Transportation in Davis is sometimes blocked by various barriers. Luckily bike and foot traffic can get past many of these. Even cars have some ways of getting around in non obvious ways. Some of these are of dubious legality, often cutting across private or semi-private (parking lots, alleyways, etc) property.
Vehicle Shortcuts
Good for Bikes and foot traffic as well
- Pole Line and 5th across to 2nd Street - Head through the Sudwerk parking lot to travel under the overpass and up to the overpass level. There is another route on the other side of Pole Line, but there is a gate that is sometimes closed. Worth a try if you are heading from 2nd up to the overpass and can see if it is open.
- Turn left onto Russell at A Street - best during the late-afternoon/evening when things back up in the left turn lane on B Street at Russell. Your lane is one-way, but keep an eye peeled for oncoming cyclists headed toward the bike path on your left (let them pass before completing the turn).
Bike Shortcuts
Good for foot traffic as well
- Davis Commons south under I 80 - A surprising number of people don't know about the South Davis Bike Path
- West Davis bike bridge - It is often far quicker to reach West Davis on bike, using the West Davis bike bridge, than to drive a car through all the lights on 5th/Russell
Foot Shortcuts
The straightaway from N to 5th makes for a serene shortcut.
-
Olive Drive to Downtown
- Cut across the field across from Public Storage, and up onto the tracks and into the Amtrak Station. There is a sign there saying that this is trespassing and you should use the Richards underpass, but most people ignore it. When the grass is high, watch for critters - you might prefer the alternate path below.
- A safer way (doesn't involve crossing an uneven field) is to turn down the street with Davis Computer and take it til it ends at the tracks. If you do this on bike, be careful of the road, as it turns into a dirt and gravel road quickly, and can lead to problems.
-
The Arboretum abounds with mini-shortcuts. These are worn paths that foot traffic has cut into areas where no paths were officially cut. However, these should probably be avoided as many people work very hard to cultivate and preserve the Arboretum's plant life. Tramping around off the marked trails many a precious plant will kill.
- Ex. Near the easternmost foot bridge, residents from Solano Park are often seen cutting up and down the slopes on an unofficial path.
-
N Street to Fifth Street
- A foot path connecting N Street Park and the Davis Community Garden provides a convenient shortcut between N and 5th streets.
-
Pole Line Road to 5th Street
- If you enter the Rancho Yolo Mobile Home Park on Pole Line, you can cut through the block and exit nondescript doors in the wall that lines 5th Street. The doors are unlocked on the side facing the mobile home park but locked on the 5th Street side.
