Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer acknowledged that a “road diet” isn’t for everyone.

At a Monday afternoon news conference, Dyer and the Jackson neighborhood — roughly the area between Cedar, First, Tulare, and Cesar Chavez — celebrated safer streets, mainly for kids. That meant wider sidewalks, bike lanes, and improved lights.

Dyer said a “road diet” helps slow traffic, and improve air quality. The $3 million improvements — paid for by federal, state and regional funds — come at the expense of narrowing the street.

The Tulare Street celebration is part of the city’s “complete streets” program, making it safe for motorists, bikers and pedestrians.

“I do know in some neighborhoods, there’s a reluctance on the part of folks that utilize those roadways to accept it. But I do think in the southern part of the city, people are more willing to accept it because you have more bicyclists and you have more pedestrians and more neighborhood involvement,” Dyer said.

For some blocks on Tulare Street, a four-lane road is now two lanes, with expanded bike lines and a center turn median.

Watch: South Tulare Street Receives A Street Upgrade After Child Accident

A Street Revolution

The move to voluntarily approve of bike lines is a revolution for the city council. In 2013, then-Councilmember Steve Brandau argued that not enough bike traffic justified changes in the road. He conducted an unofficial survey that saw no bicyclists.

Dyer took a trip to Germany in 2023, inspired by cities incorporating bike lanes.

Related Story: Guten Tag! Fresno Mayor, Councilmen Head to Germany for Weeklong Visit

“Fresno was not built with bicyclists in mind. Fresno was built with motor vehicles in mind,” Dyer said. “Having to go back in and to, well you know, change neighborhoods is something that’s difficult to do. But it’s this neighborhood that drove that change.”

At the Tulare Street event, Dyer introduced Joe White, and his 10-year-old son, Noah. Eight years ago, Noah was struck by a vehicle. He has since made a full recovery.

White praised the city for helping fix the roads to prevent tragedies.

“You have to figure things out when bad things happen,” White said. “Maybe that’s the way we should think about this street. Children telling adults what can be possible when we work together.”

The Politics Involved

Dyer held the news conference on the southeast corner of Tulare Street, in City Council District 5. The district is without a councilmember, as Luis Chavez resigned to take his newly won seat on the Fresno County Board of Supervisors.

Chavez attended the event, as did his wife and Fresno Unified Area 2 Trustee Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas.

She is running for the vacant council seat and has Dyer’s endorsement. She spoke at the event, highlighting the importance of community partnerships.

Across Tulare Street is District 7 — equally a beneficiary of the road improvement, but without an upcoming special election. No city official from the district appeared at the event.

Before the event and speeches, Dyer and Chavez — as politicians are wont to do — kibbitzed with the Jackson neighbors. Jonasson Rosas stayed in her car for about 25 minutes, before emerging. She did speak with her possible new constituents afterward.