Staff Report – Adoption of the Countywide LRSP Page 1 of 3
STAFF REPORT
TO
: Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Brad Donohue, Director of Public Works and Planning Abdulkader Hashem, Senior Project Manager
VIA: Dan Barros, City Manager
MEETING DATE: October 23, 2024
SUBJECT: Adoption of the Countywide Local Roadway Safety Plan
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the following:
RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE COUNTYWIDE LOCAL ROADWAY SAFETY PLAN AND ACCOMPANYING VISION ZERO GOAL, PURSUANT TO CEQA GUIDELINE 15306
COUNCIL ADOPTED VALUES
The Countywide and Town Local Roadway and Safety Plan is visionary , it allows the Town to stay compliant and in line with San Mateo County ’s and the Town’s goals for safe streets for all modes of transportation.
BAC
KGROUND
A Local Roadway Safety Plans (LRSP) identifies and systematically analyzes roadway safety needs and develops a prioritized list of safety countermeasures. A LRSP offers a proactive approach to addressing safety needs and demonstrates agency responsiveness to safety challenges through local agency partnerships and collaboration.
The Countywide Plan is divided into two parts. The first part contains the Countywide LRSP, and the second part contains individual LRSPs from ten participating agencies, including Town of Colma. C/CAG engaged its 21 constituent jurisdictions to ensure an updated safety plan for those without one. The remaining 11 jurisdictions without an individual chapter in this plan already have an adopted plan or have one in progress, thus they are not individually included herein. The jurisdictions with plans developed through this process include Atherton, Belmont, Brisbane, Colma, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Half Moon Bay, Hillsborough, San Carlos, and Woodside.
ITEM #4
Staff Report – Adoption of the Countywide LRSP Page 2 of 3 The Federal Highway Administration and Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) have both committed to achieving Vision Zero, a goal of eliminating fatalities and serious injuries on the nation's roadways. The Federal Highway Administration is using a Safe System approach to achieve this goal, while MTC has adopted a policy supporting cities like those in San Mateo County in their pursuit of Vision Zero. Caltrans has also adopted a similar goal of moving “toward zero deaths” by incorporating the Safe System Approach and using proven effective strategies and countermeasures.
In 2018, the Town conducted a comprehensive Systemic Safety Analysis Report (SSAR) to identify potential improvements for roadway safety. The study analyzed reported crash data, including pedestrian and bicyclist incidents, and evaluated road characteristics using a systemic approach. Based on these findings, the SSAR recommended various countermeasures to enhance safety performance. The Countywide LRSP aligns with the Town’s SSAR.
AN
ALYSIS
A comprehensive descriptive analysis was undertaken to discern patterns, trends, and potential risk factors using five years' worth of crash data. The data utilized were extracted from the Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS) Crash database, covering injury and fatal crashes spanning from 2018 to 2022. This analysis aimed to pinpoint environmental, design, and user characteristics most closely associated with fatal and severe injury (F/SI) outcomes. This study focused exclusively on local roads and at-grade State Highway facilities (SR-82 and SR-35), excluding freeway crashes on the State Highway System (US-101 and SR-92).
This plan aligns with a Vision Zero approach. While C/CAG doesn't own local or State roads in San Mateo County, its vision for this plan represents a collective goal for all 21 communities.
This shared vision aims to significantly reduce fatal and severe injuries, ultimately striving for zero.
This Countywide Plan Vision Zero establishes a desired future condition for San Mateo County, one which is achievable only with collaborative efforts from all relevant agencies. As the lead agency in developing this plan, C/CAG envisions a County of diverse partners sharing resources and responsibility for maintaining a safe and equitable transportation system, with all agencies consistently working together to eliminate death and severe injury on roads countywide.
Detailed Description of the Project/Proposal/Ordinance
The San Mateo Countywide Local Roadway and Safety Plan (LRSP ) is a Countywide Plan that includes each of the 21 jurisdictions in the county. As part of the Plan development led by the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG) for the ten jurisdictions, the Plan prioritized locations within MTC’s Equity Priority Community and the C/CAG’s Equity Focus Areas. The Countywide LRSP presents a comprehensive framework for enhancing road safety and improving the transportation network throughout the region.
T
he Adoption of the Countywide LRSP will render jurisdictions in the County eligible for grant funding from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) OBAG 3 County & Local Staff Report – Adoption of the Countywide LRSP Page 3 of 3 Program, and future funding for Caltrans Highway Safety Improvement Program and US Department of Transportation (DOT) Safe Streets for All (SS4A).
In June 2024, the C/CAG Board of Directors adopted the Countywide LRSP and Accompanying Vision Zero Goal (Resolution 24-47). The Countywide LRSP Report can be viewed on C/CAG webpage at 28717_CCAG-Countywide-LRSP-Countywide-Local-w-appendices_Jun7_2.pdf. It is recommended that the City Council adopt the Countywide LRSP to demonstrate its commitment to improving transportation safety and sustainability within the region and to qualify for funding programs offered by USDOT, MTC and Caltrans.
FISCAL IMPACT
In March 2023, the C/CAG Board approved a consultant contract with Kittelson & Associates to develop the San Mateo Countywide Local Roadway Safety Plan. The Town collaborated with C/CAG and the consultant on the Colma chapter without contributing to the contract costs. The Town assigned a staff member to coordinate this effort.
The adoption of the Countywide Local Roads and Safety Plan (LRSP) will not have a direct fiscal impact on the Town. It will align with the Town's existing Systemic Safety Analysis Report (SSAR) and more than likely create opportunities for future grant funding or collaborative projects with and within the County. The plan's implementation will require ongoing coordination and potential resource allocation, but the specific costs and funding sources will be determined on a project-by-project basis.
ENVIRONMENTAL
The City Council’s action in adopting the resolution is exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guideline 15306 as information collection or as part of a study leading to an action which a public agency has not yet approved, adopted, or funded. Any future construction improvements will only be considered after a CEQA review has been conducted.
ALTERNATIVES
The City Council could choose not to adopt the resolution. Doing so is not recommended as the opportunity to become eligible for USDOT, Caltrans, and other safety funding opportunities could significantly limit the Town’s access to apply to these funds.
ATTACHMENTS
A. Resolution
B. Final San Mateo Countywide Local Roadway Safety Plan, available on the C/CAG website at: 28717_CCAG-Countywide-LRSP-Countywide-Local-w-appendices_Jun7_2.pdf
Reso 2024-__, Adoption of the Countywide LRSP and Accompanying Vision Zero Goal Page 1 of 3 RESOLUTION NO. 2024-__
OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF COLMA
RE
SOLUTION ADOPTING THE COUNTYWIDE LOCAL ROADWAY SAFETY PLAN AND ACCOMPANYING VISION ZERO GOAL, PURSUANT TO CEQA GUIDELINES 15306 Th
e City Council of the Town of Colma does resolve as follows:
WH
EREAS, the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG) has identified the San Mateo Countywide Local Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP) as a priority planning effort with countywide significance.
WH
EREAS, C/CAG Boad of Directors adopted in June 2024 (Resolution 24-47) the Countywide LRSP and Accompanying Vision Zero Goal.
WH
EREAS according to data from the California Strategic Highway Safety Plan, 17,317 people have been killed in traffic collisions in California from 2013 through 2017, for an average of 9.5 people per day; and
WH
EREAS, from 2018 to 2022, a reported two crashes resulted in deaths or severe, life-changing injuries on non-freeway roadways in the Town of Colma (Town); and WH
EREAS, one death on Town streets is one too many, and Town is dedicated to strategies that aim to reduce and eliminate deaths and serious injuries on streets in all jurisdictions countywide; and
WHE
REAS, seniors, children, people of color, people with disabilities, people in low- income communities, people walking, and people bicycling face a disproportionate risk of traffic injuries and fatalities; and
WH
EREAS, the City/Town Local Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP) identifies pedestrian and bicyclist safety, nighttime/low light safety, unsignalized intersections on arterial/collector roadways, speed -related roadway crashes, and roadways with posted speeds 35mph or higher as emphasis areas for safety improvement; and WH
EREAS, Vision Zero is a public health -based traffic safety strategy to reduce and eventually eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries using a data -driven, multi- disciplinary, and Safe System approach that also increases safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all; and
WH
EREAS, the Safe System Approach recognizes that while human error will always occur, a system of redundant engineering and non -engineering solutions can reduce crashes and can prevent crashes from causing death or severe injuries; and WH
EREAS, the Federal Highway Administration has made a commitment to eliminating fatalities and serious injuries on the nation's roadways using a Safe System approach to achieve the goals of Vision Zero; and
ATTACHMENT A
Reso 2024-__, Adoption of Countywide LRSP and Vision Zero Goal Page 2 of 3 WHEREAS, the Federal Highway Administration and State Department of Transportation (Caltrans) grant funding for improving safety requires the preparation and implementation of a systematic approach to improve safety as presented in the Countywide LRSP (Exhibit A); and
WHEREAS, Caltrans has adopted the goal of moving “toward zero deaths” by incorporating the Safe System Approach and using proven effective strategies and countermeasures; and
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) passed a Vision Zero policy in 2020 that identified actions to support agencies like Town of Colma; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Town adopts Vision Zero is its guiding principle for transportation planning, in conjunction with C/CAG adopting this vision at the County level; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Town shall pursue the recommended near -and long-term policy, program, and guidelines recommendations identified in the LRSP, with the overriding goal of eliminating traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Town shall refer to the prioritized locations in the Countywide LRSP sections when considering safety improvements, which locations were prioritized including considerations of social equity; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Town shall participate in an inter -jurisdictional Transportation Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC) led by C/CAG, to include staff from constituent jurisdictions along with partner agencies identified in the LRSP; and which will be used to implement the LRSP and integrate the Safe System approach into all aspects of transportation planning and engineering; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Town adopts the Countywide Local Roadway Safety Plan and the Town Local Roadway Safety Plan that summarizes specific recommendations and action items to be taken by Town and partner agencies that will address the listed emphasis areas; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the LRSP will be implemented in an equitable manner, accounting for historic inequities in transportation and safety investments across the county; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Town shall develop an annual update and a 3–5-year report on progress toward the Vision Zero goals, tracking process and outcome metrics, and shall present these updates to the City Council.
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Reso 2024-__, Adoption of Countywide LRSP and Vision Zero Goal Page 3 of 3
Certification of Adoption
I certify that the foregoing Resolution 2024-__ was duly adopted at a regular meeting of said City Council held on October 23, 2024 by the following vote:
Name Voting Present, Not Voting Absent
Aye No Abstain Not Participating
John Irish Goodwin, Mayor
Ken Gonzalez, Vice Mayor
Carrie Slaughter
Helen Fisicaro
Joanne F. del Rosario
Dated ______________________ ___________________________________ John Irish Goodwin, Mayor
Attest: ____________________________
Michelle Estabillo, City Clerk