San Jose city officials on Friday surprisingly put in effect road changes along Lincoln Avenue in the Willow Glen neighborhood.
The changes were scheduled to take place on Monday, but officials decided to put the so-called "road diet" in effect early due to weather concerns.
A stretch of Lincoln Avenue, between Minnesota and Coe avenues, will reduce be reduced from four-lanes to two lanes for cars, and two other lanes solely for bikes. The changes are part of a 90-day experiment to see if thinner lanes will reduce the number of commuters using the major thoroughfare as a short cut.
An estimated 20,000 people pass through the area using Lincoln Avenue every day.
Officials said the goal is to make Willow Glen's so-called downtown area more quaint, pedestrian friendly and safer.
"We walk here three to four days a week and I would love to see change and it be safer for the kids, the dogs, the family," Willow Glen-resident Tovie Louw said.
Slimming down Lincoln Avenue, which connects South San Jose with downtown, will cost $40,000 for a "test run" until May, City Councilman Pierluigi Oliverio said.
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Oliverio said during the test run the city will monitor traffic, the impact on business and see if diverted commuters use the area's other 45 streets as an alternative.
Meanwhile, drivers said they are preparing for huge traffic back ups on Lincoln Avenue and other surrounding roads.
City officials have said if they receive overwhelming negative feedback during the trial this spring, the road will stay as is.
Michelle Roberts contributed to this report.
