection approaches. However, the new law prohibits parking ahead of crosswalks regardless of whether the curb is painted red.



Alameda Post - an illustration that shows that cars stopped at stop signs have much more visibility under new Daylighting rules, when their vision is not blocked by parked cars
Daylighting typically involves removing parking closest to the crosswalk and painting the curb red. Image San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.

The City of Alameda has already made considerable progress in its daylighting policy and implementation across the island. In 2019, the City Council adopted the Policy for Improvements to Visibility (Daylighting), which authorized and provided guidance to the Public Works Department to prioritize safety by changing parking practices near intersections. The policy is enshrined as a core component of the City’s Vision Zero Action Plan, which outlines strategies to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2035.

The Plan identifies 20 percent of Alameda roadways as “High Injury Corridors,” which experienced the heaviest density of crashes over a 10-year period. In 2021 and 2022, the City daylighted multiple intersections along nine Tier 1 and Tier 2 High Injury Corridors, including Grand Street, Central Avenue, and Park Street. The City hopes to begin daylighting efforts on Tier 3 Corridors this year, according to Communications and Legislative Affairs Officer Sarah Henry. Additional intersections along arterials and collectors have been, and will continue to be, daylighted as part of repaving projects across the city.

Alameda Post - a map of Alameda with indicators for high injury roads
Alameda’s High Injury Corridors, categorized by tier. Image City of Alameda.
Alameda Post - a map of Alameda roads that labels main streets, gateway streets, business commercial streets, neighborhood connector streets, and neighborhood local streets
Intersections along street types categorized under “Citywide Circulation” could also see daylighting implemented as part of repaving projects. Image City of Alameda.

These changes will be paired with parking enforcement and the City will issue parking citations to vehicles parked in marked prohibited areas. However, due to limited resources, enforcement of AB 413 on neighborhood local streets “will be reactive in response to resident requests” submitted through SeeClickFix or the City’s parking hotline at (510) 522-PARK, Henry said.

Furthermore, the City cannot issue citations for vehicles parked within 20 feet of crosswalks until it amends its Master Fee Schedule, which details fines for a wide assortment of violations, to include both the new CVC section created under AB 413 and a fine for violations.

City Council is expected to consider an updated Master Fee Schedule this summer. Until then, the City can only issue warnings to drivers parked too close to crosswalks.

Ken Der is a contributing writer for the Alameda Post. Contact him via [email protected]. His writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Ken-Der.

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