ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MEETING DATE: August 5, 2026 AGENDA CATEGORY: New Business TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Zachary Meyer, Public Works Director
DATE: July 27, 2026
SUBJECT: Resolution Adopting a Traffic Safety Policy for the Construction and Improvement of City Streets.
[Document Description]
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends adoption of the resolution.
BACKGROUND:
Particularly in recent years, the City Council has highlighted traffic safety as a Council priority, including through creation of the Multi-Modal Transportation & Traffic Safety Committee, updates to the City’s Complete Streets policy, adoption of the Nei ghborhood Traffic Calming Program and Safe Routes to Schools GIS map, and implementation of numerous traffic calming measures throughout the City.
Based on more recent referrals from Councilmember Smith, staff explored the feasibility of expanding the traffic safety policies of the City to more specifically prioritize bike and pedestrian facilities. This most often arises in the context of pavement rehabilitation projects that occur each year (repaving, restriping, etc.), as there may be opportunity to red uce vehicle lane widths and increase bicycle lane widths.
In conjunction with the Council’s recent ordinance adoption of the Urban Street Design Guide, published by the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), which is an additional acceptable design manual endorsed by Caltrans and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the attached resolution formally sets forth the following Council priorities for the construction, design, and improvement of City streets:
1. Establishes the NACTO Urban Street Design Guide as the preferred design manual for lane widths and bicycle facilities;
2. Prioritizes the incorporation of wider and/or buffered bicycle lanes into City street designs, unless determined infeasible due to existing constraints.
City staff has consulted with Caltrans and FHWA in recent months to affirm that even in instances of arterials on the National Highway System , in which the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) standards remain the default , the City retains discretion to determine appropriate local design alternatives. Adoption of the proposed resolution provides greater legal protection to the City when City engineers evaluate roadway designs and utilize the NACTO guidelines in furtherance of adopted Council standards. The resolution also allows for a more robust traffic safety policy that is consistent with Council action to incorporate traffic calming and complete streets features.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact with the adoption of this resolution. The adoption of the resolution will give more discretion to the staff to narrow lanes and slow vehicles down allowing for safer travel along the streets for all who share the roadway. The reduction of speed will increase the reduction of conflicts on
the roadway and potential the reduction of liability for the City. Potential ly future cost savings can be a result from a less accidents or potential accidents from occurring.
COUNCIL GOAL:
Reliable Infrastructure
Safety and Resilience
Community Character & Quality of Life
ATTACHMENTS:
Resolution