PHASE 1: UNDERSTANDING THE SAFETY STORY
Community Engagement Summary
Safe Streets Downtown
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2 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
Engagement Goals and
Objectives
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3 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
3 Engagement Goals and Objectives
Goal Objective
People who live, work, play, and travel through
Downtown Hayward are aware of the project
and provide input on vision and needs
• Utilize in-person and online messaging to generate widespread awareness.
Hear from all who may potentially be impacted
by project
• Identify target audiences and best venues to reach these groups.
Develop a clear, shared vision that highlights
the need for change and benefits of future
project
• Clearly articulate project purpose and safety need.
• Provide opportunities for co-creating designs.
• Provide a clear narrative on trade-offs or constraints.
Community input is translated into
implementable strategies
• Create a clear narrative on how engagement will be used to inform solutions.
• Thoroughly and accurately record input at all engagement events.
Arrive at a preferred alternative understood
and supported by the stakeholders
• Provide feedback loop so that final design acknowledges when it is solving a safety need or addressing a community desire. • Reach agreement agency partners on a set of design/policy options for the project.
Completed as Part of Phase 1
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4 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
What were the
opportunities to
participate?
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5 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
5 The City engaged over 500 people as part of Phase 1
between May –August 2025.
Languages
(All outreach materials
provided in English
and Spanish; one
focus group provided
in Cantonese)
Website visitors
2,000
3 Individual online
contributors
400
In-person events
8 People engaged in-
person
~100
Of survey respondents
live in Hayward
90%
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6 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
6 Focus Groups
May 2025
Two meetings aimed at
hearing from target
audiences, such as business
owners and people who work
in Downtown Hayward.
Pop-Ups
June 2025
Two community-centered
events or locations with
simple, concise, and visually
engaging engagement
materials to gather and draw
attention broadly from
community members.
Roadway Safety Audit
May 2025
One walk audit/field visit with
key technical stakeholders
and City staff to identify
needs and opportunities.
Phase 1 offered six different ways to participate, in
three languages.
Ad-Hoc
Meetings/Events
July-August 2025
Two meetings, including
presentations at a Hayward
Youth Council Meeting and a
Resident Council meeting at
a senior living center.
Website with Online
Survey
May-August 2025
One project website with
interactive online survey. 33
sidewalk decals were installed
throughout the project area to
generate visits to the website
and survey responses.
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7 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
What did we hear?
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8 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
8 We heard four major themes.
Unsafe Driver
Behavior
Need Economic
and Placemaking
Support
Driving Is
Confusing
Biking and Walking
Feels Unsafe
Aggressive driving
behavior, including
speeding, red light
running, and
failure to yield to
pedestrians,
creates an unsafe
environment for all
modes.
Improved public
spaces and a
revitalized
commercial area
are needed to give
people a reason to
go downtown.
The Loop is
confusing and
frustrating for
drivers to navigate
due to complex
intersections,
difficult merges,
and heavy traffic.
High speeds and
volumes, long
crosswalks and
wait times, and
lack of bicycle
facilities make the
Loop feel unsafe
for walking and
biking.
Recurring themes heard across in-person and online engagement include:
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9 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
9 Focus Group #1: City of Hayward Staff | May 29, 2025
Key Issues:
• Long wait times and crossing distances
for pedestrians wanting to cross the
Loop
• Safety concerns are limiting staff’s ability
to bike to work
• Circulation along the Loop feels
confusing
• Crossing Mission Blvd during lunch time
feels unsafe due to speeding
Key Opportunities:
• Hayward has the foundations for a
thriving downtown such as good
restaurants, other destinations - need
to make it more walkable
• Two-way conversion can help slow
down speeds
Attendance: 4 staff members
Objective: Learning about how people working in Downtown travel to/within Downtown, safety challenges they face, other key destinations in Downtown outside of work Languages: English
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10 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
10 Focus Group #2: Business Owners and
Chamber of Commerce | May 14, 2025
Key Issues:
• Speeds and volumes along the Loop
make Downtown less walkable
• Losing business to other nearby
downtown areas such as Castro Valley
• On-street parking near businesses is
often taken by food delivery service
drivers
Key Opportunities:
• Creating designated loading zones for
food delivery drivers
• Improving wayfinding and signage for
drivers getting to downtown
• Enforcing parking restrictions,
especially on B St
• Near term improvements – speed
humps, lighting
Attendance: 9 people, including business owners and an AC Transit representative Objective: Discussing safety and other transportation related issues around their businesses, loading and delivery needs
Languages: English and Spanish
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11 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
11 Focus Group #3: Seniors | August 12, 2025
Attendance: 25 seniors at Ivy Park Senior Living, Executive Director of CRIL Objective: Discussing the safety and other transportation related issues experienced by seniors living near the Loop
Languages: English and Cantonese
Key Issues:
• Walking to destinations like Safeway, the
dollar store, and BART feels unsafe
• Intersection crossings are hard for
people with limited mobility
• Sidewalk quality makes it difficult to use
a wheelchair/mobility device
• High speeds and red light running
Key Opportunities:
• Longer crossing times
• Need more directional curb ramps
• Adding more signage alerting drivers
to slow down near the senior living
center
• Need for daylighting on 2nd St
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12 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
12 Hayward Youth Commission | May 12, 2025
• Attendance: 24 Commissioners, Mayor Salinas
• Objective: Understand what it is like for youth to
travel within Downtown, what are the safety issues
they see, and what would make it more fun for youth
to visit downtown
• Languages: English and Spanish
Key Issues:
• High number of lanes
and speeding
• Drivers not yielding
to pedestrians
• Long wait times for
pedestrian phase
Key Opportunities:
• Two-way conversion
• Adding bike
infrastructure
• Improving sidewalk
quality
• Improving
streetscape – more
trees, street art
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13 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
13 Hub Library Ribbon Cutting | June 6, 2025
• Attendance: 20 people from including
City staff, academic staff and
coordinators, and non-profit and
community-based organizations:
• Eden Youth
• 4CS
• Hayward Promise Neighborhoods
• Objective: Engage and build ongoing
relationships with community
organizations
• Languages: English and Spanish
• Discussed issues and opportunities
around project area
• Shared information on the project website
and survey
• Requested future opportunities to engage
non-profits and CBO partners in future
project stages
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14 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
14 Pop-Ups: Farmers’ Market and
Summer Block Party | June 7, 2025 and
June 12, 2025
• Attendance: 85 people
engaged
• Objective: Engage
members of the public in
a pop-up format to
understand safety
challenges and key
destinations.
• Languages: English and
Spanish
• Discussed safety issues,
including speeding, red
light running, and
confusing intersections.
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15 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
15 Roadway Safety Audit | May 20, 2025
• Attendance: 6 people
in attendance
including City of
Hayward Public Works
and Development
Services staff and AC
Transit staff.
• Objective: Identify
unsafe infrastructure
and user behavior
through field-based
observations.
• Languages: English
• Discussed safety
issues, including
speeding, red light
running, and confusing
intersections.
• Discussed potential
solutions, including
traffic calming,
intersection
improvements, bike
facilities, and lane
reductions.
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16 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
16 Specific Feedback
• 181 map comments received via
website and in-person pop-up
events
• Community members identified key
destinations they like to visit in
downtown, as well as safety
challenges related to walking,
biking, driving, and taking transit.
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17 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
17 Key Destinations
Specific Feedback
Key destinations highlighted by
respondents include:
• Library
• City Hall
• Park
• Farmers’ market
• Various stores and restaurants in
downtown.
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18 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
18 Safety Challenges
Specific Feedback
• Intersections along A St and
Foothill Blvd received the highest
density of comments identifying
safety challenges.
• Respondents shared their
experiences with safety issues,
including poor visibility, aggressive
driving, and pedestrian collisions or
near-misses.
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19 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
19 Safety Challenges
Specific Feedback
“When I am walking around
downtown, I refuse to cross here
because I’ve seen so many near
misses with cars making the right
from A to Mission.”
“There are so many turns and lane
changes…I'm always worried I'm
going to crash or somebody's going
to come out of nowhere.”
At the A St & Mission Blvd
intersection, respondents highlighted
pedestrian conflicts, unsafe merging,
and a confusing driving environment.
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20 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
20 Safety Challenges
Specific Feedback
“I cross this intersection multiple times
a week. Rarely do I not encounter a
driver running the red light on A St
going westbound.”
“Dangerous to cross, as the
northbound Main Street traffic
turning left to A Street is not paying
attention to the pedestrians or
oncoming traffic.”
At the A St & Main St intersection,
respondents highlighted red light
running and unsafe turns.
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21 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
21 Safety Challenges
Specific Feedback
“It's not clear at this point which lanes
will turn to Mission, making last-
minute lane adjustments more
common once cars get past Main St.”
“This intersection is confusing, it
backs up constantly, and the merge
is dangerous.”
“The people driving and making a
right turn onto A Street don't slow
down or stop when the light is green”
At the A St & Foothill Blvd
intersection, respondents highlighted
lack of lane signage, unsafe merging,
and poor yielding behavior.
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22 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
22 Safety Challenges
Specific Feedback
“There's a gas station exit/entrance
that's past the traffic light, and from
time to time I'll see a car exit from the
gas station and cross the intersection,
even if the light isn't green.”
“Red light running on D and Foothill -
once when I was driving, two cars
could have hit me if I didn't brake.”
At the D St & Foothill Blvd
intersection, respondents highlighted
red light running and poor driveway
visibility.
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23 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
23 Safety Challenges
Specific Feedback
“People always block the
intersection and crosswalks,
especially during commuting hours.”
“There's a small stretch between two
lights that are almost never timed
together, so there's often backups
trying to get to that next light and then
wait again for that light once you get
there.”
At the Foothill Blvd & Mission Blvd
intersection, respondents highlighted
issues with signal timing and drivers
blocking intersections.
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24 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
24 Key Takeaways
Long Form Survey
• 397 responses
• The online survey focused on:
• How people typically travel around
downtown
• What changes would encourage
people to visit downtown more
• How people would improve the
experience of traveling to and
within downtown
• Driving is the most common mode of
transportation in downtown, with 3 in
4 respondents driving more than a few
times a week.
• 43% walk in downtown more than a
few times a week.
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25 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
25 Driving
Experience
34% of respondents
described driving on the
Loop as confusing and
stressful.
Economic Vitality and
Placemaking
77% highlighted the need
for economic development
and amenities such as
benches, lighting, and
trees.
Safety and Driver
Behavior
46% named bicycle and
pedestrian safety and
unsafe driver behavior,
such as speeding and red
light running, as key issues.
Key Takeaways
Long Form Survey
Themes from the survey comments aligned with what the City heard through other forms of engagement.
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26 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
26 Key Takeaways
Long Form Survey
28% wanted to see improved bicycle or
pedestrian safety in downtown.
18% expressed concerns about
aggressive driving, speeding, and red
light running.
“Do something about the speeding and the
running of red lights. I avoid the
intersection of D Street and Foothill after
nearly being hit twice by a speeder running a
red light.”
“There are too many anxious drivers that
think speed is the answer with no regard to
the safety of other drivers and pedestrians.”
“I only ever walk within the Loop and avoid
crossing the Loop streets on foot because
the cars are so fast and disregard pedestrian
safety.
“The crosswalks along Mission favor the
cars so even when the crossing light is
pressed, pedestrians will have to wait a long
time for the light to change.”
“The downtown area is very high traffic and
there are no protected bike lanes.”
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27 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
27 “Get rid of the Loop, which is just a freeway
through the middle of town with all the
dangers that come with a freeway.”
“I would love to see the street traffic return
to how it used to be. As a lifelong Hayward
resident, I was extremely disappointed…I
feel that it was created to accommodate
commuters who do not live in Hayward
rather than Hayward residents.”
Key Takeaways
Long Form Survey
34% named a two-way conversion of the
Loop as a change that would encourage
them to visit downtown more.
34% said the driver experience on the
Loop needs to be improved with less
congestion, less confusing navigation,
and easier parking.
“Fix the traffic light timing -- Sometimes,
only 2-3 cars go on the green light and the
light changes to yellow/red right after.”
“It is impossible to know lanes are going to
become turn lanes, so cars have to change
multiple lanes quickly to make their turns.”
“Less complicated parking and access to
the businesses on Foothill.”
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28 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
28 “If the area was cleaner and brighter and I
felt safe, I would love to spend my money in
Hayward instead of traveling to Dublin or
Pleasanton to shop or eat.”
“Our city has so much potential, but I feel
like we don't give it enough TLC. More
cleanups or consistent cleaning. So much
trash around..”
Key Takeaways
Long Form Survey
38% expressed personal safety and
cleanliness concerns, highlighting the
need for lighting and maintenance.
39% expressed the need for economic
development and placemaking,
including trees, benches, and lighting.
“Downtown needs more family-friendly
businesses.”
“More options for shopping, restaurants,
and services.”
“I’d also invest in the streetlights in downtown
to make it safer and even be creative with
color lights in certain areas to make it more
decorative and inviting for visitors.”
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29 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
29 Demographics
Long Form Survey
Women and people
over the age of 30 were
overrepresented in the
survey.
While respondents
reflected all racial
groups, Hispanic/Latino
and Black respondents
were underrepresented
in the survey. Note: The Loop is defined as Census Tract 4354. 2% 4% 5%
43%
32%
14%
20%
7% 8%
34%
22%
9%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Under 18 18-25 26-30 31-50 51-70 Over 70
Age
43%
24%
16%
8%
3% 1% 4%
23%
35%
16% 16%
1% 0%
8%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
White Hispanic or Latino Asian Black or African
American
Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific
Islander
American Indian or
Alaska Native
Other
Race/Ethnicity Survey Respondents
Loop Residents
63%
35%
2% 1%
48% 52%
0% 0%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Female Male Non-binary Other
Gender
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30 S A F E S T R E E T S D O W N T O W N
30 Demographics
Long Form Survey
2% 5%
10% 12% 13% 12%
45%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Household Income
Respondents skewed higher income
compared to people living near the
Loop, with nearly half making over
$150,000. 30% of households on the
Loop are low-income.
43% of respondents lived near the Loop
(94541 zip code). 90% of respondents
were Hayward residents.
43%
23%
17%
7%
10%
Outside
Hayward:
Survey responses by zip code
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