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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Project Update – Vision Zero Action Plan
1.Motion to Note and File Report
COUNCIL ACTION
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On June 6, 2023, the City Council approved extension of the Bicycle Transportation Plan (BTP) contract to include development of the Glendale Vision Zero Action Plan (VZAP). The Vision Zero initiative provides a framework to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries while advancing safe, healthy, and equitable mobility for all people in Glendale. This proactive approach builds on the City’s existing transportation and safety plans by emphasizing systemic solutions and coordinated action. This was also strengthened by meeting through our technical working group, a collaboration between Community Development and Public Works Departments.
The city has launched a collaborative planning process involving internal departments, technical teams, and community partners. The effort builds upon key policies in the Citywide Pedestrian, Bicycle Transportation, and Local Roadway Safety plans. While the project is still underway, it has established the foundational structure to support the plan’s development. This includes forming a Project Management Team, initiating data-driven technical analysis, convening a Project Development Team (PDT), and conducting crucial community outreach and field checks. Through these steps, the plan is positioned to deliver actionable strategies that promote safer streets citywide.
Technical Analysis of the Plan has been completed including:
•A High Injury Network (HIN)
•Citywide Crash Analysis
•Prioritization Approach: Used to identify High-Need Corridors and Intersections Item Type: Report Only
Approved forMay 20, 2025 calendar
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff is seeking general feedback regarding the Vision Zero Action Plan.
ANALYSIS
On June 6, 2023, city council approved staff’s recommendation to extend the Bicycle Transportation Plan BTP contract to include VZAP.
The goal of VZAP is to achieve zero traffic fatalities for all modes in the City of Glendale. Vision Zero challenges the traditional approach to traffic safety by recognizing that traffic collisions aren’t random and unavoidable. With the right approach, they are predictable and preventable. The City’s Vision Zero Plan will develop a systemic approach that will make streets safer through proactive, low-cost measures, preventing fatal collisions on the road. The Vision Zero Action Plan will include detailed recommendations on how to implement strategies to create safer streets for all road users.
The City has begun developing Vision Zero policy guidelines with much of the underlying framework being derived from existing infrastructure, enforcement, and plans, such as the Citywide Pedestrian Plan, Citywide Safety Education Initiative, and Bicycle Transportation Plan. The City has also taken steps to reduce collisions with pedestrians and cyclists by creating events for public engagement, public education, and awareness of City policies and plans. Utilizing a comprehensive and coherent approach that encompasses aspects of Engineering, Education and Enforcement (3E’s) that will serve as the primary drivers for Glendale’s Vision Zero Action Plan. This will be achieved through an initial implementation following the completion of the plan and yearly audits to evaluate the impacts.
To support the development of the Glendale VZAP, staff conducted a series of technical analyses and planning activities aimed at identifying and addressing the most significant traffic safety challenges across the city. This section summarizes the results of a citywide crash analysis, outlines the proposed prioritization framework for future safety improvements, and highlights the ongoing community engagement and coordination efforts undertaken by the PDT. Walk audits are also conducted to provide on-the-ground insights and community feedback on key corridors.
Project Development Team
The PDT was established to support the development of the VZAP by engaging in targeted policy discussions informed by past implementation experience and insight into City procedures and priorities.
PDT membership includes representatives from the Transportation and Parking Commission, Sustainability Commission, Community Development Department, Public Works Department, Parks and Community Services Department, Fire Department, and Police Department. It also includes community members to ensure that local voices and lived experiences are reflected in the plan. Participants represent local school districts, advocacy organizations, and professional associations. Regional collaboration is critical to the success of the VZAP. Recognizing the importance of alignment with broader regional initiatives, staff has also engaged key partners, including the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles Metro, and the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). The PDT members were approved by the city council. The PDT is scheduled to meet up to six times throughout the planning process, with additional meetings added as needed.
The PDT plays a vital role in shaping Glendale’s Vision Zero strategy by representing a wide range of technical expertise and lived experience from across Glendale’s diverse communities. 3 {{section.number}}d
Crash Analysis
As part of the City’s VZAP, a comprehensive citywide crash analysis was conducted to better understand the patterns and contributing factors of traffic-related injuries and fatalities (Exhibit 1).
This effort, which spans from available crash data from 2012 to 2021, supports Glendale’s goal of eliminating all traffic deaths and serious injuries.
The analysis used crash data from the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), accessed through the Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS), and focused exclusively on injury and fatal crashes—excluding property-damage-only. The data was geocoded and contextualized using various datasets, including land use, street classifications, and California’s Healthy Places Index.
The crash characteristics analysis included:
•Crash trends over time and by travel mode (2012-2021)
•Injury severity and demographics of crash-involved parties •Primary causes of crashes, such as speeding, impaired driving, and hit-and-run •Roadway, environmental, and land use contexts, including time of day, lighting, and proximity to parks or transit
A crash density analysis was performed for all modes (pedestrian, bicycle, motorcycle, motor vehicle) to identify the street segments with the highest concentrations of crashes (in other words, a heat map of crashes). This crash heat map helps to identify the most critical locations for safety improvements. These high crash locations form the basis of Glendale’s High Injury Network (HIN) – a set of targeted corridors with the greatest potential for crash reductions. The final HIN is based on a crash density analysis, combined with input from the Project Development Team (PDT), provided essential local knowledge and firsthand experience with road safety while driving, biking, and walking—insights not captured in the crash data alone. Notably, the HIN covers only 13% of local roadways in Glendale but represents 78% of severe crashes – highlighting how addressing safety on these segments would significantly reduce the chances of severe crashes in Glendale. This framework will guide future investments, safety improvements, and policy decisions in support of Vision Zero goals.
Figure 1 illustrates “All Crashes” and “killed or Seriously Injured” (KSI) crashes for the period 2012-2021. Figure 2 illustrates Healthy Places Index and KSI Crashes tracts in the lowest quartile saw the highest rates of crashes and KSI crashes, indicating that communities under the greatest health, environmental, and socioeconomic burdens experience the highest rates and severity of crashes. Figure 3 illustrates older people make up a larger portion of fatal and severe injury crash victims: 23.0% of KSI victims were 70 years old or older, compared to 9.8% of all crash victims. 4 {{section.number}}d
Figure1. Crashes by Year, 2012-2021
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Figure 2. Healthy Places Index and KSI Crashes
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Figure 3. Crashes by Victim Age
Prioritization Approach
To effectively target the most critical locations for traffic safety improvements, the Glendale VZAP introduces a structured prioritization framework for identifying high-need corridors and intersections (Exhibit 2). This approach builds on the crash data that informed the development of the High Injury Network (HIN) and incorporates quantitative metrics and local priorities, with input from the PDT.
Proposed Prioritization Criteria
The prioritization process integrated the following quantitative data:
Quantitative Factors:
•Number of killed or seriously injured (KSI) crashes
•Total number of crashes
•Number of vulnerable road user (pedestrian and bicyclist) crashes •Healthy Places Index (HPI) scores, an equity indicator •Presence on the citywide High Injury Network
Implementation of Prioritization
The top 30 intersections and top 30 corridors were presented in the Figures 4 and 5, with results reviewed by the PDT and City staff for any needed adjustments based on project feasibility or synergy with other plans or initiatives. Through consultation with City staff and consideration of other major planned projects (such as the Metro BRT project), the prioritization results aided in identifying locations for further countermeasure development. Figure 4 shows the top 30 intersections and Figure 5 shows the top 30 corridors respectively.
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Figure 4. Top 30 Prioritized Intersections
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Figure 5. Top 30 Prioritized Corridors
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Walk Audits
As part of the VZAP, the City conducted a series of walk audits between March 19 and March 22, 2025, to assess pedestrian safety and accessibility across a diverse range of neighborhoods (Exhibit 3). Walk audits serve as a hands-on engagement and data-gathering tool that allows City staff, consultants, and residents to observe real-world conditions, identify safety issues, and gather community input directly from the street level.
Five walk audits were conducted in the following neighborhoods: Riverside Rancho (West Glendale), Tropico (South Glendale), Woodbury/College Hills (Central Glendale), Sparr Heights (East Glendale), and Crescenta Highlands (North Glendale). These locations were selected based on geographic distribution, proximity to key destinations such as schools and parks, alignment with the High Injury Network (HIN), and to avoid overlap with areas recently studied in other city efforts.
Each walk was attended by City staff, members of the consultant team, and community participants.
A total of approximately 50 residents took part, ranging in age and background. Participants completed walk audit questionnaires and provided valuable qualitative feedback. Key concerns observed across multiple neighborhoods included drivers failing to yield to pedestrians, inadequate crossing time at signalized intersections, faded or obstructed crosswalks, narrow or uneven sidewalks, and limited amenities at transit stops. These issues often intersected with concerns about traffic speed, visual impairments, and overall accessibility—especially for seniors and people using mobility aids or strollers.
Several walk audits revealed neighborhood-specific conditions and challenges. For instance, the Riverside Rancho audit noted missing sidewalks and insufficient crossing time at certain signals, while the Tropico audit highlighted driveway conflicts and school-related congestion. In Crescenta Highlands, residents raised concerns about sidewalk obstructions and traffic near Clark Magnet High School. These insights will inform future engineering and policy recommendations in the final VZAP.
The walk audits also offered an opportunity to build relationships with community members and raise awareness of Glendale’s safety initiatives. Materials and methods from this effort will be preserved as part of the City’s outreach toolkit to enable future walk audits using established templates and best practices.
Next Steps
The next steps will focus on advancing key components of the project’s implementation. Staff will continue developing and refining proposed education initiatives, including a draft outline and content aimed at raising public awareness and promoting safer behaviors across all modes of transportation. The site selection process for targeted safety improvements is also underway, with a draft list of potential locations and an interactive online map will be provided in a future phase to assist with evaluation and community feedback. In addition, the team will work on developing a GIS-based dashboard that will allow users to visualize key data, track progress, and support data- driven decision-making.
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STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
The Vision Zero team has participated in a variety of outreach events to share information, build awareness, and gather community input. These include:
•Cruise Night (July 2024) – pop-up booth and engagement •National Night Out (August 2024)
•Community Events throughout late summer and early fall •GPD Traffic Town Hall
•LA Metro BRT First/Last Mile Event (August 2024)
•Montrose Harvest Market (November 2024)
•GUSD Student Council Outreach (Dec 2024)
•Walk audits (March 19 and March 22, 2025) – Riverside Rancho (West Glendale), Tropico (South Glendale), Woodbury/College Hills (Central Glendale), Sparr Heights (East Glendale), and Crescenta Highlands (North Glendale).
•Earth Day (April 2024)
Communications tools such as surveys, social media content, fact sheets, and multilingual materials and Walk audits are being used to ensure inclusive engagement.
Since the PDT includes members from both Public Works and the Glendale Police Department, we relied on their expertise to guide key decisions—such as refining the High Injury Network (HIN), selecting Walk Audit areas, and improving data reporting. Their input was invaluable for assessing traffic flow, individual driver behavior, and providing firsthand knowledge of local collisions.
From Public Works, we also integrated the City's 2030 Capital Improvement Projects to identify where infrastructure upgrades could align with safety goals. This information was especially helpful during Walk Audits, allowing us to respond to public questions and demonstrate the City's commitment to improving Glendale.
In collaboration with the Police Department, we reviewed citation procedures—examining how decisions are made about who receives tickets and the factors that contribute to enforcement actions. These insights allowed Vision Zero to tailor strategies aimed at reducing risky behaviors and preventing crashes from an enforcement perspective.
To date, three PDT meetings have been held:
•PDT 1 (April 25, 2024): Introduced the Vision Zero planning effort, reviewed crash data, and discussed project goals.
•PDT 2 (June 27, 2024): Reviewed crash trends, discussed early findings, and explored outreach strategies.
•PDT 3 (September 24, 2024): Presented the draft High Injury Network, evaluated prioritization criteria, and discussed the approach for upcoming walk audits.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
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CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
This item is exempt from campaign disclosure requirements.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
The City Council may consider any other recommendation.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Bradley Calvert
Prepared by:
Fred zohrehvand
Ismael Perez Carbajal
Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
1: City of Glendale Crash Analysis
2: City of Glendale Prioritization Approach
3: City of Glendale Walk Audit