STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date: March 15, 2022
To: Honorable Mayor & City Council
From: Daren Grilley, Assistant Public Works Director/City Engineer Subject: National League of Cities Safety First Challenge Initiative Attachments: 1. Safety First Challenge Actions
INTRODUCTION
This report forwards Traffic and Parking Commission support for the City’s participation in the National League of Cities (NLC) “Safety First Challenge,” provides information on the challenge and outlines measures the City has implemented supporting the scope of this initiative.
A resolution by the City of Beverly Hills joining the Safety First Challenge and supporting a Safe System approach to eliminate serious injury or fatal crashes will be included on the March 15, 2022, Formal Meeting agenda for City Council consideration.
BACKGROUND
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), more than 20,000 people died in motor vehicle crashes on the nation’s streets in the first half of 2021. This is an increase of nearly 20% over 2020.
To address the public health and safety crisis of fatalities and serious injuries, the NLC announced the Safety First Challenge initiative. The goal is to build a coalition of 100-plus cities and towns in the first 100 days of 2022 that want to advance a safety first approach to transportation decisions. The initiative aims to focus on efforts that will save lives, decrease crashes and improve safety for everyone on streets and sidewalks. The Safety First Challenge also promotes the use of a “Safe System” approach to road safety.
DISCUSSION
On March 3, 2022, the Traffic and Parking Commission unanimously recommended that City Council adopt a resolution joining the NLC Safety First Challenge and support a Safe System approach to eliminate serious injury or fatal crashes.
Staff has initiated the application to join the Safety First Challenge with the following statement of purpose, “The City of Beverly Hills strives to improve the safety of all roadway
BEVERLY
HILLS
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Meeting Date: March 15, 2022
users. Following the adoption of its first Complete Streets Plan in April 2021, the City is excited to participate in the ‘Safety First Challenge’ as we implement programs and projects that embrace safe mobility for all modes of travel.” Participating agencies are asked to commit to taking at least one “challenge action” (described in Attachment 2) to advance street safety within their community. Staff has identified the following current or planned actions that align with five of the seven actions.
Current Actions
Public Works and Police Department staff have begun meeting monthly with Beverly Hills Unified School District representatives regarding traffic safety issues and solutions around schools. (Challenge No. 1) The City is currently piloting a bicycle safety project with the protected bike lane on the 400 block of South Roxbury Drive adjacent to Roxbury Park. (Challenge No. 5) The City has implemented the Neighborhood Slow Streets program. (Challenge No. 5) The Complete Streets Plan adopted in April 2021, outlines policies and an action plan that supports the safe, comfortable and convenient movement of all users of the transportation system. (Challenge No. 6)
Planned Actions
Acquisition and implementation of software to compile and analyze traffic collision data to identify and address traffic safety risks. (Challenge No. 2) Proposed City Council Resolution at the March 15, 2022, formal meeting supporting a Safe System approach to eliminate serious injury or fatal crashes. (Challenge No. 7)
The Safe System Approach
The concept of a “Safe System” approach to reducing traffic deaths and serious injuries originated in Sweden in the late 1990s. This approach looks at the role all aspects of the transportation system (road design, road users, vehicles and speeds) play in safe travel.
Several countries have since adopted the Safe System approach, including the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand. The European Union has also endorsed this approach.
Over the last several years, the USDOT has been working with organizations including the National Safety Council, the RAND Corporation, Johns Hopkins University and the Institute of Transportation Engineers to develop guidance on reducing traffic deaths and injuries using the Safe System approach.
On January 27, 2022, the USDOT announced a new National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS) that is built around the Safe System approach with these five objectives: Safer People: Encourage safe, responsible behavior by people who use our roads and create conditions that prioritize their ability to reach their destination unharmed.
Meeting Date: March 15, 2022
Safer Roads: Design roadway environments to mitigate human mistakes and account for injury tolerances, to encourage safer behaviors and to facilitate safe travel by the most vulnerable users. Safer Vehicles: Expand the availability of vehicle systems and features that help to prevent crashes and minimize the impact of crashes on both occupants and non-occupants. Safer Speeds: Promote safer speeds in all roadway environments through a combination of thoughtful, context-appropriate roadway design, targeted education and outreach campaigns and enforcement. Post-Crash Care: Enhance the survivability of crashes through expedient access to emergency medical care, while creating a safe working environment for vital first responders and preventing secondary crashes through robust traffic incident management practices.
The NRSS is available at this link: https://www.transportation.gov/NRSS. FISCAL IMPACT There is no direct fiscal impact associated with this item.
RECOMMENDATION
This Study Session item is for information only. This item is also included on the Formal Session this evening with a Traffic and Parking Commission recommendation that City Council adopt a resolution joining NLC Safety First Challenge and support a Safe System approach to eliminate serious injury or fatal crashes.
Shana Epstein, Director of Public Works
Approved By
Attachment 1
Seven Challenge Actions for the “Safety First
Challenge”
1. Host a transportation safety roundtable with safety stakeholders from all corners of the community – emergency response, healthcare, transit, policymakers, real estate, non-profit groups, and community members, and others – to better understand and address safety needs.
2. Gather data related to traffic safety in your communities, with an emphasis on addressing safety risks among disproportionately affected communities, including people walking and biking, seniors, children, people of color, and people in low-income communities.
3. Engage in community neighborhood outreach on traffic safety problems and solutions, with an emphasis on the Safe System approach and disproportionately affected communities.
4. Begin to utilize NLC and the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) traffic safety resources to formulate and implement a Local Road Safety Plan, conduct and implement a Safety Audit, or initiate participation in the U.N.’s Decade of Action for Road Safety.
5. Show what’s possible in the community by piloting a safety demonstration or safety intervention project, while gathering community input and analyzing safety impact.
6. Prepare to utilize the “Safe Streets for All” program from USDOT by establishing a plan, partnerships, or community strategy.
7. Pass a local resolution, Local Road Safety plan, or other purpose-driven safety commitment that advances additional actions based on the Safe System approach.