Staff Report to City Council
Private Security Provider Discussions
August 20, 2026
2 Service Requirements and Finalist Comparison
The RFQ requires three eight-hour shifts per day, coverage of the Town’s public roads and designated private streets, an observe-and-report posture, automated GPS/geolocation reporting, weekly statistical reports, BSIS-compliant personnel, community participation, and coordination with the Sheriff’s Office. PalAmerican is the incumbent and offers immediate continuity with officers who are already familiar with the Town. Securitas offers a lower proposed cost and, based on discussions with staff, has also offered to provide Town-emblemed patrol vehicles and customized uniforms as part of the program.
Cost Comparison
For purposes of evaluating the procurement, staff considered three separate cost benchmarks: the Town’s actual FY 2025-26 payments to PalAmerican, PalAmerican’s 2026 competitive proposal, and the $550,000 not-to-exceed ceiling in the current agreement. The actual payment history is particularly useful because it reflects what the Town spent to operate the program at the existing service level, while the $550,000 amount is a spending cap rather than an estimate of expected annual expenditures. Town payment records show 26 PalAmerican invoice payments during FY 2025-26 totaling $463,024.62.
The two finalist proposals for FY 26-27 are summarized below:
Provider Base Cost
Estimate
Holiday
Pricing
Vehicles /
Branding
Key
Considerations
PalAmerican $473,022 annual
estimate
$81/hr;
holidays
billed as
incurred
PalAmericanmarked fleet;
uniforms
customizable
Incumbent;
immediate
continuity;
TrackTik /
WinTEAM
Securitas
$32,436.03/month
($389,232.36
annualized)
$55.75-
$58.66/hr on
9 holidays
3 Toyota
Corolla
Hybrids; Townemblemed
vehicles offered
Approx. $83,790
lower base cost;
lead officer
included
Securitas’ monthly estimate annualizes to $389,232.36 before holiday premiums. Compared with the Town’s actual FY 2025-26 PalAmerican expenditures of $463,024.62, Securitas’ stated base price is $73,792.26 lower, a reduction of approximately 15.9%. Compared with PalAmerican’s
Staff Report to City Council
Private Security Provider Discussions
August 20, 2026
3 2026 competitive proposal of $473,022 before holiday charges, Securitas is $83,789.64 lower, or approximately 17.7%.
The actual-payment comparison also provides a conservative check on the projected savings.
Securitas identifies nine holidays that would be billed at premium rates. Based on the quoted regular and holiday rates, the additional holiday premium is expected to be approximately $4,000 annually, producing an illustrative annual Securitas cost of approximately $393,300. At that level, Securitas would still be approximately $69,700, or 15.1%, below the Town’s FY 2025-26 actual PalAmerican expenditures. The final amount will depend on the precise holiday staffing schedule and should be confirmed in writing before contract execution.
The current $550,000 PalAmerican contract ceiling remains a useful budget reference, but comparing that ceiling directly to the Securitas quote would overstate the operational savings. FY 2025-26 actual expenditures were $86,975.38 below the contract ceiling. Accordingly, staff recommends presenting the anticipated recurring savings as a range supported by both historical and competitive data: approximately $70,000 annually compared with recent actual expenditures after estimated holiday premiums, and approximately $84,000 annually on a base-price comparison with PalAmerican’s 2026 proposal.
Timing of Possible CSO Implementation and Patrol Reduction At the August 10, 2026 City Council meeting, the Council directed the City Manager to return with additional information regarding the potential onboarding of a Community Service Officer (CSO), including an option to offset some or all of the CSO cost through a reduction in the Town’s private security patrol coverage. The Council did not direct a specific reduction in patrol hours at that meeting. Accordingly, the August 20 provider-selection item is occurring while a separate analysis regarding the appropriate future level of private security coverage remains pending.
The cost comparisons presented in this report are based on the current RFQ service level of 168 patrol hours per week, consisting of three eight-hour shifts per day, seven days per week. It is important to note that the financial advantage of Securitas over PalAmerican is greatest at this current service level and would decrease if the Council ultimately reduces the number of private security patrol hours. At the current three-shift level, Securitas’ base proposal is approximately $83,800 less annually than PalAmerican’s most recent proposal. By comparison, under an illustrative reduction to two eight-hour shifts per day, staff estimates that the annual cost difference between the two providers would narrow to approximately $54,500.
Therefore, while reducing private security coverage would lower the Town’s overall private security expenditures regardless of which provider is selected, the incremental savings associated specifically with switching from PalAmerican to Securitas would also become smaller as patrol hours are reduced. In other words, the Council should distinguish between savings generated by changing security providers and savings generated by reducing the overall level of private security service.
The exact fiscal impact of any future reduction cannot be determined until the Council identifies the desired service level and staff obtains revised pricing reflecting the associated labor, vehicle, supervision, and holiday costs. Staff will return separately with the requested CSO onboarding
Staff Report to City Council
Private Security Provider Discussions
August 20, 2026
4 information and related cost-offset options. Any agreement with whichever private security firm is selected should therefore preserve the Town’s ability to reduce or reconfigure patrol coverage, with a corresponding adjustment to contract compensation.
Operational Considerations
PalAmerican’s principal advantage is continuity. Its 2026 proposal identifies immediate implementation, existing knowledge of the Town’s 62.3 miles of public roads, TrackTik GPS patrol verification, WinTEAM scheduling and invoicing, and established familiarity with Town staff and the Sheriff’s Office. PalAmerican also states that its uniforms can be customized with client logos and text; however, its submitted vehicle concept remains a PalAmerican-branded fleet.
Securitas’ investment summary includes three Toyota Corolla Hybrid patrol vehicles, with fuel and maintenance included, as well as a 40-hour-per-week lead security officer within the overall 168 weekly patrol hours. The proposed rate also includes recruitment, background screening, uniforms, training, payroll taxes and insurance, and access to a 24-hour national communications center. The Town-emblemed vehicle concept is a meaningful additional benefit because it would make the patrol program more readily identifiable as a Town-funded public safety service.
Value of Town Branding
Town branding may improve visibility and resident recognition of the patrol program, but the vehicles and uniforms should not create confusion with sworn law enforcement. Any final design should prominently identify the personnel as private security while preserving the Town branding desired by the Council. This issue should be addressed in the agreement and reviewed by the City Attorney before implementation.
Procurement Milestones
Date Milestone/Event
05/06/2026 RFQ issued
06/15/2026 Proposals reviewed by staff/panel
07/10/2026 Interviews with leading firms
08/20/2026 City Council consideration of preferred
provider
Staff Report to City Council
Private Security Provider Discussions
August 20, 2026
5 Date Milestone/Event
9/17/2026 Agreement to be approved at Regular
September City Council meeting
Based on the proposals currently available and the Town’s actual FY 2025-26 payment history, staff believes Securitas represents the better overall fiscal value. The cost advantage is supported by both available benchmarks: an estimated savings of approximately $70,000 per year compared with recent actual PalAmerican expenditures after accounting for estimated Securitas holiday premiums, and approximately $84,000 per year on a base-price comparison with PalAmerican’s 2026 competitive proposal. The Town-emblemed vehicles provide an additional visibility benefit.
PalAmerican remains a credible alternative and offers lower transition risk, but its pricing is materially higher. The pending CSO analysis may lead the Council to consider a lower privatesecurity service level, which could further reduce private-security expenditures. Selecting Securitas as the preferred provider at this time would not prejudge that later service-level decision, provided the final agreement preserves the Town’s ability to adjust patrol hours and compensation.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
This action does not qualify as a “Project” as defined in California Government Code Section 15378(b) of the Guidelines for California Environmental Quality Act.
CITY COUNCIL WORKPLAN:
The recommended action supports the City Council’s public safety priorities by maintaining a visible supplemental patrol presence while improving the cost-effectiveness of the program. The competitive solicitation also advances the Town’s interest in periodically testing contracted service costs and service models to ensure that public funds are being used efficiently.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Town’s current PalAmerican agreement has a not-to-exceed amount of $550,000. Actual Town payments to PalAmerican during FY 2025-26 totaled $463,024.62 across 26 invoices.
PalAmerican’s 2026 competitive proposal states an annual base estimate of $473,022, with holiday charges billed as incurred. Securitas’ proposal estimates $32,436.03 per month, or $389,232.36 annualized, before the additional premium associated with nine identified holidays.
Using actual FY 2025-26 expenditures as the historical baseline, Securitas’ annualized base proposal is $73,792.26 lower, or approximately 15.9%. Using PalAmerican’s 2026 competitive proposal as the procurement baseline, Securitas is $83,789.64 lower, or approximately 17.7%.
Staff estimates that Securitas’ nine holiday premiums would add approximately $4,000 annually under the anticipated staffing pattern, resulting in an illustrative annual cost of approximately $393,300 and an estimated savings of approximately $69,700, or 15.1%, compared with FY 2025-
Staff Report to City Council
Private Security Provider Discussions
August 20, 2026
6 26 actual expenditures. Final savings will depend on the negotiated holiday treatment, staffing schedule, overtime, and any annual escalator.
Comparison Basis Amount Comment
Current PalAmerican
agreement $550,000 NTE
Existing spending ceiling;
not an apples-to-apples
estimate of annual operating
cost
FY 2025-26 PalAmerican
actual payments $463,024.62
26 paid invoices; historical
actual cost at the current
service level
PalAmerican 2026 proposal $473,022 base Holiday charges additional; approximately $9,997 above
FY 2025-26 actual before
holiday charges
Securitas proposal $389,232.36 annualized base $73,792 / 15.9% below FY 2025-26 actual; $83,790 /
17.7% below PalAmerican
2026 base; holiday premiums
additional
Since the potential transition occurs after the beginning of FY 2026-27, the Town will realize only a portion of the annualized savings during the first fiscal year. The exact FY 2026-27 impact will depend on the effective date of the new agreement and PalAmerican costs incurred before transition. In addition, the Council’s August 10 direction to evaluate onboarding a CSO and potentially offsetting that cost through a reduction in private security patrols may change the level of private security service later in FY 2026-27. The figures in this report therefore represent the cost of maintaining the current 168-hour-per-week patrol model and should not be interpreted as a commitment to maintain that service level for the full year. No additional General Fund appropriation is anticipated for the private-security provider transition because both finalist proposals are below the existing $550,000 budget allocation.
The current agreement provides the Town with a seven-day termination right, allowing staff to coordinate a provider transition without a contractual termination penalty. Staff time associated with transition planning and contract administration can be absorbed within existing resources.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. FY2025-26 PalAmerican Agreement
2. FY2025-26 PalAmerican Agreement Amendment No. 1
3. Town Request for Quote – Private Security Patrol Services
4. PalAmerican 2026 Proposal
5. Securitas Security Investment Summary
Town of Los Altos Hills Page 1 of 5
Short form
Updated 4/26/22
AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into on the 1 day of July, 2025 by and between the TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS (hereinafter referred to as "TOWN") and Pal American Security (hereinafter referred to as "CONTRACTOR"). In consideration of their mutual covenants, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. CONTRACTOR. Shall provide or furnish the following specified services and/or materials:
Conduct regular patrols of public areas, deterring criminal activity, and maintaining a visible security presence.
A full description of the Scope of Work can be found in Exhibit A
2. EXHIBITS. The following attached exhibits are hereby incorporated into and made a part of this Agreement:
Proposal from CONTRACTOR dated 5/29/2025
3. TERMS. The services and/or materials furnished under this Agreement shall commence July 1, 2025 and shall be completed by June 30, 2026, unless terminated pursuant to Section 5(f).
4. COMPENSATION. For the full performance of this Agreement:
a. TOWN shall pay CONTRACTOR an amount not to exceed five hundred and fifty thousand dollars and zero cents ($550,000.00) within thirty (30) days following receipt of invoice and completion/delivery of services/goods as detailed in Sections 1, 2, and 3 of this Agreement and only upon satisfactory delivery/completion of goods/services in a manner consistent with professional/industry standards for the area in which CONTRACTOR operates. TOWN is not responsible for paying for any work done by CONTRACTOR or any subcontractor above and beyond the not to exceed amount.
b. Town shall not reimburse for any of CONTRACTOR's costs or expenses to deliver any services/goods. Town shall not be responsible for any interest or late charges on any payments from Town to CONTRACTOR.
c. CONTRACTOR is responsible for monitoring its own forces/employees/agents/ subcontractors to ensure delivery of goods/services within the terms of this Agreement. TOWN will not accept or compensate CONTRACTOR for incomplete goods/services.
Town of Los Altos Hills Page 2 of 5
Short form
Updated 4/26/22
5. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
a. HOLD HARMLESS. CONTRACTOR agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the TOWN, its officers, agents and employees from any and all demands, claims or liability of personal injury (including death) and property damage of any nature, caused by or arising out of the performance of CONTRACTOR under this Agreement. With regard to CONTRACTOR’S work product, CONTRACTOR agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the TOWN, its officers, agents and employees from any and all demands, claims or liability of any nature to the extent caused by the negligent performance of CONTRACTOR under this Agreement. b. INSURANCE. CONTRACTOR shall file with the TOWN a certificate of insurance before commencing any services under this Agreement as follows:
i. WORKERS COMPENSATION INSURANCE: Minimum statutory limits. ii. COMMERCIAL GENERAL LIABILITY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE
INSURANCE: General Liability and Property Damage Combined. $1,000,000.00 per occurrence including comprehensive form, personal injury, broad form personal damage, contractual and
premises/operation, all on an occurrence basis. If an aggregate limit exists, it shall apply separately or be no less than two (2) times the occurrence limit.
iii. AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE: $1,000,000.00 per occurrence. iv. EXCESS LIABILITY INSURANCE: $10,000,000.00 per occurrence. v. NOTICE OF CANCELLATION: The City requires 30 days written notice of cancellation. Additionally, the notice statement on the certificate should not include the wording "endeavor to" or "but failure to mail such notice shall impose no obligation or liability of any kind upon the company, its agents or representatives.”
vi. CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE: Prior to commencement of services, evidence of insurance coverage must be shown by a properly executed certificate of insurance and it shall name "The Town of Los Altos Hills, its elective and appointed officers, employees, and volunteers" as additional insureds.
vii. To prevent delay and ensure compliance with this Agreement, the insurance certificates and endorsements must be submitted to:
Town of Los Altos Hills Page 3 of 5
Short form
Updated 4/26/22
Town of Los Altos Hills
26379 Fremont Road
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
c. NON-DISCRIMINATION. No discrimination shall be made in the employment of persons under this Agreement because of the race, color, national origin, age, ancestry, religion or sex of such person.
d. INTEREST OF CONTRACTOR. It is understood and agreed that this Agreement is not a contract of employment and does not create an employer-employee relationship between the TOWN and CONTRACTOR. At all times CONTRACTOR shall be an independent contractor and CONTRACTOR is not authorized to bind the TOWN to any contracts or other obligations without the express written consent of the TOWN. In executing this Agreement, CONTRACTOR certifies that no one who has or will have any financial interest under this Agreement is an officer or employee of TOWN. e. CHANGES. This Agreement shall not be assigned or transferred without advance written consent of the TOWN. No changes or variations of any kind are authorized without the written consent of the City Manager. This Agreement may only be amended by a written instrument signed by both parties. f. TERMINATION. This Agreement may be terminated by TOWN upon seven (7) days written notice to CONTRACTOR. Monies owed for work satisfactorily completed shall be paid to CONTRACTOR within 14 days of termination. g. RECORDS. All reports, data, maps, models, charts, studies, surveys, calculations, photographs, memoranda, plans, studies, specifications, records, files, or any other documents or materials, in electronic or any other form, that are prepared or obtained pursuant to this Agreement and that relate to the matters covered hereunder shall be the property of the TOWN. CONTRACTOR hereby agrees to deliver those documents to the TOWN at any time upon demand of the TOWN. It is understood and agreed that the documents and other materials, including but not limited to those described above, prepared pursuant to this Agreement are prepared specifically for the TOWN and are not necessarily suitable for any future or other use. Failure by CONTRACTOR to deliver these documents to the TOWN within a reasonable time period or as specified by the TOWN shall be a material breach of this Agreement. TOWN and CONTRACTOR agree that until final approval by TOWN, all data, plans, specifications, reports and other documents are preliminary drafts not kept by the TOWN in the ordinary course of business and will not be disclosed to third parties without prior written consent of both parties. All work products submitted to the TOWN pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed a "work for hire.” Upon submission of any work for hire pursuant to this Agreement, and acceptance by the TOWN as complete, nonexclusive title to copyright of said work for hire shall transfer to the TOWN. The compensation recited in Section 4 shall be deemed to be sufficient consideration
Peter Pirnejad (Jun 9, 2025 15:57 PDT)
Peter Pirnejad 09/06/25
CONTACT INFO:
Richard McDiarmid
CSM
SUBMITTED TO:
Town Of Los Altos Hills
Client: Cody Einfalt
Title: Deputy City Manager
Address: 26379 Fremont Road
Los Altos Hills, Ca. 94011
PalAmerican Security
1735 N. First Street
San Jose, CA 95112
Phone: (925)588-2205 [email protected]
Office: 408.978.9111 Cell: (408)582-8185
PalAmercian.com
UNIFORMED SECURITY PATROL SERVICES PROPOSAL
Town Of Los Altos Hills
PalAmerican Security
Making the World a Safer and Friendlier Place
CONFIDENTIAL PROPOSAL
Copyright © 2019 PalAmerican Security Group Ltd.
Security Services
CONFIDENTIAL PROPOSAL
Copyright © 2023 PalAmerican Security Group Ltd.
All rights reserved
CONFIDENTIAL PROPOSAL
Copyright © 2023 PalAmerican Security Group Ltd.
All rights reserved
CONFIDENTIAL SECURITY PROPOSAL
2 5/29/2025
Town Of Los Altos Hills
Client: Cody Einfalt
Title: Assistant to the City Manager
Address: 26379 Fremont Road
Los Altos Hills, Ca. 94011
RE: Town Of Los Altos Hills / PalAmerican Residential Patrol Services Dear Cody,
On behalf of PalAmerican Security, I would like to extend our appreciation for the opportunity to submit a proposal for the requested security services for the Town of Los Altos Hills. We are extremely proud of our comprehensive security guard programs in similar working environments that have been established around the state, as well as around the country. PalAmerican is eager to give the Town of Los Altos Hills the same level of dedication we provide to all our clients locally and across the US.
PalAmerican is the provider of choice for office and commercial property security contracts. In addition to our uncompromising security guard expertise, other featured services include emergency management and threat assessment, security program assessment, and investigative services. Our numerous specialized management services complement our standard security service offerings and have been designed specifically for similar environments as Town of Los Altos Hills.
In addition, PalAmerican provides unparalleled support, with senior managers readily available for all account managers, supervisors, and security officers to assist with everyday needs. Our clients value the accessibility of our PalAmerican management team and their immediate response time with clear communication and follow-up when there is a high-priority issue. We take great pride in our timely customer service solutions which continue to strengthen our client partnerships.
We are fully confident in our ability to provide the Town of Los Altos Hills with our premier security services to benefit your community. When you partner with PalAmerican as your dedicated security provider, we ensure our best practices to improve your overall security program that provides safe and secure grounds for all your residents and visitors.
Should you have any questions regarding our proposal, please contact me anytime. Once again, thank you for this proposal bid opportunity and we look forward to our future partnership.
Sincerely,
Richard McDiarmid
CSM
PalAmerican Security
AGREEMENT
Final Audit Report 2025-06-09
Created: 2025-06-09
By: Cody Einfalt ([email protected])
Status: Signed
Transaction ID: CBJCHBCAABAA431byyhQIYue1cbgwSjjxrDL_0kmcPsu "AGREEMENT" History
Document created by Cody Einfalt ([email protected]) 2025-06-09 - 8:31:22 PM GMT
Document emailed to Peter Pirnejad ([email protected]) for signature 2025-06-09 - 8:31:27 PM GMT
Email viewed by Peter Pirnejad ([email protected]) 2025-06-09 - 8:31:32 PM GMT
Document e-signed by Peter Pirnejad ([email protected]) Signature Date: 2025-06-09 - 10:57:15 PM GMT - Time Source: server Agreement completed.
2025-06-09 - 10:57:15 PM GMT
AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS AND
PALAMERICAN SECURITY
THIS AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO THE SERVICES AGREEMENT is made at Los Altos Hills, California, as of July 1, 2025, by and between THE TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS (“Town”), a municipal corporation, and PalAmerican Security (“Contractor”), (sometimes referred together as the “Parties”) who agree as follows:
RECITALS
A. On July 1, 2025, Town and Contractor entered that certain Services Agreement (“Agreement”) whereby Contractor agreed to provide audit services to the Town. A true and correct copy of the Agreement and its exhibits is attached as Exhibit A.
B. Town and Contractor now desire to amend the Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the promises and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, Town and Contractor hereby agree as follows:
1. All terms which are defined in the Agreement shall have the same meaning when used in this Amendment, unless specifically provided herein to the contrary.
2. Extension of Contract Term. The term of services identified in Section 3 of the Agreement is hereby modified as follows: The services and/or materials furnished under this Agreement shall commence July 1, 2025 and shall be completed by September 30, 2026, unless terminated pursuant to Section 5(f).
All other terms, conditions and provisions in the Agreement remain in full force and effect. If there is a conflict between the terms of this Amendment and the Agreement, the terms of the Agreement will control unless specifically modified by this Amendment. [SIGNATURES ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE]
ITEM 7A Attachment 2
Dated:_____________________________________
TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS Pal American Security
By:
Cody Einfalt, City Manager
By:
Request for Quote
Private Security Patrol Services for the Town of Los Altos Hills Mission Statement: Los Altos Hills has supplemented the law enforcement services of the Santa Clara County Sheriff with private security Patrols since 2023. Continuing this supplemental service provides a cost-effective approach for patrolling the Town by keeping a visual presence to keep property crime low.
Scope of Work
Purpose: The purpose of this scope of work is to define the responsibilities and duties for unarmed private security for mobile patrol duties for the Town of Los Altos Hills.
Prime Directive: Prevention-oriented patrol—observe and report only. Private security staff are to be specifically instructed by their employing agency to not physically engage with anyone, except to protect themselves or someone else from imminent harm.
Hours of Patrol: Three 8-hour shifts per day, seven days a week, including holidays:
3:00pm – 11:30pm (30-minute break)
Note: In the event the security company has a duty-hour structure which does not align with the above 8-hour shifts, you may submit an alternative schedule with explanation and the Town will consider alternative patrol hours.
Patrol Areas:
(1) The assigned private security officer will be responsible for patrolling public property and all publicly available roads, streets, and drives, excluding private driveways marked as “private.” (2) There are 62.3 miles of public roads in Los Altos Hills. See here for a complete listing of the publicly accessible roads.
(3) Select private streets which will be disclosed to security company at time of implementation Security Company/Staff—GeneralDuties and Responsibilities:
(1) Conduct regular patrols of public areas, deterring criminal activity, and maintaining a visible security presence.
(2) Immediately report all suspicious activity or emergencies to the Santa Clara Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) via 9-1-1 or SCSO non-emergency via (408) 299-2311.
(3) Conduct “Patrol Check Requests” to address specific properties in Town (4) Respond promptly to and report any security-related incidents, including but not limited to audible alarms, suspicious activities, and safety hazards. (5) Provide assistance during emergency situations,such as medical emergencies or natural disasters. (6) Liaise with law enforcement agencies as necessary, and assist them in their activities if requested. (7) Maintain accurate records of all activities, incidents, and patrols (see “Reporting” section). (8) Maintain a professional demeanor at all times and interact courteously with residents, Los Altos Hills employees, and the general public.
(9) Comply with all federal, state, motor vehicle, and local laws to include regulations relating to security services.
Uniform and Equipment:
(1) Professional uniform that complies with the California BSIS regulations. (2) Necessary tools, such as vehicle with distinctive markings, technology equipment, required GPS and reporting software, route optimization software, radios, flashlights, and first aid kits, to perform their duties.
ITEM 7A Attachment 3
Communication:
Reliable, regular and routine communication with security company management and other security personnel, using two-way radios or other communication devices.
Route Coverage Optimization:
The Town is looking for maximum number of passes per Patrol Area per day. It is expected that each patrol area can receive more than one pass a day.
The assigned security officer is required to patrol their assigned area as efficiently as possible and provide date/time/location data for each patrol. Automated geolocation data for this coverage is required (see “Reporting” section).
Crime Prevention—Involvement with Community:
The Town of Los Altos Hills conducts monthly “Coffee with the Sheriff” virtual meet-ups with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department to talk with the community in an open-forum style of meeting. Security company is expected to have an attendee at these virtual meetings once a month to talk with residents.
Additionally, the Town has an active Neighborhood Watch Program. Once a year each neighborhood group is expected to meet amongst themselves at a member’s residence in Town. Town Staff, a Captain from the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, and a representative from the Town’s private security company attend these meetings.
Ancillary Coverage Benefits:
Los Altos Hills seeks to gain value from extra security resources patrolling all public roads.
Notification for any of the following conditions, if observed, is required:
• Any signage that is having visibility issues (reflectivity, vegetation coverage, etc.), including if it needs to be relocated.
• Engagement with the community for educational purposes – i.e. the Town has an Electric Leaf Blower Ordinance, gas powered leaf blowers are prohibited. Should patrol officers see noncompliance while patrolling, officers shall hand out educational material to the public (flyers on ordinance provided by the Town).
• Any non-urgent hazard situations on the roadway including the shoulders. Notice of any of the above to the Town of Los Altos Hills shall be provided here.
Onboarding:
All assigned security officers are required to make personal contact with the City Manager (or designee) before or during their first shift. This short introduction is mainly to help personalize service and working relationships but also to ensure expectations are clear.
Breaks:
• Purisimma Park and Town Hall is suggested and available for restroom breaks as needed. • Patrol Officers shall not sleep in marked patrol vehicle during their breaks Reporting:
Methods of non-routine reporting:
(1) Telephone calls: For emergencies and dynamic situations which could be dangerous or cause a public response, call the City Manager or designee(s)—numbers to be provided. (2) Email: For incidents not outlined in the Weekly Statistical Report (below) an email notice to the City Manager and/or other designee(s) is required: (provided later to contracted security company)
Weekly Statistical Report:
Consisting of the following data, each week, the security company shall email a weekly report to the City Manager and/or designee(s):
• Total number of events reported to law enforcement
• Time/date/location/description of all incidents reported to law enforcement • Total number of miles driven/patrolled
• Number of public interactions (by shift)
• Date/time of Critical Location Coverage (geo-tagged data is required) • Number of Residential Security Vulnerability notifications • Number of Ancillary Benefit Coverage notifications
• GPS coverage data (see below geolocation data notation) • Law Enforcement Coordination efforts
(quantity and description to include date/time/location) Geolocation Data: Automated GPS reporting is required. GPS can be used to expose gaps in coverage and give Los Altos Hills leadership data to address any program criticisms. The Town does not have a preference on what platform to use.
Scope of Work Adjustments:
Los Altos Hills reserves the right to adjust the scope of work for the security personnel to match changing conditions. These conditions may include, but are not limited to, an increase in crime or security threats, unanticipated events, or changes in the level of service required by city leaders.
In the event that the scope of work needs to be adjusted, Los Altos Hills will provide written notice to the security company detailing the changes required. The security company will be required to respond to the notice in a timely manner, and provide a revised work plan that meets the new requirements.
Changes to the scope of work may require adjustments to the contract price or the contract duration. In such cases, Los Altos Hills and the security company will work together to negotiate any necessary changes to the contract terms.
Any such change requires agreement, in advance, from both Los Altos Hills and the security company.
Law Enforcement Coordination:
The added security presence should be considered an enhancement to the limited number of Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office patrol staff. Security staff should ask front-line law enforcement how they can help in the fight against continuing residential burglary (if the opportunity arises). Any input from law enforcement such as, descriptions of criminal activities, suspicious vehicle descriptions, license plate information, etc., should be acted upon and passed along internally to other security staff. Additionally, any coordination attempts should be included in the weekly report. The point of contact for the Sheriff’s Office is: Captain Neil Valenzuela ([email protected]). Captain Valenzuela will be given the security company’s point of contact to foster healthy communications.
Training and Certification:
Security officers shall be trained and certified in accordance with the regulations of the California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS).
Insurance:
The security company shall file with Los Altos Hills a certificate of insurance before commencing any services as follows:
• WORKERS COMPENSATION INSURANCE: Minimum statutory limits. • COMMERCIAL GENERAL LIABILITY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE INSURANCE: General Liability and Property Damage Combined. $1,000,000.00 per occurrence including comprehensive form, personal injury, broad form personal damage, contractual and premises/operation, all on an occurrence basis.
If an aggregate limit exists, it shall apply separately or be no less than two (2) times the occurrence limit.
• AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE: $1,000,000.00 per occurrence.
• EXCESS LIABILITY INSURANCE: $10,000,000.00 per occurrence.
Los Altos Hills Business License:
Los Altos Hills Municipal Code requires respondents to have a business license. Information and applications can be obtained from Los Altos Hills website Contract:
A contract for services with the security company is required and will be prepared by Los Altos Hills.
The Town anticipates a 1-year initial term, with renewable terms upon mutual agreement between parties.
Request for Quote Submissions:
Submit quotes to Cody Einfalt at [email protected] . Each quote must contain the following:
(1) A statement indicating the ability to comply with the all items outlined in this Request for Quote (2) Cost of providing the contracted services
(3) Required implementation time and anticipated start date (indicated by number of days after a contract is signed)
(4) Photograph of typical company patrol vehicle
(5) Photograph of uniform (or person in uniform) used by the security company (6) Description of geolocation capacities and related reporting capacity (7) Description of the security company’s supervision, training, background screening and hiring practices, and quality control programs
(8) Three references, including telephone and email (government customerreferences preferred) (9) Signor signature, title and contact information
Due Date: May 8, 2026 at 5 p.m.
Proposal to Serve
Private Security Patrol Services
for the Town of Los Altos Hills
Prepared for
Town of Los Altos Hills
Cody Einfalt, City Manager
[email protected]
26379 Fremont Rd
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
Prepared by
PalAmerican Security
Cory Miller, Branch Manager San Jose
(408) 205-9122
[email protected]
1735 N. First St. STE 108
San Jose CA, 95021
Copyright © 2026 PalAmerican Security Group Ltd. All rights reserved.
May 4, 2026
ITEM 7A Attachment 4
2 PalAmerican Security, Inc.
Proposal to Serve – Town of Los Altos Hills
May 4, 2026
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................................................... 2 COVER LETTER ..................................................................................................................................................... 3 ABOUT PALAMERICAN SECURITY......................................................................................................................... 4 WHAT SETS US APART....................................................................................................................................................7 SECTION 1: COMPLIANCE..................................................................................................................................... 9 ABILITY TO COMPLY........................................................................................................................................................9 SECTION 2: COST OF PROVIDING SERVICES ........................................................................................................ 10 INVOICING..................................................................................................................................................................11 CONFIRMATION OF ACCURACY .......................................................................................................................................11 SECTION 3: IMPLEMENTATION TIME.................................................................................................................. 12 SECTION 4: COMPANY PATROL VEHICLE ............................................................................................................ 13 Mobile Security Operations ................................................................................................................................13 SECTION 5: PHOTOGRAPH OF UNIFORM............................................................................................................ 14 Customization Options .......................................................................................................................................15 SECTION 6: GEOLOCATION AND REPORTING CAPACITY...................................................................................... 16 TRACKTIK PATROL VERIFICATION SYSTEM .........................................................................................................................16 SECTION 7: SUPERVISION, TRAINING, AND QUALITY CONTROL.......................................................................... 17 CONFIDENCE IN YOUR SECURITY TEAM: MINIMIZE RISKS, MAXIMIZE SECURITY........................................................................17 PRE-DEPLOYMENT TRAINING .........................................................................................................................................17 Security Fundamentals .......................................................................................................................................17 Legislation ..........................................................................................................................................................18 De-escalation......................................................................................................................................................18 Physical Skills......................................................................................................................................................18 MOAB® ...............................................................................................................................................................18 Use of Force/Violence Prevention.......................................................................................................................19 OUR COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE OFFERING ........................................................................................................................19 OUR GEOGRAPHIC REACH .............................................................................................................................................19 SECTION 8: REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................... 20 SECTION 9: SIGNATURE AND CONTACT INFORMATION...................................................................................... 21 APPENDICES ...................................................................................................................................................... 22
3 PalAmerican Security, Inc.
Proposal to Serve – Town of Los Altos Hills
May 4, 2026
Cover Letter
May 4, 2026
Dear Mr. Einfalt,
PalAmerican Security is pleased to submit this proposal to continue our partnership with the Town of Los Altos Hills for supplemental private security patrol services. Since 2023, our team has had the privilege of serving as the Town’s security partner—originally as Genesis Security and now under the PalAmerican brand. We are eager to build upon this foundation of trust and local knowledge to continue providing the high level of service the community expects.
Our approach remains centered on the Town’s "Prime Directive": a prevention-oriented, observe-andreport model that prioritizes the safety of residents while maintaining a non-confrontational presence.
Because we are currently on the ground, our officers are already intimately familiar with the 62.3 miles of public roads, the specific boundaries of private driveways, and the critical locations requiring consistent coverage.
Choosing PalAmerican ensures a seamless continuation of service with several distinct advantages:
n Deep Local Integration: Our personnel are already integrated into the Town’s unique community culture. We remain fully committed to participating in monthly "Coffee with the Sheriff" meetings and annual Neighborhood Watch gatherings, ensuring a personal and personalized connection with residents.
n Operational Continuity: As the incumbent provider, we offer a "Day 1" readiness that no other firm can match. There is no learning curve regarding the Town’s specific ordinances, such as the Electric Leaf Blower educational outreach, or the established reporting protocols with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.
n Advanced Transparency: Through our transition to the PalAmerican brand, we have introduced enhanced GPS-based reporting technology. This provides Town leadership with total transparency regarding patrol routes, ensuring that every public street receives the required frequency of passes and that all "Ancillary Coverage Benefits" are documented in real-time. n Proven Partnership: We have a demonstrated history of coordinating with Captain Neil Valenzuela and the Sheriff’s Office to act on criminal activity descriptions and license plate information, serving as a true force multiplier for local law enforcement.
We confirm our full commitment to the terms, insurance requirements, and scope of work outlined in the RFQ. We look forward to the possibility of continuing our work together to keep Los Altos Hills a safe and secure community. Thank you for your continued confidence in PalAmerican Security.
Sincerely,
Cory Miller | Branch Manager | PalAmerican Security
Phone: (408) 205-9122 | Email: [email protected]
4 PalAmerican Security, Inc.
Proposal to Serve – Town of Los Altos Hills
May 4, 2026
About PalAmerican Security
PalAmerican Security (PalAmerican) is a member of the privately-owned Paladin Security Group of Companies. Established in 1976, we have coast-to-coast operations in North America and over 32,000 employees. PalAmerican is built on the foundation of 50 years of experience in the guarding industry. We are licensed to operate in 42 states and each of our regional offices is home to experienced leadership and field personnel that are locally focused and committed to serving you.
We are the security provider of choice for:
n Customized security services that include risk and threat management n Highly trained armed and unarmed Security Professionals n Best-in-class operations that are tracked by reliable metrics n Collaborative creation, implementation and ongoing management of effective security programs Our mission is to provide our clients with the finest security services and products available in the marketplace. Through our extensive complement of high-quality products and services, we will enable our clients to run their operations with minimal effort and concern for their safety and security. We will aim to provide the very best in quality, which means investing heavily in the selection, support, supervision and personal development of our people. We will develop the most responsive customer service programs in the industry by creating strong lines of communication and investing in leading-edge technology that adds value to our customers.
We will make a strong commitment to our people, as they are ultimately responsible for our success. We will seek to create and maintain an environment where every employee is rewarded according to their contribution to the success of our collective efforts. We will further reward our people with job satisfaction, recognition, advancement opportunities, leading-edge employee benefits and bonus incentive programs.
Composed in 1988 by our CEO, Ashley Cooper
Our vision is to make the world a safer and friendlier place. Through collaboration, communication and teamwork with Town of Los Altos Hills, we can realize this vision.
Your Partner in Security – We forge powerful, strategic partnerships to become an extension of your team. As a safety-centric organization, PalAmerican is fully aligned with your overall mission of care for the people of California. We are aware of the vital role security plays in creating a safe environment and exceptional experiences for visitors and staff alike. That is why we train our Security Professionals above industry standards, including ASIS, to champion an empathy-led, proactive approach to security.
5 PalAmerican Security, Inc.
Proposal to Serve – Town of Los Altos Hills
May 4, 2026
The PalAmerican Difference – We develop the most responsive security programs by bringing deep expertise, passion for innovation, and a constant drive to improve. PalAmerican is the ultimate choice when looking for a security partner who goes the extra mile.
Experience – We safeguard the people, assets, and property of approximately 6,000 clients at thousands of sites through boots-on-the-ground, mobile Security Professional services and secondary supporting security services. Our client portfolio spans the private and public sectors including:
n Government and critical infrastructure
n Industrial and utility facilities
n Oil, gas and natural resources
n Healthcare
n Aviation
n Post-secondary education and research
n Commercial office and retail properties
n Mines, marine ports and special events
Reputation – Our highly trained Security Professionals, state-of-the-art technology, advanced monitoring operations centers and passion for service excellence are key elements of our formula for winning in the marketplace. We are known for our ability to deliver unmatched customer service, our responsiveness and the sound deployment of high-quality Security Professionals.
Differentiators
n Our security solutions are carefully customized by considering the industry, physical facilities and risk formula for each client. Town of Los Altos Hills will also benefit from our experience gained on other government, infrastructure and utilities sites, as well as our ability to service large-scale, multi-location regional clients.
n Our North American Operation Centers provide an additional layer of support to all of our client locations 24/7.
n Our merit and performance-based approach requires a commitment to developing a partnership with our employees and clients where teamwork, cohesion, and performance are paramount. n We have long-term career paths for our Security Professionals and invest significantly in ongoing training and development that is industry specific.
n Our award-winning CARE culture supports and guides our team members. n We are committed to being ambassadors of our client’s brands. There is a strong match between your core principles, and our values and operating practices. We will work to uphold our shared understanding through every interaction.
6 PalAmerican Security, Inc.
Proposal to Serve – Town of Los Altos Hills
May 4, 2026
PalAmerican University – We have transformed what was traditionally an entry-level, mundane job into a robust career. PalAmerican University is our in-house training school that ensures alignment throughout our company, reinforces our performance-based culture and protects our brand. Our training efforts surpass basic industry standards, and we use diverse teaching methods (online, virtual reality, classroom and hands-on) depending on the nature of the curriculum, be it industry-specific, client-specific, or critical skills (e.g. mental health awareness and use of force).
Before working a shift at Town of Los Altos Hillssites, our Security Professionals will receive extensive preemployment, pre-deployment, and site orientation training led by in-house trainers (at no additional cost to your organization), thus reducing your liability. Our security training is designed in alignment with the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS) certifications and built through our in-house expertise with considerable input from our clients across North America. We are major proponents and users of MOAB® – PalAmerican’s tailored de-escalation/aggression management training program of choice for our security staff.
Dedicated Client Management Team – We are committed to providing highly experienced and accessible professionals at every level to deliver the supportive, robust, and personalized service you envision. To foster an effective security program for Town of Los Altos Hills, we will develop a client success team with management, subject matter experts (SMEs), and executive stakeholders. Regular communication and reporting are key elements of our overall management procedures. n Client Service Manager (CSM) – They are assigned to oversee daily service delivery and consistency for your site.
n Cory Miller, Branch Manager – Cory serves as a primary point of contact for weekly service review meetings, quarterly business reviews (QBR) and ensuring we are consistently meeting the requirements of the Service Level Agreement (SLA).
n Paul Attwood – Executive in Charge
n Chris de Guzman, CPP, Executive Vice President
n Tony York, CPP, CHPA, Executive Vice President
n Joe Campanella, President
PalAmerican will continue to help Town of Los Altos Hills address and shape some of the most strategically important issues facing your security program, including helping you deliver on your strategic plan, growth objectives, evaluating important innovations, and conducting focused security reviews as requested.
Transition Know-How – PalAmerican has a track record of maintaining contracts like Town of Los Altos Hills. An essential component of your security operations to PalAmerican is the development and implementation of a well-thought-out transition and start-up plan. n PalAmerican provides an experienced, dedicated implementation team to oversee these sites. n Our plan is designed to continue to support the timely support of all security operations and to prevent any shortfalls in safety and protection for Town of Los Altos Hills. n Our proposed project management resources have been carefully identified based on their experience and skill set.
7 PalAmerican Security, Inc.
Proposal to Serve – Town of Los Altos Hills
May 4, 2026
Approach to Recruitment – PalAmerican’s business centers around exceptional people, and we believe that is the foundation of exceptional protection. Our goal is to safeguard your assets and create a secure environment by employing only the best. We take pride in our 6-step recruitment processes, meticulously selecting the ideal candidates for our clients. We use a dynamic concept called "Strategic Staffing," which involves determining the mix of skills and attributes needed to produce a specific "Position Profile" for Town of Los Altos Hills. We believe our public-facing officers should be empathetic and customeroriented, while other positions will require strong critical thinking and problem-solving abilities to succeed as they travel between sites and assist with critical situations. All team members are to demonstrate a strong commitment to exceptional service and a deep understanding of company and client expectations.
Innovative, Cutting-Edge Technology & Reporting – PalAmerican implements robust practices and procedures to measure, report, and guarantee our superior level of performance and service standards, which are easily monitored with our tools and technology. Our suite of software tools includes security officer tour systems like:
n TrackTik Patrol Verification
n TEAM Software (HR, billing, inventory, scheduling)
n Power BI for data modelling and customizable dashboards.
These tools enable precise and transparent reporting, enhancing service execution and site management.
Operations Center – PalAmerican's commitment to seamless integration and continuous support is exemplified by our 24/7/365 Security Operations Centers (SOC), supported by a robust network of North American command centers. This infrastructure allows us to provide comprehensive monitoring, alarm management, and rapid incident response, essential for maintaining Town of Los Altos Hills's operational integrity.
Commitment to Quality – PalAmerican’s rigorous quality control processes exceed all industry standards and best practices. We use both qualitative and quantitative methods to provide you and your dedicated Client Service Manager with a comprehensive view of your site’s performance. A pivotal aspect of our quality service delivery is our proactively engaged managers who monitor day-to-day operations backed by our deep and extraordinarily capable executive structure.
What Sets Us Apart
Since inception, we have worked hard to establish long-term working relationships with our clients. A fundamental element of our service delivery model is to continuously build and deliver skills, training, expertise, and programs that exceed industry norms. We operate under an empathy-led security model. Our approach is rooted in communication, compassion, professionalism, and care. n We offer our clients a long-term partnership approach to customized security management n We understand the importance of what is at stake for our clients n We are hands-on and personal in every aspect of our interactions n Our leadership team is engaged and client-success focused n We ensure that our team has the capacity to remain accessible and engaged by supporting our employees and pacing our clients’ ever-changing needs
8 PalAmerican Security, Inc.
Proposal to Serve – Town of Los Altos Hills
May 4, 2026
Retention Strategy and Employee Care – Our organization boasts one of the highest retention rates in the industry, which is a direct reflection of our stringent selection process, industry-leading training, award-winning culture, competitive wages, commitment to employee care and development, and exceptional recognition programs. For Town of Los Altos Hills, this means a stable security program with minimal loss of site knowledge and turnover among the security team.
Community Engagement – PalAmerican takes an empathy-led approach when engaging with vulnerable populations and mental health-afflicted individuals. Recognizing their humanity and keeping respect at the forefront during all interactions supports de-escalation, minimizes the potential for violence, and results in desirable outcomes.
Financial Proposal – PalAmerican has closely studied the labor market in California and the trajectory that is anticipated for wages to attract, retain, and engage security professionals who will meet our collective service expectations. Our financial proposal demonstrates our analysis of current market conditions to hire the quality of staff and provide the level of leadership considered necessary. Exemplary training and overall performance metrics of our firm are also key considerations in the evaluation process.
We Live Up to Our Promises – As demonstrated by our proven track record in government security excellence across North America, and unparalleled commitment to service outlined throughout this proposal, we will showcase that PalAmerican is the ideal partner for Town of Los Altos Hills. Beyond meeting your security needs and goals, we strive to continually collaborate with you to tailor and elevate your security program to the highest level.
Experience the PalAmerican Difference.
9 PalAmerican Security, Inc.
Proposal to Serve – Town of Los Altos Hills
May 4, 2026
Section 1: Compliance
Ability to Comply
PalAmerican Security confirms full compliance with all requirements, duties, and responsibilities outlined in this Request for Quote. As the Town’s incumbent security provider since 2023, our team is already intimately familiar with the "Prevention-Oriented" prime directive and the specific geographical needs of Los Altos Hills.
Our staff is currently successfully executing the transition from our original contract as Genesis Security to the PalAmerican brand. This evolution provides the Town with the continuity of our local expertise bolstered by PalAmerican’s enhanced corporate resources, specialized training protocols, and advanced reporting technology.
10 PalAmerican Security, Inc.
Proposal to Serve – Town of Los Altos Hills
May 4, 2026
Section 2: Cost of Providing Services
PalAmerican has closely studied the local labor market for and the trajectory that is anticipated for wages to attract, retain, and engage security officers who will meet our service expectations for your organization. We recognize that desirable employees have many choices in the security industry.
Our analysis of current market conditions to hire the quality of staff considered necessary is demonstrated in the pricing proposal below based on the wages previously discussed.
Please note market conditions are changing rapidly with today’s labor shortage and PalAmerican would like the opportunity to mutually evaluate set wages at least annually, or as market conditions warrant, to establish a competitive wage that attracts, retains, and engages professional security officers. For the sake of clarity, we propose using CPI as the market indices.
11 PalAmerican Security, Inc.
Proposal to Serve – Town of Los Altos Hills
May 4, 2026
Invoicing
PalAmerican can accommodate any invoicing frequency desired by Town of Los Altos Hills, including weekly, monthly, quarterly, or pre-bill/average equal monthly payments with annual reconciliation. We can also provide more frequent billing if needed. Our financial strength allows us to be flexible with cash flow requirements.
We offer various billing formats such as PDF, Excel, CSV, and Word, and are open to creating new formats based on customer needs. We ensure clear, concise, and advanced billing options, and have received no deficiencies in this category from notable clients.
Our invoices provide detailed breakdowns by Security Professional, location, number of hours, time worked, and rate. We can customize the billing process to include any additional information you require.
Each invoice is reviewed by the site manager and Branch Manager to ensure accuracy. KPI adherence to billing can be tracked using Microsoft PowerBI dashboards, which can be shared and reviewed at regular meetings. We have also applied Lean management principles to streamline our billing process as part of our continuous improvement efforts.
Confirmation of Accuracy
PalAmerican uses WinTEAM software, which includes the innovative "TeamTime" check-in system.
Officers can sign in and out for shifts using a touchtone phone or a smartphone app. When working alone, Officers must check in every hour, monitored by our 24/7 Operations Center for safety.
WinTEAM can segregate and report non-billable and billable hours, as scheduling and invoicing are integrated. Invoices are generated based on scheduled hours input for each client account/job number.
Local PalAmerican management verifies weekly timesheets and billable/non-billable hours. Monthly invoicing for Town of Los Altos Hills involves double-checking by operational leaders and the payroll department to prevent errors. Detailed invoices include all billable employee hours with shift descriptions.
Before invoicing, site managers send an overtime report to payroll, listing all billable and non-billable overtime hours. PalAmerican consistently achieves high KPI scores for invoicing accuracy since implementing these advanced systems and measures.
12 PalAmerican Security, Inc.
Proposal to Serve – Town of Los Altos Hills
May 4, 2026
Section 3: Implementation Time
Implementation Time:
n 0 Days
Anticipated Start Date:
n Immediate / Upon Contract Execution
As the current service provider, PalAmerican offers the Town of Los Altos Hills a seamless transition with no "startup" or learning curve. Our officers are currently deployed, fully trained on the 62.3 miles of public roads, and familiar with Town staff and local law enforcement points of contact.
13 PalAmerican Security, Inc.
Proposal to Serve – Town of Los Altos Hills
May 4, 2026
Section 4: Company Patrol Vehicle
Our vehicles are equipped with distinctive PalAmerican markings, high-visibility lighting, and integrated GPS tracking systems to ensure comprehensive route coverage and officer safety.
Mobile Security Operations
Our robust fleet of well-marked vehicles
provides 24/7 support to clients. Our
mobile team handles a wide variety of
assignments, and our mobile officers
receive top-notch training beyond industry
standards. They also serve as an on-call
resource for our static security teams.
Our software analyzes personnel based on
their qualifications and residence, mapping
out the closest responders available for
shifts. This allows our mobile responders to
coordinate for alarm response or additional
security needs, minimizing response times. We use advanced systems and sophisticated scheduling software, supported by redundant power supplies to operate under adverse conditions. Within minutes of a call, our Operations team ensure efficient and professional responses to all security issues.
We set up strategic remote security offices to reduce travel time. Multiple mobile offices enable us to schedule patrol routes that reduce travel and response times while also lowering our carbon footprint.
Our variety of vehicles and statistical scheduling allow us to quickly attend to our clients' needs. This operational resilience and flexibility set PalAmerican apart from the competition.
Mobile Security Services
n Alarm Response
n Site Checks and Reports
n Afterhours Emergency Response
n Access Control
n Onsite Guard Support
n Event Security
n Lock-up Services
Vehicles & Equipment
PalAmerican Security uses a variety of fuel, hybrid, and electric Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, and Ford vehicles. They are all equipped with:
n GPS and security camera technology
n Two-way radio
n First Aid Kit
n Fire Extinguisher
n Jumper Cables
n Flashlight
n Emergency Contact Sheet
n Spare Tire and Jack
n Tire Pressure Gauge
n Applicable Seasonal Tires
14 PalAmerican Security, Inc.
Proposal to Serve – Town of Los Altos Hills
May 4, 2026
Section 5: Photograph of Uniform
All PalAmerican officers wear professional, BSIS-compliant uniforms. Our appearance standards are designed to provide a visible, professional deterrent while remaining approachable for community members during "Coffee with the Sheriff" and Neighborhood Watch meetings.
PalAmerican goes to great lengths to ensure that the right look is achieved for each one of our clients and their
properties. PalAmerican provides our clients with an array of uniform styles to choose from, and all are fully customizable to each client, e.g. adding logo, text, etc. Through this, we are stringently compliant with all regional/state qualifiers and regulations pertaining to uniforms and the presentation of security personnel.
Our Officers are equipped with full winter and summer
uniforms at no extra charge. We issue as many uniform
articles as required to ensure our staff are never short. We recognize the cost associated with maintaining uniforms issued to our Security Officers. As a result, PalAmerican pays the costs involved in dry-cleaning items, and expenses are rereimbursed to the Officers when receipts are submitted. This ensures uniforms are consistently kept tidy and defers the cost from the Officer.
Our security professionals are well aware of the importance of uniform appearance, first introduced during our Orientation. Maintenance of uniform and appearance standards is supported on a day-to-day basis through the supervision of Site/Shift Supervisors, regular appearance audits by our Security Program Manager, and regular unannounced QC checks of our staff by our leadership team.
15 PalAmerican Security, Inc.
Proposal to Serve – Town of Los Altos Hills
May 4, 2026
Customization Options
Within state-mandated standards, we can customize uniforms to achieve the look your program is going for. Whether you want high-profile security in slash vests or a more approachable customer-service ambassador look with polos and khakis, PalAmerican can mock up custom uniforms or provide you with our standard options.
16 PalAmerican Security, Inc.
Proposal to Serve – Town of Los Altos Hills
May 4, 2026
Section 6: Geolocation and Reporting Capacity
PalAmerican utilizes the TrackTik mobile platform to provide the Town with automated, real-time GPS data. This system ensures:
n Route Optimization: Verification that each patrol area receives the maximum number of daily passes.
n Automated Data: Precise date/time/location tagging for every patrol check. n Weekly Statistical Reports: Comprehensive summaries including public interactions, incident descriptions, and Ancillary Benefit Coverage (e.g., reporting signage issues or leaf blower ordinance education).
TrackTik Patrol Verification System
This security workforce management solution provides real-time checkpoint monitoring data, customized reporting, and monitoring tools for field operations and back-office tasks. Key features include security officer tours, DARs, pass-on, incident reporting and tracking, and a client portal. TrackTik allows us to create patrol checkpoints with near-field communication (NFC) tags, barcode tags, QR code tags, geofences, and/or manual check-in points. With TrackTik, you receive:
n Patrol verification with timestamps for locations
n Real-time incident reporting
n Dashboards and trending reports
17 PalAmerican Security, Inc.
Proposal to Serve – Town of Los Altos Hills
May 4, 2026
Section 7: Supervision, Training, and Quality
Control
Our program is built on a foundation of rigorous oversight and continuous improvement:
n Screening: All staff undergo extensive background checks and BSIS-certified licensing. n Onboarding: Every officer completes site-specific training, including personal contact with the City Manager to ensure clear expectations.
n Supervision: We employ regular field inspections and "unannounced" quality control checks to maintain professional standards.
n Training: Officers are specifically trained in "Observe and Report" protocols and coordination with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.
Confidence in Your Security Team: Minimize Risks, Maximize Security PalAmerican’s training empowers our security teams with competence and confidence to succeed, surpassing basic industry standards. Our officers undergo rigorous specialized training tailored to critical energy and utility requirements, encompassing industry-best practices and critical skills such as:
n Management of Aggressive Behavior,
n Use of Force, Customer Service,
n Mental Health Awareness
This comprehensive training, conducted by qualified industry experts at no additional cost, equips our officers with the knowledge and skills to excel as exceptional security representatives for Town of Los Altos Hills, mitigating risks, reducing liabilities, and fostering long-term employee retention.
Our in-house instructors deliver our training programs. They are all certified in the industry's top programs and are former security professionals with specialized backgrounds.
Pre-Deployment Training
This program covers:
ü Security Fundamentals
ü Legislation & Compliance
ü De-escalation
ü Physical Skills
ü Security Training for Town of Los Altos Hills
Security Fundamentals
Prospective security staff must complete PalAmerican’s state-specific in-house Basic Security Training, which builds on the training required for a security officer license. Topics include the Code of Conduct, basic security procedures, health and safety, report writing, patrolling, emergency response, trespassing, criminal code training, and communication skills. Detailed orientation and onboarding cover all aspects of our company.
18 PalAmerican Security, Inc.
Proposal to Serve – Town of Los Altos Hills
May 4, 2026
Legislation
This section covers legislative knowledge required for a security license in California, including:
n The Bill of Rights
n Criminal Code of USA (Title 18)
n National Use of Force model and theory
De-escalation
We use the Management of Aggressive Behavior (MOAB)
training program. PalAmerican developed a customized
curriculum in collaboration with MOAB® International to meet our training standards. It covers conflict
management stages: anxiety, verbal aggression, and
physical aggression. This hands-on training emphasizes
verbal de-escalation and prepares staff for physical
intervention as a last resort.
We strongly promote MOAB over de-escalation training
that only teaches physical intervention techniques
because MOAB helps protect clients' reputations.
Physical Skills
We prepare security personnel for physical intervention situations, integrating MOAB certification and state-mandated use of force/violence prevention training. *Key curriculum topics may vary per state and legislation:
MOAB®
n Introduction to Personal
Defense and Safety Skills
n Basic Types of Assaults
n Methods of Assaults
n Control Management in
Self-Defense
n Categories of Physical
Force
n Personal Defense
Weapons
n Head, Thumbs, Palms,
Heal of Hand, etc.
n Vulnerable Body Areas
n Control Management
n Personnel/Individual factors
n Clinical danger predictions
n Defense from Holds
n Front Choke response
n Rear Choke response
n Bear Hold response
n Wrist Grab release
n Arm Twist response
n Bite response
n Hair Pull response
n Edged Weapon response
n Grab/Pull response (clothing
or body part)
n Defense from Static Strikes
n Punch (head) response
n Kick (groin) response
n Armed Threat response
n Rear Weapon response
n Thrown Objects response
19 PalAmerican Security, Inc.
Proposal to Serve – Town of Los Altos Hills
May 4, 2026
Use of Force/Violence Prevention
n Handcuff application
n Standing application
n Kneeling application
n Prone application
n Handcuff removal
n Rapid fire application drill
n Two-handed Check
n Redirect
n Cover with/without
handcuffs
n MOAB Skill review
n Control to ground
n Prone to handcuffing
n Reading from the memo
book
n Standing from Prone
n Handcuff release
n Searching methods
Our Comprehensive Service Offering
We have comprehensive capabilities to meet your security needs. Our services include:
n Security Officer Services
n Concierge Services
n Mobile Vehicle Patrols
n Bicycle Patrols
n Emergency Alarm Response
n Safe Walks
n Access Control
n Panic & Medical Alert Systems
n Parking Management Services
n Risk Intelligence Monitoring
n Corporate Investigations
n Security Training & Seminars
n Risk Assessments
n ULC-Listed Security System Monitoring
n First Aid Services & Training
n Lone Worker Monitoring & Safety Checks
n Remote Video Monitoring
n Emergency Preparedness/Business Continuity Plans
n Autonomous Security Solutions (Robotics)
n AI and Machine Learning for CCTV and Access Control
Our Geographic Reach
In the United States, we are licensed to operate in 42 states – see below. Throughout North America, we have 98 offices.
20 PalAmerican Security, Inc.
Proposal to Serve – Town of Los Altos Hills
May 4, 2026
Section 8: References
The following government-sector references illustrate our experience in providing similar mobile patrol and municipal security services:
Reference 1: City of East Palo Alto
n Contact: Maurice Baker, Community Services Manager
n Phone: (650) 660-2527
n Email: [email protected]
n Service: Local Bay Area nightly vehicle patrols and community-focused security.
Reference 2: King County Metro Transit
n Contact: Pauline Estrella, Transportation Security Administrator n Phone: (425) 286-0391
n Email: [email protected]
n Service: High-density mobile security and facility patrols for a major government transit authority.
Reference 3: Washington State Dept. of Social and Health Services (DSHS) n Contact: Sandra Gallagher, Internal Control Manager
n Phone: (206) 794-2570
n Email: [email protected]
n Service: Multi-location state government contract involving facility monitoring and property patrols.
21 PalAmerican Security, Inc.
Proposal to Serve – Town of Los Altos Hills
May 4, 2026
Section 9: Signature and Contact Information
Cory Miller | Branch Manager | PalAmerican Security
Phone: (408) 205-9122 | Email: [email protected]
Signature: _______________________ Date: __May 4, 2026________
22 PalAmerican Security, Inc.
Proposal to Serve – Town of Los Altos Hills
May 4, 2026
Appendices
We can provide additional documentation on the following topics upon request:
n Overview of Our Operations
n Approach to Recruitment – 6-Step Staffing Model
n Retention Strategies and Employee Care
n Workplace Respect & Inclusion
n Emergency Management & Business Continuity
n Environmental Health and Safety
n Environmental Policies & Best Practices
n Scheduling & Staffing Capabilities
n Reporting & Management Systems
n Total Quality Programs
n Mobile Surveillance Program
n Remote Guarding
n Blue Sky (Risk Intelligence Monitoring)
Proposal
FOR The Town of Los Altos Hills
Cody Einfalt
The Town of Los Altos Hills
[email protected] |
26379 Fremont Rd
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
Confidentiality Statement
This entire proposal is considered confidential information by Securitas Security Services USA, Inc. and may not be distributed, in whole or in part, to any person, firm or corporation outside of The Town of Los Altos Hills. In addition, this proposal may be distributed only to those employees or affiliates within The Town of Los Altos Hills who have direct responsibility for the proposal/decision-making process.2026 © Securitas Security Services USA Inc.
5/8/2026
Town of Los Altos Hills
Attn: Cody Einfalt, MPA
Re: Proposalfor Security Services
Thank you for allowing Securitas (SUSA, Inc.) the opportunity to provide our protective security services proposal for the Town of Los Altos Hills in support of the Sheriff’s Department. We understand the importance of selecting a dynamic solution-based security providerfor your world class organization. Our operating efficiencies and technological advancements afford us the opportunity to provide best in class service and reliability. We are proud of our long-standing presence locally in the South Bay Area. We feel confident that the enclosed proposal will demonstrate our valued approach and capabilities.
Securitas’ methodology for developing a security program is consultative, with a strong commitment to partnering with clients for mutual growth, fostering a relationship more akin to a partnership than that of a service provider. As you review our Proposal for Security Services, please feel free to reach out for more information on any specific topic.
Upon reviewing the formal RFQ, we feel strongly that we meet or exceed all items outlined in the Request for Quote. To help connect the requested information to the coordinating page within the proposal, I have provided a quick reference breakout.
1) Ability to comply: Provided Above.
2) Cost: See page 25.
3) Implementation: See page 21; 30 Days from Contract.
4) Patrol Vehicle: Seen throughout Proposal, Page 6&28, We will deploy Toyota Carolla Hybrids for the site unless a specific vehicle is requested (i.e. truck with towing capabilities, electric to reduce carbon footprint)
5) Uniform: See page 22.
6) GPS/Reporting: See pages 8-11. Sample reports can be provided. Geofencing can be outlined around Town borders to alert Officers if they leave the approved area. GPS is provided through our Vision Devices and Samsara Systems (Page 8). All information is provided through one dashboard, MySecuritas. This dashboard also contains scheduled employees, invoices, and employee training progress.
7) Supervision/Training/Hiring: Pages 12-17.
8) References: Page 26 &27. I provided a case study of a similar Scope of Work with reference. I provided a few Government Reference and some similar site references. Monitoring roads and reporting violations is extremely similar to the services we provide to HOA’s on their private roads. https://youtu.be/U0l0hdO2QeI?si=Dz8eFHUJntDwGGGo 9) Signor: Gina Coleman, Area Vice President, [email protected] , Page 19.
Thank you again for the opportunity to provide this proposal to the Town of Los Altos Hills for the ultimate, professional protective security services program. Please contact me if you have any questions or require further information. We look forward to this new business partnership opportunity.
Sincerely,
Mark Triska
Business Development Manager
2480 N. First St., Suite 180,
San Jose, CA 95131
Cell Number: 669.347.4753
[email protected]
Proposal from Securitas
Thank you for
considering
Securitas
Why Securitas? For over 90 years, security has been our exclusive focus. That means since 1934, we’ve been building a strong local footprint, refining operational best practices, investing in innovation and creating an unbeatable workforce culture. — A connected global workforce — Empowered by best-in-class culture, training, certification, peopleprograms and leading technologies, learning and innovation thrive across Securitas. — Support where you are — Our footprint spans 44+ global markets, but our leadership is local. Every client is supported by a dedicated District Manager, Area Vice President, and Regional President who live and work in the communities they serve, ensuring responsive service, accountability, and on-theground partnership from day one. — Transparency & strategic value — We believe strong partnerships are built on visibility and trust. Our reporting cadence, modern dashboards and service roadmap ensure clients have clarity, alignment, and confidence throughout their journey with Securitas.
We’re excited at the opportunity to bring the same unmatched advantages of global scale + expertise to your organization. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. We look forward to your response.
Mark Triska
Securitas Security Services, Inc. North America
Business Development Manager
[email protected] | (669) 347-4753 |
3 Proposal from Securitas
See what others
miss at every touchpoint
Our refined eye helps us see more to empower your secure world. When 320,000+ professionals across 44+ markets are on your side, you get unwavering vigilance and consistent, high-quality protection, anywhere you operate. Together, we imagine your ideal integration of modern, custom security solutions and services.
We help make your world a safer place
Proposal from Securitas
World-class security
solutions and expertise
Risk Intelligence
& Services
Identify vulnerabilities, monitor
evolving threats, and leverage
actionable insight that strengthens
your security program before risks
becomes disruptions.
On-site Security
Services
Safeguard people, property, and
operations while representing your
organization with vigilance,
courtesy, and a commitment to
service excellence.
Mobile Security
Response & Patrols
Increase situational awareness
with strategic patrols and rapid
response that deters incidents and
helps ensure timely intervention
across sites.
Remote Security
Services
24/7 monitoring, advanced analytics,
and real-time oversight reduces
complexity and enables quick deescalation or response and confident decision-making.
Integrated
Technology
Securitas Technology designs and
integrates leading security and
safety solutions including video,
access, intrusion, detection, EAS,
fire safety and more.
Fire & Life Safety
Programs
Meet compliance requirements
and fire code, prepare for
emergencies, and reduce risk
through proactive program
management.
Insight-powered security for modern businesses
Dynamically assess risk, tailor solutions, and optimize your security equation with Securitas Global Risk
Intelligence. The right data, when you need it.
Proposal from Securitas
From acts of heroism to the daily mundane support
& everything critical in-between… we’re there.
2020
“How Ahmed
Saves a Man’s
Life”
2023
“Darian Hardy,
Securitas
Officer Aids in
Rescue of
Captive
Woman”
2023
“Donald Brown
Recognized for
19 years of
Service at One
Site”
2021
“Officer Travis
Stops Forklift
Fire on Duty”
2022
“Officer Niko
Finds Missing
Child, Connects
Help”
450
District
Managers
North America
400
Local Branch
Offices
North America
70k
Securitas Officers
North America
With one of the largest global security footprints in the world, Securitas offers unmatched scale, expertise and
global standardization for enterprises and business.
$6B
2024 Annual
Revenue
North America
Global footprint,
strong local structure
6 Flexible patrols.
Reliable presence.
At Securitas, we offer Dedicted Mobile security patrol
solutions designed to provide clients
with flexible and scalable security. Our mobile patrol
services deliver a visible security presence, helping to deter crime, respond quickly to incidents, and
provide safety escorts—all while
optimizing security coverage. Ideal for
clients of all sizes.
Dedicated Mobile
Guarding gives you the
security you need,
wherever you need it.
7
Proposal from Securitas
See how your security program is performing in near
real-time, presence wide. From local sites to global
operations, Securitas’ ecosystem of modern digital tools empowers security leaders with more.
MySecuritas: Daily security
dashboards, officer geolocation,
coverage transparency and more.
Global Risk Intelligence
Smart, integrated data and insights that help you
understand risks that could impact your business.
MyConnect and Vision for officers
Officer operations, reporting, compliance and geolocation, integrated with MySecuritas for clients.
— Security daily view
— Risks, patterns and trends
— Alerts, dashboards, accessibility
Security insights, trends
and coverage transparency
8 Securitas Fleet &
Driver Safety System
This system delivers
– Enhanced officer and public safety
– Reduced vehicle and liability risk
– Verified patrol activity and
response times
– Greater transparency and
accountability
– Consistent, reliable
service delivery
– Improved sustainability
What the system includes
– Forward-facing and interior
facing cameras
– Real-time GPS tracking and
route history
– Speed and driving
behavior monitoring
– Vehicle diagnostics and alerts
Real-time oversight & support
– Live vehicle visibility allows our
operations team to monitor activity
and respond quickly when support
is needed.
– GPS tracking and geofencing
confirm patrol coverage and
response accuracy.
– Vehicle diagnostics help
prevent breakdowns and
service disruptions.
– Encourages safer, smoother
driving, reducing fuel consumption
and emissions.
Incident documentation
& transparency
– In the event of an incident,
recorded footage is securely
stored and easily retrievable.
– Video and telematics data
provide objective, time stamped
documentation to support
investigations, client transparency,
and liability protection.
– This reduces disputes and enables
faster, more accurate resolution.
Proactive safety &
driver coaching
– AI based technology identifies
high-risk driving behaviors such as
harsh braking, speeding, distracted
driving, or unsafe following
distance.
– These insights are reviewed
regularly with officers to reinforce
safe driving practices and
continuous improvement.
– The focus is on prevention,
accountability, and professionalism.
We use Samsara in-vehicle camera and telematics technology across our fleet, strengthening officer safety, operational oversight, and service quality.
Fleet safety, transparency & service reliability
securitasinc.com
9 Proposal from Securitas
What today’s security leaders need, in MySecuritas
INTELLIGENCE
Risk intelligence and trends help you make informed
decisions, consolidating site data and insights that
impact your next security move.
AUTONOMY
Self-service actions mean one less email or phone
call. Reduce administrative volume, streamlining ops.
ALERTS
Near real-time alerts connect you to what’s going on at your site, faster, with more information.
COLLABORATION
Stay aligned with security team-members and
leadership. Use data to explain what’s really going on
at your sites.
INTEGRATION
MySecuritas integrated near real-time data from our
officer tool, MyConnect. See operational updates and
statuses.
CONTROL
Command, add, remove, notify, message, request,
download, view in a UI-friendly home.
Get access and visibility to essential officer locations, statuses, data and coverage details in near real-time on your personalized dashboard.
Proposal from Securitas
Skilled and knowledgeable security experts
Talent recruitment
Strategic outreach, community partnerships, and a
strong employer brand built on purpose attract a
diverse talent pool.
Hiring and onboarding
Proactive, local and consistent hiring efforts help build qualified, service-minded teams aligned with our
standards.
Training & certification
Programs combine foundational security knowledge
with site-specific instruction, technology integration, and customer service excellence.
Career development
Clear career development pathways, a strong
leadership support network, and a culture that values
recognition supports an experienced security culture.
Across career stages and targeted programs, our investment in people helps create empowered and skilled teams of security experts.
Selection and Hiring of Personnel
The process begins with utilizing Oracle Recruiting Cloud (ORC)™ to hire and develop the best workforce in the industry. With ORC, Securitas can source and prescreen candidates, administer online assessments, and conduct background and drug screening before assignment. Moreover, the ORC application provides rich analytics and reporting capabilities that provide insight into critical talent acquisition.
The ORC tool is a web-based product that includes an on-line employment application and an applicant tracking tool to assist our HR staff in managing the hiring process. It is fully integrated with our third-party vendors for background checks, drug screening, and WOTC tax credit screening.
The implementation of ORC in Securitas’ local offices has a very positive impact on operations, including:
‒ Increased applicant flow.
‒ Reduced time to hire.
‒ Better utilization of district office staff.
‒ Improved screening and hiring tools.
‒ Better hiring statistics to focus on process improvements. ‒ Compliance with company policies/procedures and federal/state/local regulations.
ORC allows Securitas applicants to complete their applications on-line at any time Securitas recruiters can then evaluate fully screened and tested applicants prior to interviewing them. The resulting increase in the number of qualified applicants has allowed Securitas to be more selective in our hiring process.
Selection Process Overview
Our step-by-step process goes well beyond the industry norm to focus on selecting world-class employees. Moreover, our process identifies candidates who possess the traits we believe are critical to our organization; such as honesty, integrity, and a strong customer service orientation suited to the culture and operating environment of ^Client^.
Our security personnel must meet the following minimum hiring standards:
‒ At least age 18.
‒ A reliable means of communication.
‒ A reliable means of transportation.
‒ The legal right to work in the United States.
‒ The ability to effectively speak, read, and write English (each tested to do so). ‒ A high school diploma or GED.
‒ Willingness to participate in the company’s pre-employment screening process, including a background investigation and drug screen.
Our screening process provides us the reasonable assurance that our prospective security officers:
‒ Have a stable work history.
‒ Have well-developed interpersonal communications skills and professional composure to fit the client culture. ‒ Can withstand the scrutiny of a thorough interview and background investigation. ‒ Are drug free.
‒ Able to qualify for and obtain a state security officer license, where applicable.
Required security officer competencies include:
‒ Ability to provide high quality customer service.
‒ Ability to exercise good judgment and discretion in all business interactions with others.
‒ Ability to be an effective team member.
‒ Neatness in dress and grooming.
‒ Ability to deal courteously, tactfully, and effectively with others, both in person and on the telephone.
‒ Initiative, integrity, and high ethical standards.
‒ Ability to maintain professional composure when dealing with unusual circumstances.
Step 1: Job Application
This step provides information that will assist in:
‒ Pre-screening of applicants.
‒ In-depth interviews and background screening with emphasis on employment stability, work experience, and personal background. During this step, each candidate is required to complete the online application and an Evaluation of Report Writing Skills.
During the employment application process, the applicant is required to complete a pre-employment assessment to evaluate situational judgment traits. Candidates being considered for armed positions are subject to a second profile, the Securitas 16pf Protective Services Report (Securitas 16pf), which is designed to test for emotional adjustment, integrity/control, intellectual efficiency, and interpersonal relations and is widely used by military, law enforcement, and private security companies.
Step 2: Initial Interview
The first pre-employment interview is conducted to identify each applicant’s skills, work style, personality, career interests, and suitability for the position.
Step 3: Background Verification
Securitas utilizes an accredited background screening company to conduct pre-employment background verifications that meet or exceed state security officer licensing requirements.
Our required background verification includes the following:
‒ Military service - (DD 214) - nature of separation.
‒ County criminal records search for misdemeanors and felonies. Search all counties of residence and work history for 7 years.
‒ National Criminal and Records Locator (National Sex Offender Registry, Sanctions, OIG/GSA/OFAC). ‒ Credit check where permitted by state law (when required for legitimate business reasons by our clients). ‒ Social Security Number trace to include address history and alias report ‒ Department of Motor Vehicles driver’s license search for all driving positions. ‒ Employment verification (7-year work history).
‒ Personal reference checks.
‒ Education verification.
Step 4: Drug Screening
Securitas USA prohibits the use, possession, consumption, manufacture, sale, purchase, transfer, dispensation, distribution and/or transportation of alcohol, illegal drugs and/or controlled substances while on duty, on Company and/or client premises, or in Company or client vehicles.
Drug and alcohol testing may be conducted in the local Securitas office using an oral drug screening device or oral alcohol screening device where state laws permit. If the result is inconclusive, the donor will be directed to a lab-based collection facility to submit a urine specimen or a breath alcohol confirmatory test.
Where state law or client contract require lab-based testing, donors will be directed to a local collection facility to provide a 5- panel urine or hair follicle drug specimen and/or breath alcohol test.
Any employee or candidate who refuses to take an alcohol and/or drug test will be disqualified from the hiring process or separated from employment.
Our oral screening device is a six-panel screen that is designed to detect the presence of the most commonly used drugs:
‒ Marijuana (THC)
‒ Cocaine
‒ Opiates
‒ Methamphetamine
‒ Amphetamine
‒ Phencyclidine
It provides results in 15 minutes, with no chance of sample adulteration or cross - contamination. Should a confirmation test be required, Securitas utilizes Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) certified laboratories to perform gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC/MS) tests.
Securitas uses an accredited third-party agency to assist district offices through:
‒ Collection/test site identification, legal compliance, and management services. ‒ Data management, records retention, and education and training services. ‒ Quality control services and performance monitoring.
‒ After hours and post-injury/accident drug and alcohol testing services. ‒ An automated system to receive confidential test results quickly to help expedite the hiring process.
Securitas USA can utilize other drug testing panels to screen for specific types of drugs beyond our standard screen when required by our clients to the extent permitted by law. Securitas USA’s Drug-Free Workplace Program also conducts postinjury/accident and reasonable-cause drug and alcohol testing as a matter of company policy. In addition, we can conduct DOT-regulated and random drug screening in accordance with client requirements and statutory regulations.
Step 5: Assignment/Scheduling Meeting
Final administrative processing and documentation is accomplished during this step, as well as the fitting and issuance of uniforms and equipment. The contingent employee meets with the scheduler to discuss specific issues and performance expectations of ^Client^.
Step 6: Site Interview
Tentative assignment is made, and our client representative is notified. When requested by our clients, contingent employees are sent to the client site for a final review. We understand the importance that our clients desire us to place on the careful selection of security personnel.
Step 7: Security Officer Introduction/Examination
Contingent employees are required to complete an introduction session to review security-related video presentations. This program establishes a core base of security knowledge that enables our security officers to properly perform their duties from the first day at a client site.
An exam is given covering the following areas:
‒ Basic Security Officer Responsibilities
‒ Public Relations
‒ Communication and Reporting
‒ Safety Techniques of Patrol
‒ Emergency and Fire Prevention
‒ Basic First Aid; Safe Driving
‒ Client Relations
‒ Hazardous Material Communications
Step 8: E-Verify™ Work Confirmation
Securitas participates in E-Verify™. This program effectively allows Securitas to electronically compare information from an employee’s Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification to data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment eligibility.
Proposal from Securitas
Employee benefits
Medical, dental, vision and hearing plans
401k employer-match savings plan
Direct deposit pay cards
Paid vacations and holidays
SecureStart new employee training
Supervisor, manager and leadership training
Comprehensive tiered officer trainings
Life and accident insurance
Voluntary sick leave, long-term care, short-term
disability and supplemental life insurance
Free officer uniforms (no deposit required)
Development and recognition
Tuition reimbursement
Children of Securitas scholarship
Veterans service recognition
Veterans jobs mission (40k+ veterans hired)
Motivation and retention programs
Individual personal development (IDP) programs
Industry certification program
Years of service awards
Securitas Officer of the Year
Securitas Purpose Awards
Leading certification
and training programs
Leading training and
certification standards
Securitas excels in meeting the unique security,
safety and compliance standards of industries
with specialized needs. Industry-specific
certifications include:
— Manufacturing Security
— Auto Manufacturing Security
— Data Center Security
— Concierge Security
— Pharmaceutical Security
— Retail Security
— SOC Progressional
Comprehensive benefits,
development and recognition
Pacific Region – Silicon Valley Area
James Salter
District Manager
Silicon Valley
Adam Sunga
District Manager
Silicon Valley
Justin Martinez
District Manager
Silicon Valley/Monterey
Stuart Tomisaka
District Manager
Silicon Valley/San Mateo
Manny Timbad
District Manager
Silicon Valley
Nanette Jacoby
District Manager
Silicon Valley
Gina Coleman
Area Vice President
MarkTriska
Business Development
Manager
Jovilyn Lim
Area Operations
Controller
Field Service Managers
(Min. One Per DM)
Silicon Valley Branch
Saualofa ”Sally” Matua
Human Resource
Manager
Recruiting Office Admin
Account Managers
(Embedded)
Silicon Valley Area
Corey Wiltshire
Mobile District Manager
South Bay Area
18
Experience Resume
Gina Coleman
Area Vice President
Silicon Valley Area
Current Role
• Lead delivery of service to 59,000+ weekly hours in Silicon Valley market • Support Global/National Account portfolio
• Support 8 District Managers
• Implement and monitor ongoing compliance with all company-wide programs such as licensing, investigations, and office procedures • Lead analysis of operational and financial indicator for continuous improvement • Generate new business through partnership with Business Develop Manager Work Experience
Securitas USA, Area Vice President – Silicon Valley Area Securitas USA, District Manager – Silicon Valley
Allied Universal, General Manager – San Jose
Allied Universal, Director of Operations – San Jose
AlliedBarton, District Manager – San Jose
AlliedBarton, Account Manager – Amazon Lab126
Securitas USA, Account Manager – Abbot Vascular
Professional Affiliations and Certifications
ASIS, SF Bay Area Chapter
Emergency Response Instructor (expired)
Securitas Security Management Training, Levels 1-5
Education
Appalachian State University, Boone, NC – BS in Political Science
Experience Resume
Nanette Jacoby
District Manager, San Jose CA.
Securitas Security Services USA, Inc.
Representative Assignments
• District Manager Securitas Security Services, 2012-Present • Roving Account Manager, Allied Barton, 2005-2012
• Scheduling Manager, Securitas Security Services, 2000 -2005 • Security Officer, SOC Operator and Scheduling Manager, Pinkerton 1991-2000
Education/Training/License
• Heald Business College, degree 1992
Professional Affiliations
• Member, American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS) International
Proposal from Securitas
Big-picture security strategy needs an organized, tactical approach. The Securitas Service Roadmap is our proven framework that guides your accounts’ continued success:
Operational delivery
and transition expertise
Transition, days 0-30
Perform initial site risk assessments, regular facility visits, and assemble the security team with certified
and trained officers.
Implementation, days 30-60
Ensure smooth, daily on-site operations, adjust
program as needed based on initial feedback,
procedures and site leadership assessment testing.
Enhancement, days 60-180+
Assess service performance with on-site personnel,
analyze security goals and custom KPIs to determine
success evaluation and service plan refinement.
Development, days 180+
Ongoing account assessments, leadership annual
meetings, and mutually beneficial solutions
From day 0 to 180+, we deploy global best-practices and implement with local precision across your organization, striving for your perfect scorecard.
Uniforms
To be fully effective, a security officer should be highly visible. We have found that one of the most practical methods of accomplishing this is to make sure that every Security Officer on post is well uniformed with the Securitas emblem clearly in evidence. The Securitas logotype is a critical element to our uniforms, with three red dots representing our company’s core values and serving as an unmistakable identifier.
Securitas USA has a variety of core uniform styles available to offer ^Client^, allowing you to select the appropriate uniform for your site.
The manager of the Uniform or Human Resources department will issue the number of uniforms required by the contract and also tailor the uniform as needed. At any point in time that the staff needs replacement of uniform part(s), the employee can contact the manager of the Uniform or Human Resources department directly to coordinate the pick-up/delivery of the new uniforms. The Uniform or Human Resources department will supply uniforms during off hours to accommodate employees’ schedules.
Proposal from Securitas
We can’t wait to
get to know you
Building with care
and resilience
Sustainability is a strategic advantage that delivers
lasting value for our clients, our people, and the
planet. It’s a critical component of our business
strategy and one of the many ways we’re helping to
raise the bar across the industry.
1 — Develop our people
Securitas is dedicated to
helping its people succeed by
focusing on well-being,
creating high-performing
teams, and investing in
growth and development.
Our
sustainability
strategy:
2 — Decarbonize business
Securitas’ long-standing
commitment to reducing
environmental impact has
provided lasting benefits for
our clients, our people, and
the planet.
3 — Demonstrate integrity
Guided by integrity,
vigilance, and helpfulness,
Securitas is dedicated to
fostering a culture where
doing the right thing builds
lasting trust and creates
long-term value.
Proposal from Securitas
We can’t wait to
get to know you
This proposal highlights where Securitas can create value, but the specifics are shaped through collaboration. As we learn more about your operations, challenges, and objectives, we design a program that aligns our full capabilities to your unique needs.
From on-site security to mobile response, remote services, risk intelligence, fire safety, integrated technology and more — we offer a complete security solution.
Thank you for considering Securitas
Global
expertise
Local
structure
Integrated
security
Intelligence
leaders
Security
partners
Proposal from Securitas
Security Investment
Summary
The investment summary supports a structured security program that integrates personalized risk assessment, trained security officers, on-site execution, and continuous improvement of your site(s) safety.
POSITION BILL RATE PER HOUR OVERTIME/HOLIDAY
RATE
Monthly Estimated
Total
Security Officer (x3 Swing Shift; 128HPW) $37.17 $55.75 $20,616.96 Lead Security Officer (40hrs per week) $39.11 $58.66 $6,779.07 Marked Patrol Vehicle (x3 Toyota Corolla Hybrid) Fuel & Maintenance included $5,040.00 Estimated Monthly Cost $32,436.03
The overtime/holiday rate will apply to nine (9) holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Friday After Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.
What's included in bill rates?
Bill rates are inclusive of:
Employment, workforce
operations and benefits
Recruitment, background screening and
hiring costs.
Complete uniforms for each season,
including replacements as needed.
Employee wages, payroll taxes and
insurance.
In accordance with the Affordable Care Act,
the opportunity for all eligible employees to
enroll in a subsidized ACA compliant Bronze
medical plan.
Free life insurance and paid time off /
vacation typically 1 week after one year; 2
weeks after five years; 3 weeks after ten
years (in accordance with any local / state
laws that may apply).
Training, development and
recognition for officers
Introductory, pre-assignment and paid onsite training.
Advanced Certification Training 1, 2, and 3
with e-learning technology.
Learning Management System to track
completed courses and test scores.
Site-specific written test based on post
orders and client policies.
Excellence in Service performance
recognition program.
District award qualification for Officer of the
Month, Officer of the Quarter and Officer of
the Year.
Compliance and continuous
account development
Monthly service review and planning
meetings with local district manager.
Computer-based post orders, including client
emergency response procedures.
24-hour National Communications Center.
Department of Homeland Security SAFETY
Act Designation.
Investment Summary Disclaimer: The prices for security officer and related services as quoted above are valid for a period of 90 days from the date of this proposal.
Rossmoor - Walnut Creek, CA
HOA Case Study
Want more case details? Reach out to Tom Cashion, [email protected] − Reduced Safety Concerns
− To help reduce the fear for personal safety. Securitas provides Rossmoor with 24-hour service consisting of gate officers, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), Stairtrac officers, and patrol officers that staff the Rossmoor public safety office.
− 2022 Security Officers of the Year for Heroism
− Andres Osorio (Securitas EMT at Rossmoor HOA) and Ritesh Raj (Securitas Security Officer) did an excellent job realizing the severity of a situation at Rossmoor where a resident fell and was unconscious. Both kept the patient calm and rendered the necessary first aid to the patient while waiting for paramedics to arrive on scene. Both heroes show courage, professionalism, and self-sacrifice while helping protect the residents at Rossmoor HOA. − Technology Implemented
− The DwellingLive technology allows the On-site Guards to verify authorizing visitors and track guests who comes into the community. This also allows residents to have better control of their guest lists by selecting a feature which allows them to receive a text or an email informing them their guest has cleared the gate.
Client Quote - Tom Cushion
“I have been very impressed with how Securitas consistently helps me with issues that arise. They come from a position of, “yes.” I see this, “yes” from the requests to their officers, to their on-site manager, to their regional manager, and on and on. I have the pleasure of knowing all of them and they consistently exceed my expectations. This partnership demonstrates how valuable Securitas is and has been to our community. I highly recommend them over all others.” Case Reflection – Nathan Coyle, Area Vice President
“Securitas has been servicing Rossmoor just over 16 years! Securitas offers a wide variety of security protective services such as Access Control for the multiple gates and access points to the community. We also offer specialized services such as Emergency Medical Technicians and Stair Track Operations.
We’re basically 24 hours a day, 7 days per week to support the community.
The technology that Securitas and Rossmoor has partnered together to develop has really brought another level of enhancement!” Services Provided
Technology • On-site Guarding • Specialized Services • Mobile Guarding Challenges
The number one fear of residents living at Rossmoor is personal safety or being a victim of a crime. Securitas has been able to increase the security posture by adding an Access Control System, including license plate recognition at the front gate, and analytic cameras throughout the community to enhance our On-site guarding capability, performance, and the overall safety of the community.
Technology
Implemented
Key Results
Reduced Safety
Concerns
2022 Security
Officers of the
Year for Heroism
Government Client References
Company Name
Contact Name
Phone Number
Email Address
Details
Shasta County Support Services
Leticia Swanson
(530) 229 - 8244
[email protected]
800 Hours per Week, Client since 2015
Company Name
Contact Name
Phone Number
Email Address
Details
CalSTRS
Kristin Abrahamson
(916) 414 - 1099
[email protected]
1,500 Hours per Week, Client since 2010
Previous Client Reference
Company Name
Contact Name
Phone Number
Email Address
Details
Eagle Ridge HOA
Ray Ivivech, Board Member
(408) 469 - 1980
[email protected]
428 Hours per Week, Client from 2012 to 2026
See a Different World
At Securitas, we see evolving threats affecting your organization.
The urgency of your priorities. And how they all may change tomorrow.
With over 150 years of keeping people safe, we see the power of blending technology and human talent. That's why our Integrated Guarding solutions deliver an unmatched blend of On-site, Remote
and Mobile Guarding and/or Electronic Security expertise.
Business Type
THIS BUSINESS LICENSE DOES NOT PERMIT A BUSINESS THAT IS OTHERWISE PROHIBITED.
Business Name
Business Location
Business Owner(s)
License Number
Effective Date
Expiration Date
CITY OF LOS ALTOS
BUSINESS LICENSE
2480 N 1ST ST
SAN JOSE, CA 95131-1020
DENNIS CURRY
SECURITAS SECURITY SERVICES INC
9 CAMPUS DR # 1
PARSIPPANY, NJ 07054-4412
For all inquiries regarding this license, contact the Business License Dept. at (650) 947-2618.
SECURITAS SECURITY SERVICES INC
SECURITAS SECURITY SERVICES INC
January 01, 2026
December 31, 2026
5352
SECURITAS SECURITY SERVICES INC :
Thank you for your payment on your City of Los Altos Business License. ALL LICENSES MUST BE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION UPON REQUEST. If you have questions concerning your business license, contact the City of Los Altos via email at: [email protected] or by telephone at: (650) 947-2618.
Keep this portion for your certificate separate in case you need a replacement for any lost, stolen, or destroyed certificate. A fee may be charged for a replacement or duplicate certificate.
If you have a fixed place of business within the City of Los Altos please display the Business License above in a conspicuous place at the premises. Otherwise, every Business License holder not having a fixed place of business in the City shall keep the Business License upon his or her person, or affixed in plain view to any cart, vehicle, van or other movable structure or device at all times if required.
Starting January 1, 2021, Assembly Bill 1607 requires the prevention of gender-based discrimination of business establishments. A full notice is available in English or other languages by going to: https://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/.
CITY OF LOS ALTOS
BUSINESS LICENSE
CITY OF LOS ALTOS
BUSINESS LICENSING
DEPT.
1 NORTH SAN ANTONIO
RD.
Date of Issue: 01/01/2026
DENNIS CURRY License Number: 5352
SECURITAS SECURITY SERVICES INC
9 CAMPUS DR # 1
PARSIPPANY, NJ 07054-4412
TO BE POSTED IN A CONSPICUOUS PLACE
AND
NOT TRANSFERABLE OR ASSIGNABLE.
2026
BRETT ROSEN
Service
TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS August 20, 2026
Staff Report to the City Council
SUBJECT: RECEIVE AN INFORMATIONAL UPDATE ON THE COMPLETE
STREETS SAFETY ASSESSMENT REPORT AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK
ON THE REPORT’S FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
FROM: WooJae Kim, Public Works Director
APPROVED: Cody Einfalt, City Manager
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommend that the City Council receive an informational update on the Complete Streets Safety Assessment Report (Attachment 1) and provide feedback on the report's findings and recommendations.
BACKGROUND:
In February 2026, the Town applied for the Complete Streets Safety Assessment (CSSA) Program, a statewide program that provides local agencies with technical assistance to evaluate transportation safety. The program includes an analysis of crash history, a review of local policies and programs, and on-site field assessments to identify specific locations and highpriority safety improvements. Many local agencies use the resulting CSSA reports as technical documentation to support applications for competitive transportation safety grants.
The CSSA Program is administered by the University of California, Berkeley Safe Transportation Research and Education Center (SafeTREC) and funded through a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS).
The assessment identifies potential safety improvements consistent with the Safe System Approach, with an emphasis on improving safety and accessibility for people walking and bicycling.
The primary objectives of the CSSA for the Town are to:
Identify context-sensitive speed management strategies to address speeding and cutthrough traffic while considering community preferences regarding traffic calming measures.
Improve bicyclist safety along narrow, winding roadways and multi-jurisdictional corridors with known safety concerns.
Inform development of the Town's Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A)-funded Local Road Safety Plan.
ITEM 7B
Staff Report to City Council Page 2
Complete Streets Safety Assessment Report
August 20, 2026
The assessment was conducted in collaboration with Town staff and the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office to ensure a comprehensive evaluation of the Town's transportation safety needs.
DISCUSSION:
On May 4, 2026, the CSSA team met with Town staff and traffic patrol deputies from the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office to identify key roadways and corridors of concern. Streets were cross referenced against known streets that have speeding issues with the Town’s mobile speed sign project. The team also conducted field visits to the identified locations to inform the CSSA report and develop transportation safety findings and recommendations.
On July 22, 2026, staff received a draft CSSA report for review and comment. On August 4, staff provided the CSSA team with several clarification comments. On August 13, staff received an updated draft of the report (Attachment 1). The CSSA team has advised the Town that additional public comments may be submitted for consideration and potential incorporation into the final report.
The report identifies Townwide opportunities to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety and provides site-specific recommendations for selected roadways and locations. Staff will need to further evaluate the applicability, feasibility, and potential implementation of the recommendations based on the Town’s roadway conditions, priorities, and available resources.
The CSSA focused on eight locations throughout the Town (Page Mill Road, Taaffe Road, El Monte Road, Fremont Road, Altamont Road, Robleda Road, Purissima Road, and Elena Road) based on documented safety concerns and field observations. The report also includes broader policy and roadway recommendations applicable throughout the Town.
The recommendations contained in the CSSA Report are advisory only. They are intended to provide technical information, background, and comparative analysis to assist the Town establish future transportation safety priorities.
Summary of CSSA Report Findings
The CSSA describes the Town as largely residential, with very little cut-through traffic. The amount of windy, hilly, narrow roads provides a significant challenge for providing adequate riding space for cyclists and pedestrians.
The most recent OTS data (2023) places the Town of Los Altos Hills in a group which includes 74 California cities with populations between 2,501 and 10,000. Among these cities, Los Altos Hills ranked as follows (a rank of 1 indicates the highest crash rate and worst performance):
50th of 74 for people killed or injured in traffic crashes, 46th of 74 for speed-related crashes,
72nd of 74 for pedestrian-involved fatal and injury crashes, and 6th of 74 for bicyclist-involved fatal and injury crashes.
Staff Report to City Council Page 3
Complete Streets Safety Assessment Report
August 20, 2026
The CSSA places emphasis on creating traffic-calming measures that work to reduce vehicle speeds, adding street lighting and other visibility enhancers, and providing safer alternatives for pedestrians and cyclists across the Town.
General Town-Wide Traffic Safety Recommendations
White Edge Lines
Install white edge lines on rural, winding, and higher-speed roadways to better define the travel way.
Improve nighttime visibility and roadway delineation for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
Targeted Lighting
Establish minimum lighting standards with priority given to intersections and horizontal curves.
Balance community preferences for preserving dark skies with the need to improve nighttime safety.
Physical Traffic Calming
Consider physical traffic calming measures, such as bulb-outs and chicanes, which generally reduce vehicle speeds more effectively than signs or pavement markings alone.
Recognize that drivers familiar with residential streets often do not significantly reduce speeds in response to non-physical measures.
Speed Limit Consistency
Consider establishing a townwide maximum speed limit of 25 mph on all non-arterial roadways.
Non-arterial roads include all Town-maintained roads except:
o Page Mill Road
o West Fremont Road
o Arastradero Road
o Moody Road
o El Monte Road
Site-Specific Recommendations
Page Mill Road
Consider combining the existing 25 mph and 30 mph speed zones between Paseo del Roble and Altamont Road into one continuous 25 mph speed zone. Install white edge lines.
Install signage encouraging bicyclists to use the full travel lane.
Staff Report to City Council Page 4
Complete Streets Safety Assessment Report
August 20, 2026
Taaffe Road
Extend centerline striping through intersections to improve roadway delineation. Replace existing "Share the Road" signs with R9-20 "Bicycles May Use Full Lane" signs.
Install flexible centerline delineators to discourage vehicles from crossing the centerline and help reduce speeds.
El Monte Road (Foothill College Area)
Install white edge lines.
Consider horizontal traffic-calming features, such as chicanes or median islands. Provide separated bicycle facilities where feasible.
Fremont Road (Gardner Bullis Elementary School)
Reduce drop-off and pick-up congestion by coordinating with school staff to enforce the no-waiting policy within the circulation lanes.
Consider prohibiting left turns when exiting the school parking lot. Evaluate construction of a westbound left-turn pocket into the school entrance.
Altamont Road
Improve visibility approaching the curve near Eshner Court by installing advance curve warning signs and advisory speed plaques.
Install chevron alignment signs and object markers on trees adjacent to the curve.
Robleda Road
Install roadway narrowing features (chokers).
Extend centerline striping through intersections.
Consider bulb-outs at selected intersections to reduce vehicle speeds and improve pedestrian visibility.
Purissima Road
Install a yield line and streetlight at the Purissima Park crosswalk to improve pedestrian visibility.
Consider reducing the posted speed limit from Elena Road to Roble Ladera Road from 35 mph to 30 mph using the California MUTCD rounding provisions.
Elena Road
Restripe faded lane and intersection markings.
Extend centerline striping through the Vinedo Lane intersection. Install W1-1 curve warning signs with advisory speeds below 30 mph near Vinedo Lane.
Staff Report to City Council Page 5
Complete Streets Safety Assessment Report
August 20, 2026
Implementation Considerations
After reviewing the CSSA recommendations, staff identified several important considerations for the Town:
Balancing Traffic Calming with Emergency Access
Physical traffic-calming measures can effectively reduce vehicle speeds; however, they may also restrict roadway width and affect emergency vehicle access. Any proposed improvements should carefully balance traffic safety with emergency response needs.
Edge Striping
Many Town roads have missing or faded edge striping. Replacing or installing edge lines where appropriate may improve roadway delineation and nighttime visibility.
Potential Effects of Roadway Modifications
While physical roadway improvements can enhance safety, modifications to familiar roadway conditions may introduce unintended operational or safety concerns. Each recommendation shall be evaluated individually before any implementation.
Staff are seeking Council’s comments and feedback on the CSSA findings and recommendations for consideration and potential incorporation into the final report. Many of the issues identified in the CSSA will also be evaluated as part of the Los Altos Hills Transportation Safety Plan funded through the SS4A Program.
Staff have already started implementing the edge striping on Fremont Road as part of the FY26 Pavement Rehabilitation and Drainage Improvements Project. Staff will also consider additional edge striping and other pavement marking improvements to enhance traffic safety as part of the Town’s Annual Road Rehabilitation Program.
Council is invited to provide feedback on specific findings or recommendations that warrant further consideration, as well as any recommendations that may be less applicable to the Town or should not be prioritized as part of future transportation safety planning efforts.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
Pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15276 (Transportation Improvement and Congestion Management Programs), CEQA does not apply to the development or adoption of a Regional Transportation Improvement Program or the State Transportation Improvement Program. However, individual projects developed pursuing these programs remain subject to applicable CEQA requirements.
CITY COUNCIL WORKPLAN:
This work item was not specifically identified in the 2026-27 City Council Work Plan; however, it is part of a series of steps towards the Local Roads Safety Plan item under Public Works Department.
Staff Report to City Council Page 6
Complete Streets Safety Assessment Report
August 20, 2026
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with receiving the report or providing policy direction.
Future implementation of any recommended improvements would require separate Council authorization and funding.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Los Altos Hills Complete Streets Safety Assessment Report
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Los Altos Hills
Complete Streets Safety Assessment
Draft Report, July 2026
This report was produced in cooperation with the Town of Los Altos Hills staff. Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The opinions, findings, and conclusions are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the OTS, the University of California, and/or the agencies supporting or contributing to this report.
This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. The agency that is the subject of this report is hereby granted a non-exclusive right to copy and distribute this report for its own or its stakeholders’ non-commercial use. All other uses of this report require written permission from the University of California, Berkeley Safe Transportation Research and Education Center (SafeTREC).
ITEM 7B Attachment 1
Town of Los Altos Hills
Complete Streets Safety Assessment Draft Report
September 2026
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction............................................................................................................................6
2. The Safe System Approach...................................................................................................8
2.1 Influence on Roadway Design and Operation...............................................................9
2.2 Integrating the Safe System Approach into the CSSA................................................14
3. Safe Speed Limits................................................................................................................16
3.1 Limitations of the 85th Percentile Rule for Setting Speed Limits.................................16
3.2 Federal and State Guidelines on Safe Speeds for Local Governments......................19
4. Background and Crash History............................................................................................23
4.1 Overview of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety ...............................................................23
4.2 Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Data.............................................................................24
4.3 Speed-Related Crash Data .........................................................................................28
4.4 CSSA Areas of Focus .................................................................................................30
4.5 Street Story .................................................................................................................40
4.6 Opportunities to Expand Future Safety Analysis.........................................................41
5. Benchmarking Analysis Results and Recommendations ....................................................44 Background and General Current Safety Countermeasures...................................................45
5.1 Authentic and Holistic Commitment to Safety .............................................................45
5.2 Safe System-Aligned Policies and Budgeting .............................................................46
5.3 Design and Project Procedures...................................................................................47
5.4 Land Use/Transportation Integration...........................................................................47 Complete Streets Assessment Results and Recommendations.................................................48
6.1 Overview .....................................................................................................................48
6.2 General Townwide Suggestions..................................................................................48
6.3 Focus Areas ................................................................................................................50
6.4 Conclusion.........................................................................................................................75 Appendix: Safe System Resources ............................................................................................77
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Acknowledgments
The CSSA team thanks the agency staff and community members from the Town of Los Altos Hills who provided invaluable contributions to the benchmarking review and field audit to make the Complete Streets Safety Assessment in this community a success. Their knowledge and insight were instrumental to the completion of this project.
Disclosures
This report was developed with the best information available to the authors at that time.
This report summarizes crash data reported in the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) retrieved from the https://tims.berkeley.edu. The 2025 SWITRS data is provisional and is subject to change when it is finalized.
The benchmarking analysis aims to provide the Town of Los Altos Hills with insights on current best practices and how they compare with national standards. Every community has distinct physical, demographic, and institutional characteristics that may make certain goals or policies more suitable in some jurisdictions than others. Ultimately, local staff will need to determine where resources and efforts are best utilized to meet local development and infrastructure goals for people walking and biking.
The recommendations presented in this report are based on limited field observations and limited time spent in the Town of Los Altos Hills by the CSSA technical evaluators. These recommendations are based on general knowledge of best practices in pedestrian and bicycle design and safety and are intended to guide local staff in making decisions for future safety improvement projects. The recommendations might not incorporate all factors that may be relevant to the pedestrian and bicyclist safety issues.
As this report is conceptual in nature, conditions may exist in the focus areas that were not observed and may not be compatible with recommendations in this report. Before finalizing and implementing any physical changes, staff may need to conduct more detailed studies or further analysis to refine or discard the recommendations in this report if they are found to be contextually inappropriate or appear not to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety or accessibility due to conditions including, but not limited to, higher vehicular traffic volume, higher speeds, physical limitations on space or sight distance, new policies or guidelines, or other potential safety concerns.
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Executive Summary
The Town of Los Altos Hills requested that the Safe Transportation Research and Education Center at the University of California, Berkeley, conduct a Complete Streets Safety Assessment (CSSA) study. The objectives of the CSSA are to improve safety and access for people walking and biking and is structured around three key activities:
1. Reviewing historical crash data and trends with a focus on crashes involving people walking and biking;
2. Conducting a comprehensive benchmarking assessment of policies, programs, standards, and guidelines in alignment with the Safe System Approach; and
3. Conducting a complete streets field audit and/or a review of E&TS at selected locations with suggestions to enhance safety conditions for people walking and biking.
This report is organized into the following chapters:
1. Introduction
2. Safe System Approach: a discussion of the Safe System Approach framework is presented in Chapter 2.
3. Safe Speed Limits: an overview of current research, policies, and best practices for speed management are outlined in Chapter 3.
4. Background and Crash History: analyses of pedestrian and bicyclist crashes, speedrelated crashes, and self-reported Street Story concerns are presented in Chapter 4.
5. Benchmarking Analysis Results and Suggested Enhancements: based on a benchmarking interview conducted, suggestions for further alignment with the Safe System Approach are presented in Chapter 5.
6. Complete Streets Field Audit Results and Recommendations: the findings of the Complete Streets Safety Assessment are presented in Chapter 6.
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September 2026
1. Introduction
The Complete Streets Safety Assessment (CSSA) is a statewide program of the University of California, Berkeley Safe Transportation Research and Education Center (SafeTREC). Through this program, the CSSA project team conducts crash data analysis, a benchmarking review of local policies, programs and practices, and a transportation safety assessment of select sites to identify safety improvements that align with the Safe System Approach. The objective of the CSSA is to improve safety and accessibility for all people walking and biking in their communities.
The primary goals of the Los Altos Hills CSSA include identifying context-sensitive speed management strategies for rural roadways and arterials, improving safety for the active bicycling community along key corridors, and providing recommendations to support the Town's upcoming SS4A-funded town-wide traffic safety plan. This effort was conducted in collaboration with Town of Los Altos Hills staff and the local Police Department to ensure a thorough and comprehensive evaluation of local pedestrian and bicyclist needs and conditions. Specifically, the primary goals of the assessment were to:
1. Address speeding and cut-through traffic through identifying context-sensitive speed management strategies for rural roadways and arterials that respect community preferences surrounding speed humps;
2. Improve bicyclist safety for the active bicycling community, particularly along narrow, winding routes and multi-jurisdictional corridors with known conflict points; and,
3. Inform future planning, specifically regarding the Town's upcoming SS4A-funded town-wide traffic safety plan.
The study areas identified for this CSSA include the following:
1. Page Mill Road
2. Taaffe Road
3. El Monte Road
4. Fremont Road near Gardner Bullis School (school operations focus)
5. Altamont Road Near Moody Road
6. Robleda Road
7. Purissima Road (speed management focus)
8. Elena Road (speed management focus)
The CSSA project team facilitated a kickoff meeting with local staff on March 25, 2026 to better understand the community's needs. The CSSA technical evaluators conducted a site visit with local staff on May 4, 2026 to observe and document field conditions.
Following the field audit, the CSSA technical evaluators shared with the local agency staff their preliminary recommendations for site-specific improvements based on their
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observations and current best practices for designing transportation systems for people walking and biking.
This report provides an overview of the Safe System Approach and summarizes the findings of the crash data assessment, the benchmarking analysis, and the observations and recommendations from the field audit. Additionally, this report includes four appendices covering glossaries of pedestrian and bicyclist improvement countermeasures, a list of resources, and street connectivity.
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2. The Safe System Approach
Traffic crashes can irreversibly change the course of human lives, touching victims, their families and loved ones, and society overall. The costs of traffic crashes include substantial economic and societal impacts, such as medical costs, lost productivity, and reduced quality of life. Cities, counties, and tribes need to work to solve the complex problem of traffic safety in their communities to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries. The Complete Streets Safety Assessment (CSSA) program provides an opportunity to integrate the Safe System Approach (SSA) into programs, policies, and design decisions related to active transportation improvements to address the underlying road safety concerns in communities statewide.
Moreover, the goal of a Complete Street is to ensure the safe and adequate accommodation of all road users.
The Safe System Approach to road safety started internationally as part of the Vision Zero proclamation that no one should be killed or seriously injured on the road system.1, 2 It is
founded on the principle that people make mistakes and that the road system should be adapted to anticipate and accommodate human mistakes and the physiological and psychological limitations of humans.3 The Safe System Approach acknowledges the vulnerability of the human body — in terms of the amount of kinetic energy transfer a body can withstand — when designing and operating a transportation network to minimize serious consequences of crashes and ensures that if crashes occur, they do not result in death or serious injury.4
Countries that have adopted the Safe System Approach have had significant success reducing highway fatalities, with reductions in fatalities between 50% and 70%.5 The Safe System Approach is the foundation for the National Roadway Safety Strategy released by the United States Department of Transportation in 2022. Statewide, the California Office of Traffic Safety and California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) have both adopted the Safe System 1 Johansson, R. (2009). Vision Zero - Implementing a policy for traffic safety. Safety Science, 47, 826-831. 2 Tingvall, C., & Haworth, N. (1999). An Ethical Approach to Safety and Mobility. Paper presented at the 6th ITE International Conference Road Safety and Traffic Enforcement. 6-7 September 1999, Melbourne, Australia. 3 Belin, M.-Å., Tillgren, P., & Vedung, E. (2012). Vision Zero - a road safety policy innovation. International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion, 19, 171-179.
4 World Health Organization (2011). Retrieved on: June 3, 2024 Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 (PDF). 5 World Resources Institute (2018). Sustainable and Safe: A Vision and Guidance for Zero Road Deaths. Retrieved on June 3, 2024 https://www.wri.org/publication/sustainable-and-safe-vision-and-guidance-zero-road-deaths 6 World Health Organization (2011). Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020. Retrieved on: June 3, 2024 Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 (PDF).
7 World Health Organization (2011). Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020. Retrieved on: June 3, 2024 Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 (PDF).
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Approach and a Vision Zero goal for road safety planning. The principles and elements of the Safe System Approach can be seen in Figure 2.1.
Figure 2.1 U.S. Department of Transportation Safe System Approach Graphic Preliminary Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) crash data for 2023 indicates that traffic crashes caused nearly 4,000 preventable deaths and over 200,000 injuries in California. People walking, biking, and rolling are especially vulnerable to death or serious injuries when a crash occurs. Through collective action on the part of all roadway system stakeholders — from traffic engineers, planners, public health professionals, and vehicle manufacturers to law enforcement and everyday users — we can move to a Safe System that anticipates human mistakes to eliminate fatal and serious injuries for all road users.
2.1 Influence on Roadway Design and Operation
Kinetic energy has long been identified as the cause of injury, such that if a crash occurs, the peak forces at the point of contact determine the degree of injury.6 7 8 Managing the forces of 6 Haddon, W. (1980). Advances in the epidemiology of injuries as a basis for public policy. Public Health Reports, 95(5), 411–421.
7 De Haven, H. (1942). Mechanical analysis of survival in falls from heights of fifty to one hundred and fifty feet.
Reproduced in Injury Prevention, 6(1), 62–68 (2000).
8 Gangloff, A., 2013. Safety in accidents: Hugh DeHaven and the development of crash injury studies. Technol. Cult. 54 (1), 40–61.
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kinetic energy to a level that the human body can tolerate is critical to the Safe System Approach.9In the transportation system, kinetic energy risk is assessed based on three factors:
1. Exposure: the presence (or potential presence) of two or more users or a user and a fixed object
2. Likelihood: the chance that a conflict occurs between those users/objects based on roadway design, intersection control, or other contextual conditions
3. Severity: the intensity of the energy should the conflict occur (driven by speed, mass, and angle), which is not mitigated by other factors (such as in-vehicle occupant protection)
Systemic assessments of roadway networks can identify and proactively address areas where risk factors are elevated, meaning the consequence of a mistake in this area could be severe.
The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and the Road to Zero Coalition articulate that to anticipate human mistakes, best practices for a Safe System seek to:
● Separate users in a physical space (e.g., sidewalks, dedicated bicycle facilities); ● Separate users in time (e.g., pedestrian scrambles, dedicated turn phases); ● Alert users to potential hazards; and
● Accommodate human injury tolerance through interventions that reduce speed or impact force.
Recent guidance from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) characterizes engineering and infrastructure countermeasures and strategies along a hierarchy to help transportation practitioners prioritize efforts that will facilitate increased application of the Safe System Approach principles as seen in Figure 2.2. Specifically, the Safe System Roadway Design Hierarchy breaks down efforts into four tiers and seeks to: (1) eliminate severe conflicts through physical separation; (2) reduce vehicle speed; (3) manage conflicts in time; and (4) increase attentiveness and awareness.10 The FHWA further clarifies that a combination of strategies from multiple tiers would be the most effective, reinforcing the Safe System principle that redundancy is crucial.
9 Tools like the Safe System Project-Based Alignment Framework developed by the Federal Highway Administration provide practitioners to assess and compare roadway locations and potential improvements through a SSA lens. 10 Hopwood, C., Little, K., and D. Gaines. (2024). Safe System Roadway Design Hierarchy: Engineering and Infrastructure-related Countermeasures to Effectively Reduce Roadway Fatalities and Serious Injuries (FHWA-SA-22- 069). US Department of Transportation, Washington, D.C.
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Figure 2.2 Federal Highway Administration Safe System Roadway Design Hierarchy Graphic Nearly one in three – 31.7% of the 4,428 – traffic fatalities in California in 2022 was associated with excessive speed or traveling at speeds deemed unsafe for the driving conditions.11 In 2021, California passed AB43 and authorized local governments to reduce speed limits on many roads, including on roads that attract pedestrian and bicyclist traffic and on roads identified as “safety corridors” without following the “85th percentile rule” which sometimes results in unintended consequences of transportation agencies bring required to repeatedly raise speed limits. This new speed limit setting aligns more closely with the Safe System Approach and allows local jurisdictions to target speed limits based on user context. Moreover, Caltrans issued Design Information Bulletin (DIB) 94 in 2024 related to “complete streets” which provides local agencies with more flexibility to design context-sensitive facilities to better serve the needs of all travelers. It also includes guidance for selecting treatment tools based on speed and volume context.
For vulnerable users, such as people walking, biking, or otherwise not in a vehicle, speed is a determining factor in survivability. Figure 2.3 depicts how a person’s chance of surviving being struck by a vehicle increases from 8% at 60 miles per hour (mph) to 46% at 40 mph to 92% at 20 mph. As drivers increase the speed of the vehicle, their peripheral vision narrows. This results in decreased depth perception and a reduced ability to notice others on the road, such as people walking and biking. Reducing speed in the presence of vulnerable users is a key Safe System strategy. Approaches include:
● Physical roadway designs (width, horizontal alignment) to limit speeds; ● Traffic calming treatments that induce slower speeds; ● Traffic signal timing that minimizes high-speed flow; 11 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (2023). Traffic Safety Facts: California 2018-2022.
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● Traditional or automated enforcement12 that discourages speeding; and ● Reducing speed limits and displaying clear speed limit signage for drivers to comply.
Figure 2.3 Increasing driver vehicle speed reduces vulnerable road user crash survivability Many traffic safety efforts continue to lean on individuals to “do the right thing” to stay safe rather than apply lessons learned from the public health sector to invest in system-wide safety interventions. Ederer (2023) proposed the Safe Systems Pyramid13, which acknowledges kinetic energy as the root cause of injury and introduces a public health-based intervention framework to address this cause with strategies that require the least individual effort and have the broadest population impact. For example, interventions that require more individual effort (e.g., driver education programs, educational campaigns) have the least impact on improving systemwide safety, and those that change the context of transportation have the largest impacts on safety (e.g., affordable housing near transit, zoning reform). This framework provides guidance when transportation decision-makers cannot do it all, giving priority towards projects and interventions that will most impact safety outcomes.14
12 Assembly Bill (AB) 645 was signed into law in October 2023 authorizing six California cities (Glendale, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose) to pilot automated speed cameras for five years. 13 Ederer, D., Thompson Panik, R., Botchwey, N., & Watkins, K. (2023). Adaptation of the Health Impact Pyramid into the Safe System Pyramid. Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives. Vol. 21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trip.2023.100905.
14 Mitman, M. et al, (2024). Why and How to Focus on Kinetic Energy Risk, ITE Journal: The Journey to Safer Communities. 39-45. https://ite.ygsclicbook.com/pubs/itejournal/2024/march-2024/live/index.html#p=38
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Figure 2.4 The Safe Systems Pyramid adapts public health principles, like the Health Impact Pyramid and Hierarchy of Controls, to more fully address roadway safety needs.
Strategies at the base of this pyramid focus on reducing and limiting exposure upstream that affect where, when, and how people enter the transportation system and become exposed to risk. This includes Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) mitigation, in terms of both the duration of travel as well as the location and mode. Middle-of-the-pyramid strategies look for opportunities, on top of exposure mitigation, to limit conflicts through the separation of users in space and time, and limit severity through speed management and reduced angles of crashes. Less preferred strategies in this framework focus on educational interventions that are conditional on individual behavior change. In alignment with the SSA, education can be effective when they are combined with efforts from other tiers in the pyramid to strengthen redundancies.
Conventional safety practice is primarily reactive, largely based on data provided to engineers and planners in crash reports. However, the primary purpose of crash reports is to document the moment of the crash and the time immediately preceding it to determine “fault” across the involved parties, such as needed for insurance claims. As such, it shifts the responsibility for the crash to an individual, rather than assessing opportunities to intervene at the system level. The Safe Systems Pyramid recommends focusing on root causes of the crash by considering the W’s of safety:
● Who was involved; what is their personal story?
● Where were they traveling from and to; why were they on this road? ● Why were they traveling on that day, at that time?
● Why did they use their selected travel mode?
● Why was the road they were traveling on designed the way it is? Creating a Safe System means shifting a major share of the responsibility from individual road users to those who design the road transport system. “Individual road users have the
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responsibility to abide by laws and regulations” and do so by exhibiting due care and proper behavior in the transportation system. While road users are responsible for their own behavior, a safe system requires a shared responsibility with those who design, operate, and maintain the transportation network: including the automotive industry, law enforcement, elected officials, and government bodies.15 In a Safe System, roadway system designers and operators take on the highest level of ethical responsibility to look at crashes holistically and systemically, and recognize that crashes are not only caused by a driver’s error.
2.2 Integrating the Safe System Approach into the CSSA
The Safe System Approach involves anticipating human mistakes by designing and managing road infrastructure to keep the risk of mistakes low, and if a mistake does lead to a crash, reducing the impact to the human body, so it does not lead to a fatality or serious injury. The first step in incorporating the Safe System Approach into the CSSA is a benchmarking analysis. The benchmarking analysis, based on the Safe System elements, evaluates a local agency’s programs and policies and how their existing efforts incorporate best practices related to access and comfort for people walking and biking compared to national best practices. The aim is to fully institutionalize the Safe System Approach in the local agency’s program, practices, and policies, rather than on a case-by-case basis, and by identifying and removing barriers to its adoption.
The CSSA project team will identify focus areas (i.e., intersections and corridors) to conduct a comprehensive walk audit based on crash history and through qualitative discussions with the applicant to understand local safety concerns on roads. During the field assessment, the CSSA project team will integrate the Safe System elements into a discussion with participants to prompt safety improvements at the study locations, considering the “Ws” of safety noted above.
The CSSA field assessment focuses primarily on infrastructure-related countermeasures, with an emphasis on improving the safety of people walking and biking. Specifically, the CSSA seeks to reduce speeds to a target speed for the road context, separate road users in space and time for that context and change road geometry to manipulate crash angles as proactive strategies to address kinetic energy risk for fatal and serious injuries.
This CSSA report compiles a set of considerations for the local agency to both institutionalize a Safe System Approach into programs, practices, and policies, and to directly apply the SSA lens through field assessments and countermeasure selection.
During the field assessment, the CSSA project team integrated the Safe System elements into a discussion with participants to prompt safety improvements at the study locations. To develop 15 World Health Organization (2011). Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020. Retrieved on: June 3, 2024 Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 (PDF).
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comprehensive recommendations to reach the goal of zero traffic deaths and serious injuries, the CSSA project team also reviewed local agency staff’s responses to the benchmarking survey, especially those related to local plans and policies that are already in place or underway.
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3. Safe Speed Limits
Speed is a primary cause of traffic fatalities and serious injuries throughout the state and in local jurisdictions. In California, there were an average of 16,962 fatal and serious injury crashes per year from 2015 to 2024; about 31% of these crashes were related to speeding.16 Higher speeds increase the risk of death or serious injury in the event of a crash because more kinetic energy is transferred to another person, vehicle, or object17 this kinetic energy transfer is the root cause of injury severity. Higher speeds also increase the likelihood of a crash by narrowing a driver’s field of vision and require greater distances for drivers to react and come to a complete stop. A proven Federal Highway Administration countermeasure, The Safe Speed Limits Assessment, incorporates the Safe System Approach concept of redundancy, promoting a lower likelihood of a crash and reduced system kinetic energy to account for human injury tolerance in the event of a crash.18
3.1 Limitations of the 85th Percentile Rule for Setting Speed Limits
Developed in the 1930s, the 85th percentile rule is a widely accepted practice for speed limit setting in the United States. It assumes drivers can collectively determine safe traveling speeds, and results in road design professionals setting the speed limit based on the speed that 85% of drivers do not exceed. Proponents have argued that the 85th percentile rule reduces speed variability, allowing law enforcement to target the most extreme speeding cases.
An underlying assumption of the 85th percentile rule is that drivers can and should set safe speed limits. However, research has shown that drivers can underestimate their speed by up to 30% at 30 mph,19 and underestimate speed even more in adverse weather conditions.20 The safety risks of speed are more severe for pedestrians and bicyclists, as those outside of a vehicle are at a greater risk for serious injury or death, given the relationship between speed and injury severity.21 Other 85th percentile rule limitations include drivers’ belief that speed does 16 Data from the Statewide SWITRS Summary, Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS), https://tims.berkeley.edu/summary.php.
17 U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. Proven Safety Countermeasures, Appropriate Speed Limits for All Road Users. Retrieved from https://highways.dot.gov/sites/fhwa.dot.gov/files/2022- 06/FHWA_SafeSystem_Brochure_V9_508_200717.pdf.
18 U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. The Safe System Approach. Retrieved from https://highways.dot.gov/sites/fhwa.dot.gov/files/2022-06/FHWA_SafeSystem_Brochure_V9_508_200717.pdf. 19 Berkeley Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies, UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies. Research Synthesis for the California Zero Traffic Fatalities Task Force. Retrieved from https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5hg5m6sm.
20 Snowden R. et. al. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/33049. 21 National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Special Investigation Report. Retrieved from https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-studies/Documents/SIR1803.pdf.
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not threaten safety22 and the ways in which local streets can experience speed creep in specific situations,23 including from neighboring highways.24
Speed and Safety
The relationship between vehicle speed and safety is fundamental, both with respect to the impact of speed on the physics of kinetic energy in a crash, and the impact on human behavior while driving. Higher speeds increase the severity of damage caused in the case of a crash. The consequences are particularly hazardous for vulnerable road users such as bicyclists and pedestrians, who lack the protection a motor vehicle provides. 25 Figure 3-1: Paths by Which Speed Limits Can Affect Safety Outcomes From a behavioral perspective, increased speeds impose greater cognitive demands on drivers.
As vehicle speeds rise, the amount of information that must be processed becomes overwhelming, contributing to driver stress and fatigue. Furthermore, higher speeds reduce the visual field available to drivers, leaving less time and distance to react to potential hazards, while also increasing reaction times and stopping distances. In contrast, slower speed limits can mitigate these challenges by reducing the required reaction time and braking distance necessary for safe interactions with vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and bicyclists.
According to research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), even minor reductions in speed limit have a significant impact on improving safety outcomes, 22 Snowden R. et. al. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/33049. 23 Institute of Transportation Studies. Research Synthesis for the California Zero Traffic Fatalities Task Force.
Retrieved from https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5hg5m6sm. 24 Casey S. et. al. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0022437592900163. 25 California Safe Speeds Toolkit: Research on Speeds, Speed Limits and Safety, https://safetrec.berkeley.edu/tools/california-safe-speeds-toolkit/california-safe-speeds-toolkit-research-speedsspeed-limits-and.
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highlighting the importance of moderate speed limits in maintaining driver vigilance and reducing crash risk.
26 ,
28 Figure 3-2: Risk of Pedestrian Death in Relation to Impact Speed Other research has shown that:
• Reducing the speed limit by 5 miles per hour (mph) typically results in a decrease in mean speed of 1 to 2 mph, or 3 mph with stronger enforcement (equivalent to 60% of the speed limit change), and that lowering speed limits can lower the speeds of the fastest drivers.27, 28, 29
26 National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Special Investigation Report. Retrieved from https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-studies/Documents/SIR1803.pdf. 27 Grembek et al. Research Synthesis for the California Zero Traffic Fatalities Task Force. Retrieved from https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5hg5m6sm.
28 Silviano et al. Impact of Speed Limits and Road Characteristics on Free-Flow Speed in Urban Areas. Retrieved from https://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/%28ASCE%29TE.1943-5436.0000800. 29 Islam et al. The impact of lowered residential speed limits on vehicle speed behavior. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0925753513002312.
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• Every 1-mph reduction in average speed can lead to a decrease of 2-7% in crash frequency,30 and a 1-mph reduction in speed at 20 mph can lead to a decrease of approximately 12% in crash frequency.31
• The risk of pedestrian fatality increases rapidly at speeds faster than 20 mph. At an impact speed of 30 mph, the risk of serious injury is almost 50% and the risk of fatality is approximately 20%. In addition, the risk of serious injury or death is higher for older pedestrians and for those hit by light trucks as opposed to cars.32 • While lowering speed limits reduces serious injuries and fatalities, raising speed limits leads to large increases in serious injuries and fatalities.33, 34 • A 5-mph decrease in vehicle speeds in the case of a crash is associated with 56- 88% fewer serious pedestrian injuries and 80-96% fewer pedestrian fatalities.35 • Reducing the posted speed limit from 35 mph to 30 mph can reduce injuries to bicyclists by 17-32% and fatalities by 21-45%.36
3.2 Federal and State Guidelines on Safe Speeds for Local Governments
The U.S. Department of Transportation has adopted the Safe System Approach and the Safe Speeds Approach to address traffic fatalities and serious injuries nationwide. Local jurisdictions in California have been constrained by state law and policy guidelines that require the use of the 85th percentile speed as the first step in setting speed limits in many instances. While the 85th percentile speed continues to be a starting point for speed limit setting in California, recent state 30 Taylor et al. The effects of drivers’ speed on the frequency of road accidents. Retrieved from https://20splentyforus.nationbuilder.com/UsefulReports/TRLREports/trl421SpeedAccidents.pdf. 31 Elvik et al. Speed and road accidents: an evaluation of the power model. Retrieved from https://trid.trb.org/view/1157548.
32 Tefft et al. Impact speed and a pedestrian's risk of severe injury or death. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S000145751200276X?via%3Dihub. 33 Vadeby et al. Traffic safety effects of new speed limits in Sweden. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0001457517300532. 34 Brubacher et al. Road Safety Impact of Increased Rural Highway Speed Limits in British Columbia, Canada.
Retrieved from https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/10/3555. 35 Hussain et al. The relationship between impact speed and the probability of pedestrian fatality during a vehiclepedestrian crash: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0001457519301058. 36 Grembek et al. Research Synthesis for the California Zero Traffic Fatalities Task Force. Retrieved from https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5hg5m6sm.
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legislation expands upon the existing methodology in speed limit setting by giving local jurisdictions more factors to consider in addition to the 85th percentile when setting speed limits.
Federal Policy Direction
In 2022, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Roadway Safety Strategy adopted the Safe System Approach as a guiding paradigm to address traffic fatalities and serious injuries nationwide. One of the action areas led by the FHWA is to “promote safer speeds for all users through context-appropriate speed limits, road designs, and other practices.”37 The California Manual on Uniform Traffic Devices (CA MUTCD) currently recommends using the 85th percentile rule to set speed limits, a method that has been criticized for its limitations. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found that relying solely on this approach in highspeed zones can lead to “higher operating speeds and new, higher 85th percentiles in the speed zones, and an increase in operating speeds outside the speed zones.”38 39 40 In response, the NTSB recommended incorporating the Safe System approach for urban roads to strengthen protection for all road users.41
The 11th Edition of the Federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Devices (MUTCD) issued in December 2023 emphasized consideration of roadway context when setting speed limits. This edition recognizes that traditional methods of relying only on the 85th percentile of speed may not be effective, especially in urban settings, and instead advocates for a more nuanced approach that considers urban design, traffic volume, and user behavior. The 2023 Federal MUTCD also downgrades many guidelines related to speed limit setting from "should" statements to "support" statements, allowing for greater local flexibility in setting speed limits.
However, the Federal MUTCD does not have authority over California state law requirements for setting speed limits. Instead, the state is granted two years to adopt or amend its existing regulations to align with the federal version. California has not yet adopted existing regulations to align with federal regulations.
Caltrans Director’s Policy and the 2020-24 Strategic Highway Safety Plan In 2022, Caltrans issued Director’s Policy 36, adopting the Safe System Approach as its framework for achieving zero fatalities and serious injuries on California roads by 2050. This 37 National Roadway Safety Strategy. United States Department of Transportation. Retrieved from https://www.transportation.gov/NRSS.
38 Grembek et al. Research Synthesis for the California Zero Traffic Fatalities Task Force. Retrieved from https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5hg5m6sm
39 California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. State of California. Retrieved from https://dot.ca.gov/- /media/dot-media/programs/safety-programs/documents/ca-mutcd/rev7/1-13-camutcd2014-intro-rev7.pdf. 40 Reducing Speeding-Related Crashes Involving Passenger Vehicles. National Transportation Safety Board.
Retrieved from https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-studies/documents/ss1701.pdf. 41 Reducing Speeding-Related Crashes Involving Passenger Vehicles. National Transportation Safety Board.
Retrieved from https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-studies/documents/ss1701.pdf.
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policy directs all divisions to align their practices with this approach, which prioritizes road user safety.42
Caltrans' 2020-24 Strategic Highway Safety Plan further solidifies the Safe System Approach in addressing key challenge areas, including speed management and active transportation safety.
The plan calls for a new context-sensitive approach to setting speed limits that prioritizes the safety of all road users. Specifically, it aims to establish speed limits that take into account various factors, such as roadway design and traffic volume. This shift towards a more holistic approach to speed limit setting reflects Caltrans' commitment to improving road safety in California. By adopting a context-sensitive approach, the agency hopes to reduce crashes and injuries on the state’s roads.43
Zero Traffic Fatalities Task Force
In 2019, California established the Zero Traffic Fatalities Task Force (ZTFTF) to develop policy recommendations for eliminating traffic fatalities statewide. The task force reviewed California's current speed limit setting procedures, which relied on the 85th percentile rule, and recommended increasing local jurisdiction flexibility in setting speed limits.44 One of the ZTFTF's long-term goals is to develop a new approach that sets speed limits based on roadway context, prioritizing the safety of all road users. In the meantime, the report suggested various changes to speed limit settings, such as allowing greater deviations from the 85th percentile speed rule. Some of these recommendations have been incorporated into recent legislation and are currently being implemented. These efforts aim to provide local jurisdictions with more flexibility in setting speed limits on roads within their control, while prioritizing safety and multimodal transportation. The updated California Manual on Uniform Traffic Devices is expected to reflect these changes, marking a shift toward a more context-sensitive approach to speed limit setting.
Local Speed Limit Setting in California & Recent Legislation Local jurisdictions in California face constraints when setting speed limits due to state laws and regulations, including from the California Vehicle Code, Manual on Uniform Traffic Devices, and guidance from the California Manual for Setting Speed Limits. The requirements include context-specific prima facie speed, engineering and traffic study (E&TS) procedures, allowable deviations from the 85th percentile speed limit rule, signage requirements, and radar enforceability. However, there are exceptions:
42 Caltrans Director’s Policy Commits to Safe System Approach to Eliminate Deaths and Serious Injuries on California Roadways. Caltrans. Retrieved from https://dot.ca.gov/news-releases/news-release-2022-009. 43 Strategic Highway Safety Plan. Caltrans. Retrieved from https://dot.ca.gov/programs/safety-programs/shsp. 44 Zero Traffic Fatalities Task Force. California State Transportation Agency. Retrieved from https://calsta.ca.gov/subject-areas/enforcement-and-safety/zero-traffic-fatalities.
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• Local roads do not require an E&TS to designate a speed limit and are assigned speed limits deemed appropriate by local transportation engineers. • Some corridors qualify for prima facie speed limits, meaning these default speed limits are automatically allowed in certain areas unless a posted speed limit sign indicates otherwise. These would apply even in the absence of physical signage (e.g., alleys, school zones, senior zones).
Comprehensive lower speed limits on locally controlled roads are limited outside of local road and prima facie zones. High-volume arterial or collector roads in urban areas still require speed limits that build on the 85th percentile speed through an E&TS when no prima facie speed is designated.
State legislation (AB 43, AB 1938, and AB 321) has given local jurisdictions more flexibility in setting speed limits. These policies aim to support local jurisdictions in balancing safety concerns with driving speeds that prioritize vulnerable road users through the following:
• Creation of new prima facie zone legislation for business activity districts and certain school zones.
• The ability to further lower speed limits relative to 85th percentile speeds measured during the E&TS process.
• Retention of current or restored speed limits, especially if increased within the past ten years.
Additional information on speeds, speed limits, and safety, and information about federal and state speed-related legislation, is available through SafeTREC’s California Safe Speeds Toolkit.
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4. Background and Crash History
The Town of Los Altos Hills is located in Santa Clara County with a population of approximately 8,489. Of its residents, the majority, with 49%, identified as White and about 4% identified as Hispanic or Latino. The median age in 2024 in Los Altos Hills was 53, with approximately 20% of residents under the age of 18, 49% in the working-age group (ages 18-64), and 31% aged 65 and older. The median household income in Los Altos Hills in 2022 was over $250,000, far higher than the statewide median household income of $91,905. Los Altos Hills has a poverty rate of 7%, which is lower than the state average of 11%. 45,46
This chapter summarizes recent crash history and uses it as one input to identify pedestrian and bicycle safety needs. The analysis should not rely solely on locations where crashes have already occurred. Crash history is most useful when considered along with information such as vehicle speeds, roadway context, crossing exposure, land use, transit access, school access, bicycle and pedestrian network gaps, and community-reported concerns. Collectively, this information can be used to identify proactive ways to reduce the risk of fatal and serious injury collisions by reducing exposure (e.g., reducing vehicle trips, shortening crossing distances), severity (e.g., changes that slow vehicle speeds), and likelihood (e.g., geometric or operational changes that eliminate severe conflict points – roundabouts, protected left-turn phasing at signals). This framework reinforces that Safe System strategies are most effective when layered together. Reducing vehicle exposure, managing speeds, and separating conflicts in space and time can help lower the likelihood and severity of crashes while making downstream interventions more effective and cost-efficient (see Appendix).
The absence of reported crashes at a location does not mean a location is “safe”. Some locations may have no reported crashes or few reported crashes because people avoid walking or bicycling there, crashes are underreported, or the available crash records do not fully capture near misses and perceived safety concerns. For this reason, the crash history presented in this chapter is presented to inform, but not limit, safety priorities.
4.1 Overview of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety
The goals of the Complete Streets Safety Assessments are to make walking and biking safer, more accessible, and equitable for all residents and visitors in the Town of Los Altos Hills. This section summarizes reported pedestrian and bicycle crashes, identifies general crash patterns, and describes the limitations of relying only on reported crash data. It also introduces a proactive safety approach that considers both documented crash history and locations where roadway conditions may increase the likelihood or severity of future crashes. 45 QuickFacts. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/ 46 Profiles. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved from https://data.census.gov/profile.
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Low crash numbers may not fully reflect actual traffic safety conditions. Crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists are often underreported, particularly when injuries are minor, property damage is limited, or only one person is involved. In addition, locations with uncomfortable or incomplete walking and bicycling facilities may have few crashes because people choose not to walk or bike there. A proactive approach recognizes these data gaps and considers where severe crashes are most likely to occur if no action is taken.
Moving beyond reacting to crash locations and emphasizing systemic crash risk reduction is a more sustainable way to achieve consistent improved traffic safety outcomes. This means identifying roadway and contextual conditions that are known to increase crash likelihood or severity, such as higher vehicle speeds, long pedestrian crossings, uncontrolled crossings, limited visibility, incomplete sidewalk networks, bicycle network gaps, complex turning movements, and locations with concentrations of vehicles mixing or crossing paths with vulnerable road users. This approach helps agencies prioritize safety improvements before fatal or serious injury crashes occur.
Office of Traffic Safety Ranking for Pedestrian and Bicycle Crashes California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) crash rankings can provide useful context for understanding how a community compares with similarly sized cities. However, rankings should not be used as the sole basis for prioritizing safety improvements. The rankings are based on the Empirical Bayesian (EB) Ranking Method that gives weights to many different factors, such as population, vehicle miles traveled, and crash counts. OTS rankings are useful as a screening tool, but they may not fully capture local safety concerns, near misses, underreported crashes, or locations where walking and bicycling demand is affected by uncomfortable conditions.
The most current OTS statistics (2023) placed the Town of Los Altos Hills in Group F, comparing it with the 73 other cities in California with a similar population (between 2,501 and 10,000). Per OTS rankings, in 2023, the Town of Los Altos Hills was ranked 50 out of 74 cities of similar population size for people killed or injured in a traffic crash (with a ranking of “one” indicating the worst), and 46 out of 74 cities for speed-related crashes. For pedestrians and bicyclists killed or injured in a crash, the Town of Los Altos Hills ranked 72 and six, respectively.
4.2 Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Data
Crash data is useful for understanding reported safety outcomes, identifying patterns, and supporting state and federal funding applications. The Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), maintained by the California Highway Patrol, is California’s official traffic records database for reported crashes that resulted in injury or death. The Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS), developed by SafeTREC, provides access to geocoded SWITRS data that can be used to map and analyze reported crashes. The current 2024 and 2025 SWITRS data is provisional and is subject to change when it is finalized.
The crash analysis in this chapter summarizes reported pedestrian and bicycle crashes over a recent five-year period. A five-year period is generally useful for identifying recurring patterns while reducing the effect of year-to-year variation. Reported crashes represent only one
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measure of safety performance and should be paired with proactive safety analysis, field observations, and community input. The analysis presented in this section excludes crashes that occurred on or along state-owned roads.47
From 2021 to 2025 there were 41 bicycle crashes and one pedestrian crash in the Town of Los Altos Hills. Figure 3.1 shows the locations of the pedestrian crash and bicycle crashes by severity.
47 Crashes on state-owned roads (freeways, interstates, and state routes) are excluded as jurisdiction and design authority over these roadways’ rests with Caltrans and not the local agency. Data is filtered by the State Highway Indicator (STATE_HWY_IND) field in SWITRS.
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Figure 3.1 Map of Pedestrian and Bicycle Crashes in the Town of Los Altos Hills (2021-2025) Pedestrian Crashes
The singular pedestrian crash reported between 2021 and 2025 occurred at the intersection of Amherst Court and Liddicoat Drive. The crash victim was 48 years of age and sustained a minor injury. The crash occurred on a Tuesday around 8am and the PCF category was recorded as other.
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The pedestrian crash location as referenced above along with pedestrian-generating locations across the Town should be reviewed for indications of systemic risk. Locations with higher risk include intersections, uncontrolled crossings, near transit stops, along higher-speed corridors, or where sidewalks and crossings are incomplete. Dark or low-light conditions pose a higher risk as well. Additionally, proximity to commercial retail, entertainment districts, parks, or schools may require additional review as these land uses significantly influence pedestrian volumes, demographics, and behavioral risks. These patterns can help identify both specific locations for improvement and other locations with similar characteristics that would benefit from proactive treatment. Given the predominantly residential land-use context for the Town of Los Altos Hills, several of the locations described above may not apply in the context of a systemic risk assessment.
Pedestrian crashes and high-risk areas should be used to inform potential countermeasures, not to assign responsibility to individual road users. For example, crashes involving pedestrians in crosswalks may indicate a need for improved yielding, shorter crossings, enhanced visibility, leading pedestrian intervals, daylighting, or speed management. Crashes outside marked crossings may indicate that marked crossings are too far apart, do not align with pedestrian desire lines (the most direct routes people naturally want to take), or do not provide a comfortable level of protection for the roadway context.
Bicycle Crashes
Among the 44 victims of 41 bicycle crashes, there were two people killed (5%) and 15 people seriously injured (34%). In 59% of bicycle crashes, someone suffered a minor injury. Of the 41 bicycle crashes, 56% were categorized as other, another 17% were categorized as overturned, and 7% were the result of hit object crashes.
The majority of bicycle crash victims, 75%, were adults (ages 18–64). Seniors aged 65 and older made up 18% of bicycle crash victims, and school-age children (ages 5–18) made up 7% of bicycle crash victims. The top Primary Collision Factor (PCF) violations for bicycle crashes reported in SWITRS include unsafe speed (46%) and automobile right of way (17%).
Most bicycle crashes occurred during Saturday (9am—12pm, 20%) and Saturday (12pm—3pm, 15%). 93% of all bicycle crashes occurred in daylight, 5% occurred at dusk or dawn, and another 2% occurred in the dark in areas without street lighting.
Bicycle crash type and Primary Collision Factor data should be reviewed for design implications.
For example, broadside or turning crashes may indicate a need for intersection conflict reduction, protected intersection treatments, improved signal phasing, crossing markings, or speed management. Where crash types are coded as “other” or where crash narratives are unavailable, the results should be interpreted cautiously and supplemented with field observations.
Bicycle crash patterns should be reviewed alongside bicycle network conditions. Reported bicycle crashes may point to specific conflict locations, while the absence of crashes may reflect low bicycling volumes or route avoidance due to uncomfortable conditions. A proactive bicycle
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safety analysis should consider bikeway continuity, intersection crossings, vehicle speeds and volumes, parking conflicts, routes to schools and transit, freight zoning or commercial delivery loading zones, pavement quality and maintenance, and locations where bicyclists may ride on sidewalks or against traffic because comfortable facilities are not available. Given the predominantly residential land-use context for the Town of Los Altos Hills, several of the locations described above may not apply in the context of a bicycle network review.
In future studies, these crashes should be paired with an assessment of bicycle network gaps and low-stress connectivity. Locations with few or no reported crashes may still warrant treatment if they are important bicycle routes, fill critical network gaps, or if existing conditions discourage bicycling.
4.3 Speed-Related Crash Data
Of all crashes involving all modes in the Town of Los Altos, 28 of 65 (43%) involved speed and 20 of 41 bicycle crashes (49%) involved speed.48 No pedestrian crashes involved speed. The speed-related crash data conveyed in this section may not be fully representative of corridor safety issues as vulnerable road users may be avoiding high-speed corridors due to safety concerns.
Crashes Involving All Modes
Of the 28 speed-related crashes, 11 (39%) resulted in severe injuries. Speed-related crashes appear clustered on Page Mill Road (seven crashes), Altamont Road (five crashes), Fremont Road (two crashes), and Taaffe Road (two crashes). Figure 3.2 shows the spatial distribution of speed-related crashes involving all modes.
48 Fatal and Serious Injury Crashes (FSI) that are not speed-related in Primary Crash Factor (PCF) or Other Associated Factor (OAF), crashes that are speed-related in PCF or OAF but are not FSI crashes, and crashes that are both FSI and speed related (in PCF or OAF).
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Figure 3.2 Map of Speed-Related Crashes in the Town of Los Altos Hills (2021 – 2025) Bicycle Speed-Related Crashes
Of the 41 bicycle crashes in the Town of Los Altos Hills, nine bicycle crashes involved speed, and all resulted in severe injuries. Speed-related bicycle crashes appear clustered on Altamont Road (four crashes), Page Mill Road (three crashes), and Taaffe Road (two crashes). Figure 3.3 shows the spatial distribution of speed-related severe injury crashes involving bicycles.
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Figure 3.3 Map Bicycle Speed-Related Crashes in the Town of Los Altos Hills (2021 – 2025)
4.4 CSSA Areas of Focus
The following section outlines the bicycle crashes that occurred at the CSSA focus area locations.
49 The study areas identified for this CSSA include:
49 No pedestrian crashes were recorded at any of the study focus areas and are therefore excluded from this section.
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1. Page Mill Road;
2. Taaffe Road;
3. El Monte Road;
4. Fremont Road near Gardner Bullis Elementary School;
5. Altamont Road Near Moody Road;
6. Robleda Road;
7. Purissima Road (speed management focus); and,
8. Elena Road (speed management focus).
Bicycle Crashes in and around Focus Area 1: Page Mill Road The following figure depicts the bicycle crashes that happened on the focus corridor of Page Mill Rd between 2021 and 2025. Ten bicycle crashes occurred on this focus corridor, of which four resulted in serious injuries. Severe injury bicycle crashes on this corridor occurred at the intersections of Via Ventana Way (two crashes), Old Page Mill Road (one crash), and Altamont Road (one crash). Of these, four bicycle crashes were speed-related (based on PCF or OAF).
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Figure 3.4 Bicycle Crashes on Page Mill Road (2021 – 2025)
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Bicycle Crashes in and around Focus Area 2: Taaffe Road The following figure depicts the bicycle crashes that happened on the focus corridor of Taaffe Road between 2021 and 2025. Two bicycle crashes occurred on this focus corridor, both minor injury crashes at the intersection of Taaffe Road and Dezahara Way. Of these, two bicycle crashes were speed-related (based on PCF or OAF).
Figure 3.5 Pedestrian and Bicycle Crashes on Taaffe Road (2021 – 2025)
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Bicycle Crashes in and around Focus Area 3: El Monte Road The following figure depicts the bicycle crashes that happened on the focus corridor of El Monte Road between 2021 and 2025. One minor injury bicycle crash was recorded on El Monte Road, at the intersection of El Monte Road and I-280.
Figure 3.6 Bicycle Crashes on El Monte Road (2021 – 2025)
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Bicycle Crashes in and around Focus Area 4: Fremont Road near Gardner Bullis Elementary School
The following figure depicts the bicycle crashes that happened on the focus corridor of Fremont Road between 2021 and 2025. One severe injury bicycle crash was reported at the intersection of Fremont Road and Seven Acres Lane, near Gardner Bullis Elementary School. Of these, two bicycle crashes were speed-related (based on PCF or OAF).
Figure 3.7 Bicycle Crashes on Fremont Road (2021 – 2025)
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Bicycle Crashes in and around Focus Area 5: Altamont Road Near Moody Road
The following figure depicts the bicycle crashes that happened on the focus corridor of Altamont Road between 2021 and 2025. One minor injury bicycle crash occurred at the intersection of Altamont Road and Moody Road.
Figure 3.8 Bicycle Crashes on Altamont Road (2021 – 2025)
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Bicycle Crashes in and around Focus Area 6: Robleda Road Between 2021 and 2025, two bicycle crashes occurred on the focus corridor of Robleda Road, including one serious injury crash at the intersection of Elena Road and one minor injury crash near Purissima Road. Of these, one bicycle crash was speed-related (based on PCF or OAF).
Figure 3.9 Bicycle Crashes on Robleda Road (2021 – 2025)
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Pedestrian and Bicycle Crashes in and around Focus Area 7: Purissima Road
The following figure depicts the six bicycle crashes that happened on the focus corridor of Purissima Road between 2021 and 2025. Of the six crashes, one fatal crash occurred at Roble Ladera Road and one severe injury crash occurred at Deer Creek Lane. Of these, one bicycle crash was speed-related (based on PCF or OAF).
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Figure 3.10 Bicycle Crashes on Purissima Road (2021 – 2025) Bicycle Crashes in and around Focus Area 8: Elena Road
The following figure depicts the four bicycle crashes that happened on the focus corridor of Elena Road between 2021 and 2025. Of the four crashes, none were fatal and two resulted in serious injuries. The severe injury crashes occurred at the intersections of Purissima Road and Robleda Road. Of these, three bicycle crashes were speed-related (based on PCF or OAF).
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Figure 3.11 Bicycle Crashes on Elena Road (2021 – 2025)
4.5 Street Story
Despite the best available crash data, pedestrian and bicycle crashes are commonly underreported. Research suggests that a crash is less likely to be reported if there is no injury,
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little property damage, or if only one party is involved.50, 51, 52 Near misses, uncomfortable crossings, speeding concerns, and locations avoided by people walking or bicycling are also generally not captured in police-reported crash databases.
Street Story (https://streetstory.berkeley.edu/) is a crowdsourced community engagement tool developed by UC Berkeley SafeTREC that allows residents, community groups, and agencies to collect information about traffic crashes, near-misses, general hazards, and safe locations to travel. Once a record has been entered, the information is added to a publicly accessible map and aggregate table.
Community-reported data should be used as a proactive safety layer, not as a replacement for crash data. These reports can help identify locations where people experience recurring conflicts, where families avoid walking or bicycling, or where roadway conditions feel unsafe despite limited reported crash history. Agencies can use Street Story or similar tools to support local needs assessments, Safe Routes to School planning, safety action plans, grant applications, and project prioritization.
If few or no Street Story entries are available, that should not be interpreted as a lack of safety concerns from community members. Instead, it may indicate a need for more outreach and promotion of reporting tools. Agencies should consider sharing community reporting tools through school communications, advisory committees, neighborhood meetings, social media, pop-up events, and multilingual outreach.
Jurisdictions can create custom boundaries through the Street Story tool to collect data for local needs assessments or to support local traffic safety planning efforts, safety programs, and project proposals. Data collection in Street Story began in October 2018.
At the time of this report, one report had been input in Street Story for the Town of Los Altos Hills. The report included a near-miss; the cause was entered as driver speeding. The report indicates concern around curving roads and sightlines.
4.6 Opportunities to Expand Future Safety Analysis
The five-year crash history provides an important foundation for understanding reported pedestrian and bicycle crashes, and future analysis by the agency can be strengthened by incorporating additional proactive and systemic safety methods. 50 Stutts, J.C. and W.W. Hunter (1998). Police reporting of pedestrians and bicyclists treated in hospital emergency rooms. Transportation Research Record J. Transportation Research Board. 1998 (1635), 88-92. Available at:
https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/docs/00144.pdf.
51 Sciortino, S. et al. (2005). San Francisco pedestrian injury surveillance: mapping, under-reporting, and injury severity in police and hospital records. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 37(6), 1102-1113. doi:
10.1016/j.aap.2005.06.010.
52 Loo, B.P. and K. Tsui (2007). Factors affecting the likelihood of reporting road crashes resulting in medical treatment to the police. Injury Prevention, 13(3), 186-189. doi: 10.1136/ip.2006.013458.
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Develop a systemic risk assessment
Future analyses could identify locations that share risk characteristics with reported crash locations, even where crashes have not yet occurred. Risk factors may include vehicle speed, crossing distance, number of lanes, lack of controlled crossings, limited sight distance, missing sidewalks, inaccessible curb ramps, insufficient lighting, bicycle network gaps, and proximity to pedestrian and bicycle generators.
Emphasize fatal and serious injury prevention
Future crash analysis could distinguish fatal and serious injury crashes from minor injury crashes and identify the roadway contexts where severe outcomes are most likely. This analysis can help target safety campaigns and education toward high-risk contexts to provide a critical layer of behavioral redundancy that protects road users where infrastructure improvements may be pending.
Incorporate exposure data
Pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle volume data can help agencies understand how people are using the transportation system and where conflicts between modes may be most likely.
Pedestrian and bicycle counts can identify locations with existing walking and bicycling activity, while vehicle volumes can help assess exposure, crossing difficulty, and the need for treatments that reduce conflicts with motor vehicles.
Agencies could also consider trip length data to identify opportunities for mode shift. Where many vehicle trips are short enough to be made by walking, bicycling, or rolling, improved crossings, lower speeds, connected sidewalks, and low-stress bikeways may help shift some trips to active transportation while reducing vehicle exposure.
Collect and evaluate speed data
Speed is a primary factor in crash severity. Future analyses could compare observed vehicle speeds with safe target speeds for the surrounding land use and roadway context. Locations where operating speeds exceed the desired target speed could be considered for speed management treatments. Evaluating this data also allows agencies to deploy targeted, contextspecific speed education to reinforce infrastructure changes and shift behavioral norms.
Review roadway and intersection context
A proactive analysis could include roadway characteristics such as number of lanes, posted and observed speeds, traffic control, crossing distance, curb radii, lighting, sidewalk presence, bikeway presence, transit stops, and nearby land uses. Analyzing these contexts helps predict and address road user behavior allowing for more integrated infrastructure and behavioral interventions.
Incorporate community-reported concerns and near misses Community input can reveal safety issues that are not captured in crash databases. Agencies could collect near-miss reports, behavioral friction points (e.g., frequent failure to yield locations), route avoidance concerns, and perceived safety issues through online tools, walk audits, school outreach, and community workshops.
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Evaluate equity and vulnerable users
Future analyses could consider whether safety risks are concentrated near schools, affordable housing, transit-dependent communities, senior destinations, disability-serving destinations, or areas with higher walking and biking reliance. This helps ensure that safety investments benefit those most exposed to traffic risk.
Link analysis to implementation
The crash and risk analysis could feed directly into project prioritization, grant applications, the Capital Improvement Program, Safe Routes to School planning, maintenance programs, and routine resurfacing opportunities. This allows agencies to address safety proactively rather than waiting for crashes to occur.
Coordinate data with behavioral safety programs
Future analyses should be shared with public health, education, and enforcement partners.
Mapping systemic risk locations allows agencies to deploy targeted behavioral interventions, such as pedestrian/bicycle safety education in schools, high-visibility yield enforcement in commercial retail zones, and anti-impaired driving campaigns in entertainment districts. This ensures that behavioral programs provide a critical layer of safety redundancy when physical infrastructure changes take longer to implement.
Education campaigns should also help community members understand why certain Safe System interventions are being recommended, particularly treatments that may be new or unfamiliar in the community. Examples may include daylighting, curb extensions, raised crossings, leading pedestrian intervals, protected bikeways, reduced turn radii, speed cushions, road diets, roundabouts, or other speed and conflict management strategies. Public education can explain how these treatments reduce exposure, lower crash severity, and reduce conflict points for people walking, biking, rolling, and driving. This type of outreach can help build support for safety projects, address common concerns, and reinforce the connection between infrastructure changes and the broader goal of preventing fatal and serious injuries.
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5. Benchmarking Analysis Results and
Recommendations
To assess pedestrian and bicycle safety conditions in the Town of Los Altos Hills, the CSSA team conducted a benchmarking interview to evaluate how existing Town policies and practices align with the Safe System Approach. This assessment was informed by NCHRP Research Report 1181: Toolkit for Institutionalizing the Safe System Approach, which presents 30 tools to help communities assess, refine, and align their systems, funding strategies, decision-making processes, and project delivery practices. The report serves as a framework for practical strategies to address common institutional challenges. This analysis is organized across four topic areas, each including three to nine tools for institutionalization:
• Authentic and Holistic Commitment to Safety: Assessing the agency's internal safety culture and leadership alignment.
• Safe System-Aligned Policies and Budgeting: Evaluating funding strategies and resource allocation.
• Design and Project Procedures: Reviewing decision-making processes and project delivery practices.
• Land Use/Transportation Integration: Examining the relationship between multi-modal transport and community development.
A full matrix describing each topic area and tool is available in the NCHRP report.
Prior to the interviews, an electronic questionnaire was sent to site staff to select six to eight total tools, ensuring at least one from each category. CSSA program staff tailored benchmarking survey questions based on these selections and conducted an interview with site staff on May 5, 2026.
Based on staff responses during the benchmarking interview the CSSA team provided recommendations based on current agency institutionalization progress, as described by the three ratings below:
• No activity in the topic area;
• Incremental steps have been taken in the topic area; and • Best practices in the topic area have been institutionalized.
Because these ratings rely exclusively on the data gathered during the benchmarking interview, they represent a baseline of known activity rather than an exhaustive audit of each jurisdiction’s total progress. It is important to note that communities have differing physical, demographic, and institutional characteristics that may make certain goals or policies more appropriate in some jurisdictions compared to others, hence topic area and tool self-selection by agency. Ultimately,
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local staff may determine where resources and efforts are best placed for meeting local community safety needs.
Below, a background and general current safety countermeasures are discussed along with a detailed analysis of Town alignment with each tool in the four topic areas.
Background and General Current Safety Countermeasures
Safety Action Planning
The Town of Los Altos Hills does not currently have a Safety Action Plan, High Injury Network, or Vision Zero task force. The agency previously maintained a local traffic safety committee focused on roadway safety concerns. The committee has since transitioned into the Pathways Committee, which is now focused on the town’s pathway network and recreational trail system.
Grant Funding for Safety Projects
The agency has been approved for a Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant and is currently in the agreement phase to begin development of a Local Road Safety Plan later this year. Existing safety improvements are primarily implemented through smaller-scale projects responding to community concerns and requests. Funding for these efforts include SB1 funds, Measure B funding, local revenues, and gas tax funding.
Safe System and Vision Zero Fundamentals
Staff indicated that there has been no formal Safe System or Vision Zero training courses for the Town of Los Altos Hills.
5.1 Authentic and Holistic Commitment to Safety
1. Align Emergency Services Goals
To bridge the gap between reactive roadway design and proactive safety, it is important to formalize cross-disciplinary partnerships. By aligning law enforcement, fire, and EMS with planning and roadway design goals, this ensures that speed management and injury prevention are inherently considered on every roadway, balancing first responder needs and eliminating fatal and serious injury crashes.
The Town of Los Altos Hills staff indicated that coordination with the local County Fire department and Sheriff's department occurs consistently across projects and jurisdictions, particularly when roadway access or operational changes may affect emergency responses.
However, because the Town of Los Altos Hills has undertaken very few major roadway redesign projects in recent years, coordination remains largely project-specific rather than through a formal partnership.
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Suggestion: Formalize inter-agency protocols. Adopt agency-wide roadway and speed design guidelines that include documented collaboration with jurisdictions and regional responders for speed, access, and conflict management strategies.
5.2 Safe System-Aligned Policies and Budgeting
1. Implement Safe System Speed Management Program
A Safe System speed management program moves beyond speed limit signage to create "selfenforcing" roads. By combining speed-reduction strategies with physical infrastructure and technology, this environment naturally encourages slower driving behaviors by reducing system kinetic energy. As kinetic energy is lowered, fatal and severe injury crashes will lower as well.
The Town of Los Altos Hills currently manages speed primarily through maintaining narrow rural roadway conditions, limited roadway widening, and small-scale operational improvements such as signage, striping, and pavement and landscaping maintenance. However, staff noted that their transportation network is composed almost entirely of residential and collector roadways, making right-of-way coordination difficult. Existing speed management strategies are largely implemented through isolated treatments rather than through a coordinated program.
Suggestion: Establish a systemwide speed management program that moves beyond spot treatments. Begin setting context-based target speeds and developing a toolkit of design and operational strategies, including strategies of road diets, traffic calming, and automated enforcement, to ensure vehicle operating speeds align with safety goals.
2. Promote Safe Vehicle Design & Technology
Vehicle design plays a critical role in the severity of crashes. By adopting safer fleet standards and disincentivizing oversized or excessively heavy vehicles, system kinetic energy can be lowered. This is particularly important for vulnerable road users, including bicycles and pedestrians who are disproportionately impacted by larger vehicle profiles.
The Town of Los Altos Hills is currently attempting to transition their current vehicles to electric vehicles; while their current fleet is equipped with flashing lights for visibility and tracking systems. Staff also noted efforts to direct commercial traffic toward arterial and collector roadways where feasible in order to reduce conflict on local residential streets. However, the Town of Los Altos Hills does not currently maintain formal fleet safety standards.
Suggestion: Establish a phased fleet transition plan that mandates safety technologies for all agency-owned vehicles. Additionally, explore pricing mechanisms or regulatory strategies that discourage the use of heavy or oversized vehicles within the jurisdiction.
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5.3 Design and Project Procedures
1. Review Design Guidelines and Standards
Modernizing design guidelines is the most effective way to automatically include safety considerations into the built environment. By transitioning from reactive spot-treatments to proactive, systemwide standards, every new project or maintenance activity will result in reduced conflict points and managed speeds.
The Town of Los Altos Hills primarily relies on MUTCD and Caltrans guidelines when roadway improvements or maintenance projects are undertaken. Due to the site’s rural nature and the limited number of major roadway capital projects, roadway design occurs infrequently and are generally implemented through smaller-scale projects, and the agency does not have a systemwide standard aside from MUTCD and Caltrans guidelines. Staff also noted that the roadway design, constrained right-of-way conditions strongly influence roadway design decisions, with current efforts primarily focused on operational upgrades and maintenancerelated improvements.
Suggestion: Conduct a comprehensive review of existing design standards to identify patterns linked to severe collisions, then update standards and guidelines to require proven Safe System countermeasures as the default for future work.
5.4 Land Use/Transportation Integration
1. Safe Routes to School Program
Safe System-aligned Safe Routes to School programs can protect the most vulnerable road users and provide safe access to educational institutions. By integrating infrastructure improvements, proactive speed management, and community education, the agency can systematically reduce the exposure, likelihood, and severity of crashes for children moving to and from school.
The Town of Los Altos Hills currently implements Safe Routes to School related improvements on an ad hoc basis, primarily through grant-funded projects, individual school needs, and development-related opportunities. Previous efforts have included Measure B-funded traffic studies focused on walking and biking routes near schools, pathway improvements serving the local public elementary school, and consideration of future education and encouragement programs related to pedestrian/bicyclist safety.
Suggestion: Establish a systemwide Safe Routes to School framework and begin the development of a Safe System informed SRTS program. Establish the formal partnerships necessary to integrate speed management, education, and safety countermeasures into policies and plans.
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Complete Streets Assessment Results and
Recommendations
6.1 Overview
This chapter presents the observations and recommendations made during the walking audit conducted in the Town of Los Altos Hills on May 4, 2026. Agency staff participated in the walk audit. The suggestions are based on best practices and discussions regarding local needs and feasibility with the participant group.
The field audit is conducted to understand the needs, issues, and opportunities associated with walking and biking in the study area. During a walking audit, positive practices are observed, and issues and opportunity areas are noted. Observations are based on how people driving behave around pedestrians and bicyclists and how people walking and biking behave, especially at intersections. Anecdotal stories shared by participants related to road users' behavior issues are also noted.
The suggestions in this report are based on general knowledge of best practices in complete street design and safety. This report is conceptual in nature, and conditions may exist in the focus areas that were not observed and may not be compatible with suggestions presented below. Local agency staff may conduct further analysis to refine or discard the suggestions in this report if they are contextually inappropriate or do not improve pedestrian safety or accessibility due to conditions including, but not limited to, high vehicular traffic volume or speeds, physical limitations on space or sight distance, or other unsafe conditions.
6.2 General Townwide Suggestions
Below are some general recommendations for town staff to consider for improving overall safety, especially for bicyclists and pedestrians.
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1. Consider installing edge lines along hilly and rural roads. This will help delineate the travel way and improve nighttime safety. It may also provide space for bicyclists to ride.
This could be further enhanced by installing edge delineators at key locations, per CA MUTCD standards and guidelines.
2. Review all streetlighting for traffic safety and consider establishing a minimum threshold for lighting using most current standards, while addressing community desires for low levels of lighting for residential uses. Key areas where lighting is most important and impactful for safety improvements are intersections and curves.
3. Speed management is critical for Town staff to consider as a priority for enhancing safety. As indicated in Section 4, of all crashes involving all modes in the Town of Los Altos, 28 of 65 (43%) involved speed and 20 of 41 bicycle crashes (49%) involved speed.53 To manage speed, the Town may implement focused enforcement on streets with higher collisions, along with the installation of traffic calming measures like bulbouts, diverters, chicanes, etc. This could create the horizontal deflection needed to slow down vehicular traffic. Considering a higher percentage of collisions at intersections and curves, such treatments may be placed in advance of problematic locations as the first step. A strategic approach could then be developed to install such devices at all similar locations.
4. Review the need to have E&TS for local roads as defined under the CVC section 40802.
Based on a review of the California Road System Map, except for Page Mill Road, W.
Freemont Road, Arastradero Road, Moody Road, and El Monte Road, all streets in the Town are designated as local roads.
CVC section 22352 defines the Prima Facie speed limit of 25 MPH as follows:
Twenty-five miles per hour:
On any highway in any business or residence district unless a different speed is determined by local authority or the Department of Transportation under procedures set forth in this code.
Then CVC section 515 defines the Residence District as follows:
A “residence district” is that portion of a highway and the property contiguous thereto, other than a business district, (a) upon one side of which highway, within a distance of a quarter of a mile, the contiguous property fronting thereon is occupied by 13 or more separate dwelling houses or business structures, or (b) upon both sides of which highway, collectively, within a distance of a quarter of a mile, the contiguous property fronting thereon is occupied by 16 or more separate dwelling houses or business structures. A residence district may be longer than one-quarter of a mile if the above ratio of separate dwelling houses or business structures to the length of the highway exists.
53 Fatal and Serious Injury Crashes (FSI) that are not speed-related in Primary Crash Factor (PCF) or Other Associated Factor (OAF), crashes that are speed-related in PCF or OAF but are not FSI crashes, and crashes that are both FSI and speed related (in PCF or OAF).
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The Town should review this provision for the density of housing to confirm if it exists. If it does, the Town could declare all those roads that are classified as local roads on the California Road System Map are in “Residence District” and can post the Prima Facie Speed Limit of 25 MPH.
Once the above is confirmed, the Town then could use the provision of CVC section 40802 to eliminate the need to have E&TS for qualified local roads. The CVC section 40802 indicates that speed trap provisions may not apply as follows:
A local street or road is one that is functionally classified as “local” on the “California Road System Maps,” that are approved by the Federal Highway Administration and maintained by the Department of Transportation. It may also be defined as a “local street or road” if it primarily provides access to abutting residential property and meets the following three conditions:
(A) Roadway width of not more than 40 feet.
(B) Not more than one-half of a mile of uninterrupted length. Interruptions shall include official traffic control signals as defined in Section 445. (C) Not more than one traffic lane in each direction.
Based on the above reference, all Town’s local roads may be posted 25 MPH Prima Facie speed limit and may not require an E&TS survey. This suggestion should be reviewed by legal experts on speed laws in California.
5. Review all intersections for faded striping and markings and establish a program of maintaining traffic stripe rectroreflectivity as per the CA MUTCD requirements.
6. Regularly maintain shoulder backing to minimize vehicles or bicyclists’ collisions due to falling in roadside ruts and losing control.
7. Review curve warning signs for correct application. For advisory speeds less than 30 MPH the curve warning sign should be W1-1. It was noted that many locations have advisory speed of less than 30 MPH and W1-2 signs installed.
8. Review vertical curve advisory speeds in addition to horizontal curves. There are several severe vertical curves that could benefit from advisory speed signs.
6.3 Focus Areas
Focus areas were chosen based on the Town of Los Altos Hills concerns over pedestrian and bicyclist safety. Figure 6.1 shows the study areas within the community. The locations listed below were selected for analysis:
1. Page Mill Road
2. Taaffe Road
3. El Monte Road
4. Fremont Road near Gardner Bullis Elementary School
5. Altamont Road
6. Robleda Road
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7. Purissima Road (speed management focus)
8. Elena Road (speed management focus)
Figure 6.1 Map Highlighting the CSSA Locations
Town of Los Altos Hills is located in a semi-rural/sub-urban area in Santa Clara County. It has a population of 8,489 at the 2020 census. Los Altos Hills has a ban on commercial zones. The town's two retail commercial operations are the bookstore on the campus of Foothill College and the gift shop on the grounds of the Immaculate Heart of the Poor Clare. The town does not have a post office or library. The town's zoning regulations require a minimum lot size of one acre (4,000 m²), setbacks from the property boundary, and easements for public pathways.
Landowners are limited to one primary dwelling per lot, effectively banning multifamily housing in the Town.
Considering the above statistics, the Town’s dominant land use is residential. This land use concentration causes traffic patterns that are more aligned with commute times: dominant movements include exiting in the AM peak period and entering in the PM peak period.
Due to its location, the Town does not attract cut-through traffic from the freeways and most of the traffic patterns are related to residential uses. As such, most of the drivers are familiar with local streets and traffic calming measures that are based on non-physical elements like signage and markings. Still, lower speed limits alone may not be able to provide significant safety improvements. Therefore, implementation of physical improvements (bulb-outs, chicanes, etc.) would be important to consider in combination with signs and markings.
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Most of the streets are designed for single lane vehicular traffic with pedestrian paths designed for carrying a mix of equestrian and pedestrian traffic. These paths are not paved in most cases and may not meet ADA access needs. Most streets do not have bicycle facilities, and many streets do not have curbs and gutters for drainage. The Town has approximately 81 miles of bike pathways which may not meet the Class I facility standards. A significant number of bicyclists are on the roadways. Streetlights are few and far between, with some key locations missing streetlights.
The Town has a significant number of seniors as compared to other nearby areas. In recent past, more young families have moved into the town. There is community concern that most of the speeding is accruing due to “out-of-towners” using the hilly roads for pleasure driving and riding.
The following sections present the key issues identified during the field audit and suggested projects responding to the issues observed at each location.
6.3.1 Page Mill Road
Existing Conditions
Page Mill Road is one of the few streets in Los Altos Hills that is not a local road as defined by the California Road System Map; it is classified as a Minor Arterial. Based on the most recent Engineering and Traffic Survey (E&TS), it carries approximately 1,210 Average Daily Traffic (ADT) near its intersection with Altamont Road to approximately 6,900 ADT near I-280.
It provides access to SR 35 near Skyline Ridge Open Space to the southwest and I-280 to the east. Due to this connectivity, it attracts some regional and recreational traffic. Posted speed limit varies from 25 MPH near Altamont Road to 35 MPH near I-280. It has four speed zones in Los Altos Hills which is a concern for the overall length of the road. MUTCD CA recommends avoiding short (0.5 mile) speed zones. It has three zones that are less than 0.5 miles (0.27 miles near I-280), and two others that are very close to 0.5 miles.
Review of the E&TS report (2022) indicates that the Town has taken advantage of MUTCD CA provisions on lowering the speed limit below the Critical Speed (85th Percentile Speed). The applicable provisions were noted to be CVC 22358.6.
Town has received a Safe Streets for All (SS4A) grant and is working on a Local Roadway Safety Plan. This plan may allow the Town to establish a High Injury Network (HIN) and/or Safety Corridors. If Page Mill Road is selected to be a Safety Corridor and/or HIN Using the provisions of AB 43, the Town could consider lowering the speed limit by further five MPH on speed zones along this street (but the total reduction shall not exceed 12.4 MPH from the Critical Speed CVC § 22358.6(e)).
This street is narrow and winding with a significant quantity of utility poles quite close to the edge of the travel way. There are very few streetlights, and, in some sections, there are none.
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This condition could be a safety concern for nighttime. White edge line (Detail 27B) is missing in several locations. The curve warning sign (W1-2) in Figure 6.2 is incorrect. It should be replaced with W1-1 signs as per the MUTCD CA guidance.
Figure 6.2 (from left to right) – Bicyclist on Shoulder, Several Curves Impacting Visibility, Utility Poles too close to Travel Way
Town Staff requested a review for the intersection of Baleri Ranch Road/Arastradero Road. This location has advance pedestrian crossing warning signs and a white crosswalk. The intersection is wide and has no streetlights. The pavement and pavement striping and markings both appear to be newer.
There were sharrow markings on Page Mill Road at this location, and Arastradero Road has Bike lanes along the easterly approach which ends at the intersection. No bike facility was noted along Baleri Ranch Road. Intersection visibility could be enhanced by addressing vegetation in the vicinity of the intersection. Additionally, we noticed tire scuff marks on the asphalt curb at the northwest corner of the intersection, suggesting that traffic may not be able to see the curb edge. See Figure 6.3 for additional context.
A gentleman stopped at the intersection and informed us about an eroded shoulder location which has a significant drop next to the travel way. Town staff indicated that they would repair this location with shoulder backing. See Figure 6.3 for additional context.
Figure 6.3 Tire Scuff Marks at the Northwest Corner and Vertical Drop at Street Edge
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As one travels to I-280, the street changes jurisdiction to a county road. In this segment curb, gutter and sidewalks are present.
Suggestions for Improvements
1. There are four speed zones along this roadway. As per the MUTCD guidance, it is recommended to reduce the number of speed zones by combining the following two zones and reducing the total number of zones to three:
a. Via Ventana to Altamont Road (25 MPH) Paseo del Roble (South) to Via Ventana. Currently 30 MPH but has the potential to go to 25 MPH based on the E&TS report. The street design is also very similar to the 25 MPH zone. b. Via Ventana to Altamont Road (25 MPH) conduct
This may allow one speed zone at I-280 to Arastradero Road (West) to be at a higher speed (35 MPH) and then the other two zones be at lower speeds.
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2. Considering the design of this and other roadways, it would be important to develop a traffic calming toolbox that would focus on reducing higher speeds with the installation of improvements that would include education (signs, enforcement, flyers, etc.) to physical modification of the street design which may include elements that create horizontal deflection (bulb-outs, pedestrian refuge islands, chicanes, chokers, deflectors, etc.).
Since many streets are hilly and have limited streetlights, vertical deflection elements need to be carefully evaluated for application. Town staff noted that community and emergency responders may not support items like speed humps, speed bumps, raised intersections, etc.). As an example, a typical chicane and/or curb extension with a raised median is shown along Page Mill Road in Figure 6.4. The installation of such an improvement may be considered in advance of locations that have prior speeding and safety issues. It could also be designed to be added before significant horizontal and/or vertical curves that may require reduction in speed for safer maneuvering. The figure below shows a concept of the design. A design based on the one below should be adjusted for local conditions including drainage, visibility and vehicular speeds.
Figure 6.4 Conceptual Layouts of Chicane with Bulb Outs and White Edge Lines Along all Approaches
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3. Install white edge lines along this roadway to provide better delineation of the travel way and provide space for bicyclists. Due to narrow roads, the Town may consider encouraging bicyclists to ride in the center of the lane for visibility and safety, as riding along the edge could encourage motorists to try to overtake them. Such type of overtaking is prohibited if the vehicles cannot maintain a three-foot separation between the vehicle and the bicyclist while overtaking. The Town may consider installing R9-20 on narrow roads that cannot provide adequate space for a vehicle to pass a bicycle legally.
4. Review all signs and markings to ensure they meet the current MUTCD CA standards.
5. Consider installing bike lanes as a long-term solution to improve bicycle safety. This will require significant funding for widening the road and will require community support on ROW acquisition.
6.3.2 Road at Dezahara Way
Existing Conditions
Taaffe Road is generally a very winding and hilly roadway. It is oriented generally east to west and connects to Altamont Road in the west and to Elena Road in the east. It has a posted speed limit of 25 MPH. Dezahara Way is a residential street that has two intersections with Taaffe Road, as it loops back to Taaffe Road.
There are no sidewalks along this street, however, there is a gravel path next to the road at few locations. The path is designed for walking and horseback riding. It does not meet ADA access standards. We also noted concrete gutters mainly along the fill side of the street embankment including some drainage inlets.
There were no E&TS done for this street as part of the surveys completed in June of 2022. It appears that the enforcement of speed is based on the Prima Facie speed limit provisions of the CVC.
While driving to the intersection of Dezahara Way we noticed several new ‘Share the Road’ signs as well as horizontal curve warning signs with advisory speeds.
There is Detail 23 at few locations, but mostly there is Detail 22 with white edge lines (Detail 27B). The shoulders have steep slopes and embankments. Some location shoulder areas have vertical drops, and as such shoulder backing is needed at these locations.
Due to the narrowness of the street, garbage cans were placed too close to the travel way. The same condition was noted for the mailboxes.
Town of Los Altos Hills
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Figure 6.5 Garbage Cans and Mailboxes are Too Close to the Travel way Town staff requested a review of the easterly intersection of Dezahara Way. This intersection is at a steep horizontal and vertical curves. As shown in Figure 6.6, there is a 15 MPH advisory speed sign before the Intersection.
Figure 6.6 Steep Horizontal and Vertical Curves at the Intersection of Dezahara Way Due to the design of the street along with its hilly nature, motorists were noted to be driving at appropriate speeds through the intersection. However, steep curves also cause vehicle wheels to cross over the double-yellow centerline, creating safety concerns and a potential for collisions
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with opposing traffic. There are no streetlights at this intersection. This could be a concern for safety at nighttime.
Figure 6.7 Looking Westerly at the intersection of Taaffe Road and Dezahara Way. Wheels of a Vehicle are Crossing the Double Yellow Line due to Severe Curve Few bicyclists were noted riding on this road. Since the road is too narrow, bicyclists were riding in the center of the vehicle lane (controlling the lane), which should be encouraged by signs and markings.
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Figure 6.8 Bicyclists Controlling the Lane at the Intersection of Taaffe Road and Dezahara Way Suggestions for Improvements
The location of Dezahara Way intersection is challenging for creating safer access for bikes and pedestrians. The current conditions and design of the road are controlled by the area topography, and the addition of bike lanes or paths would not be feasible along this street.
Below are few suggestions on improving safety at the intersection.
1. Provide centerline extension through the intersection. This will enhance safety by providing better delineation of the travel way.
2. Install R9-20 by replacing the “SHARE THE ROAD” sign. Bicyclists were noted to use the full lane due to the narrowness of the street. This sign will encourage bicyclists to control the lane which is a safer condition at this location.
3. Install flexible delineators along the centerline to discourage crossing over into the opposing lane and would also calm traffic speeds.
Figure 6.9 below provides a visual of these suggestions.
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Figure 6.9 Suggestions for Improving Safety at the Dezahara Way Intersection
6.3.3 El Monte Road at Foothill College Entrance
Existing Conditions
The recent E&TS report (2022) indicates that there are two speed zones along this short stretch of the road between Moody Road and I-280. The curvy section between the Foothill College entrance and Moody Road is posted at 25 MPH. This segment has two lanes. The straighter section east of the College entrance and to the east is posted at 35 MPH. This segment has four lanes. Review of the California Road System Map indicates that this road is classified as a Minor Arterial. It carries an ADT of approximately 5,235 vehicles, as per the recent E&TS report.
The same report indicates a much higher collision rate of 7.58 collisions per million vehicle miles compared to an average rate for the Town of 1.43 collisions per million vehicle miles. The E&TS indicates that the 85th percentile of speed ranges from 38 MPH between Moody Road to the College Entrance, to 39 MPH between the College entrance to I-280. Considering there are four lanes between college entrance to I-280 and it is a straighter section, higher speeds are expected. The section between Moody Road and the College entrance is curvy and has only two lanes but the critical speed is similar to the four-lane segment. This suggests that additional safety measures are justified for this roadway along the curvy segment to address speeding.
Shoulder width varies, with no shoulders on the curvy, downhill section after the entrance to Foothill College. Grades east of the College entrance are straight and flat, while west of the College entrance there is a large curve to left and then a curve to the right with a steep grade.
Field review focused on the entrance to Foothill College. Here El Monte Road is a four-lane street with a raised median, vertical curb, and no sidewalks. There is a wide shoulder that is striped with Detail 27B. The entrance to Foothill College Perimeter Road is on the north side of
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the intersection while the south side is a hill with no street connection. The intersection is signalized.
Figure 6.10 Looking Easterly along El Monte Road at the Foothill College Entrance There are bike lanes and a walkway in the median of El Monte Road east of the intersection.
There are yellow high visibility crosswalks at the intersection.
We noticed that there are missing signs for reduced the speed limit in the westbound direction.
The speed change occurs just east of the Foothill College intersection. The change is from 35 MPH to 25 MPH. There are wide curb returns along this street segment which may encourage faster turning speeds.
Several drainage gutters are close to the travel way.
Suggestions for Improvements
Based on the field review, the E&TS report and the CRS map below are some suggestions on enhancing safety along El Monte Road.
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1. Conduct a feasibility study of installing bike lanes along El Monte between Summer Hill Avenue and the College Entrance. The current vehicular lanes on El Monte are approximately 12 feet wide. Wide lanes encourage speeding and lead to safety risks.
Coordinate with Caltrans on reducing the lane width at I-280 ramps. Caltrans could provide design exception for reducing the lane widths to 11 feet if the truck traffic volume is not too high. See below for Highway Design Manual reference: “Index 301.1 – Lane Width The minimum lane width on two-lane and multilane highways, ramps, collector distributor roads, and other appurtenant roadways shall be 12 feet, except as follows: • For conventional State highways with posted speeds less than or equal to 40 miles per hour and AADTT (truck volume) less than 250 per lane that are in urban, city or town centers (rural main streets), the minimum lane width shall be 11 feet.” Caltrans support will also be needed for bike lane design at the on and off ramps. Consider shifting bike traffic to the sidewalk area and then cross the ramps at the existing crosswalks.
Consider adding Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) at the crosswalks or a pedestrian signal.
2. Conduct a feasibility study of installing bike lanes along El Monte between Summer Hill Avenue and the College Entrance. The current vehicular lanes on El Monte are approximately 12 feet wide. Wide lanes encourage speeding and lead to safety risks.
Coordinate with Caltrans on reducing the lane width at I-280 ramps. Caltrans could provide design exception for reducing the lane widths to 11 feet if the truck traffic volume is not too high. See below for Highway Design Manual reference:
“Index 301.1 – Lane Width The minimum lane width on two-lane and multilane highways, ramps, collector distributor roads, and other appurtenant roadways shall be 12 feet, except as follows: • For conventional State highways with posted speeds less than or equal to 40 miles per hour and AADTT (truck volume) less than 250 per lane that are in urban, city or town centers (rural main streets), the minimum lane width shall be 11 feet.”
Caltrans support will also be needed for bike lane design at the on and off ramps.
Consider shifting bike traffic to the sidewalk area and then cross the ramps at the existing crosswalks. Consider adding Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) at the crosswalks or a pedestrian signal.
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3. Consider installing horizontal deflections like Chicanes or lateral shift along El Monte near its intersection with Moody Road. This type of horizontal deflection is beneficial for reducing speeds. Additionally locating it closer to the intersection of Moody Road and the horizontal curve west of Hummingbird Court, could alert motorists of the change in alignment. FHWA recommends such type of features for achieving speed reduction without significantly impacting the emergency response times.
Figure 6.11 Conceptual Location for a Chicane along El Monte Road
4. Install white edge lines along El Monte Road between Moody Road and the College Entrance. This segment is narrow and steep with impacted visibility at curves. Providing the travel way delineation would help in improving safety.
5. Installation of bike lanes and sidewalks along El Monte between Moody Road and the College entrance is not feasible due to the topography and the design of the roadway.
To install bike lanes additional roadway width is needed that may require significant cost for earth retaining structures and ROW acquisition. If the Town decides to move forward with this improvement, it is recommended that a feasibility study be conducted to evaluate the costs and benefits of the improvement.
6.3.4 Fremont Road near Gardner Bullis Elementary School Existing Conditions
This location was added to the field review locations at the request of Town’s staff. Key concern at this location occurs during the peak periods relating to pick up and drop off operation at the
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school. Town staff noted that vehicles back up along Fremont Road to enter the school and block through traffic in the AM and PM hours.
Town staff noted that there is more traffic approaching from the east during pick up and drop off operations. Based on the field conversations, another consultant has recommended adding a left turn lane in the westbound direction at the school entrance on Fremont Road.
Figure 6.12 Gardner Bullis Elementary School Entrance
Field review suggests that the key issue is related to internal pick up and drop off operations and controls. There are two entry lanes that should be clearly delineated and marked for drop off lane and/or circulatory lane.
The curb marking along the pickup zone is incorrectly marked with yellow color curb. It should be white and be only used for pick and drop-off. We noticed that parents were waiting in the lane for a long time without any enforcement of the pickup zone.
There is a yellow crosswalk just west of the school entrance where a crossing guard assists pedestrians to cross the street during the pickup and drop-off operations, although the crossing guard may need additional training. The crossing guard stopped the traffic at the yellow crosswalk the moment a pedestrian showed up at the waiting area. Ideally, a crossing guard should wait to have a group of children accumulate before stopping the traffic. This will significantly improve street operations.
Inside the school there were no controls or guidance by the school on getting the kids to the cars. Parents were jockeying for space in two lanes and were noticed to create safety concerns for children.
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Red curb inside the schools along the drop off lane should be adjusted to extend the area for drop-off and pickup, if needed.
Suggestions for Improvements
Based on the field review and discussions with Town’s staff, below are some suggestions on improving traffic circulation and safety along Fremont Road:
1. Coordinate with school administration on enforcing internal pickup and drop-off rules and regulations. It appears that the lack of enforcement of internal operations is causing safety risks along Fremont Road. The Town could add a left turn pocket in the westbound direction at the school entrance to create more capacity for waiting cars.
However, the key is to make these improvements with the commitment from the school to enforce internal circulation to move cars efficiently and reducing delays during the pick and drop-off operations.
Figure 6.13 Suggested Controls Inside the School to Improve Safety
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2. As shown in Figure 6.13 above, the two lanes that circulate inside the school are used inefficiently. There needs to be additional operational controls to create better internal circulation. As the two circulating lanes are only used during the actual pickup/drop-off operations, it is suggested that:
• Parents who are arriving early for pick up will need to wait in the designated parking areas either inside or outside along the street;
• School personnel control the circulating lanes operations by first not allowing anyone to wait in these lanes and then controlling the pickup at the curb that has a designated ADA access path and crosswalk; and
• Conduct turning movement counts at the school driveway to determine the possibility to restrict exiting left-turns during the pickup and drop-off times. These counts could also be good to use for determining the length of left turn pocket. Conduct these counts after the above listed recommendations are in place.
6.3.5 Altamont Road
Existing Conditions
This is a narrow winding two-lane roadway with detail 22 striping. The street has utility poles too close to the street edge. No streetlights were noted including lack of safety lights at intersections and horizontal/vertical curves. Abutting properties are all residential with larger one or more acre lots.
There are no drainage gutters, only asphalt curbs at few locations. No sidewalks are present, only asphalt or decomposed granite walkways. As such, it may not meet the ADA requirements.
The white edge line is missing at a few locations. The shoulders are narrow, and in some places do not exist. This creates a challenge for bicyclists riding in the shoulder.
Altamont Road is a residential street with curves and rolling terrain. This includes several vertical and horizontal curves with limited visibility due to trees and vegetation. At a few locations, it appears that one needs to drive closer to the centerline due to significant vertical drops at the back of narrow shoulders.
The recent E&TS report indicates that traffic volumes are quite low, ranging from 1,300 to 1,600 vehicles per day. The same report indicates that there were no collisions reported between 2017 and 2021 period. The posted speed limit of 30 MPH is in line with the MUTCD CA procedures.
Based on Town staff’s request, the field review was limited to the intersection of Altamont Road and Eshner Court. There are several vertical curves as one drives to Eshner Court. We did not notice vertical curve warning signs with advisory speeds at several steep curves.
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The intersection of Eshner Court has safety concerns due to visibility as one traverses the street through the intersection. There is a large oak tree at the inside of the horizontal curve that blocks visibility.
Figure 6.14 Looking Southeasterly at the Intersection of Eshner Court Suggestions for Improvements
Based on the field review of the intersection of Eshner Court and Altamont Road, below are some suggestions on improving safety in this area. Please see Figure 6.15 for additional details.
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1. No curve warning sign was noted in advance of the horizontal curve at intersection of Eshner Court. Town staff should investigate the need for a horizonal curve advisory speed.
If it is justified, install advance warning signs.
2. Provide lane line extension for detail 22 through the intersection.
3. Provide additional object markers along the oak tree area to delineate the obstruction.
4. Add Chevron curve warning signs along the curve.
Figure 6.15 Suggested Safety Improvements at the Intersection of Altamont Road and Eshner Court
6.3.6 Robleda Road
Existing Conditions
This is a narrow winding two lane roadway with detail 22, no passing zone striping. Utility poles were noted to be close to the travel way, Similarly, the garbage cans were placed very close the travel way.
No streetlights were noted including lack of safety lights at intersections and horizontal/vertical curves. Abutting properties are all residential with larger 1 acre + lots. Intersection of Freemont Road and Robleda Road is a larger intersection with large turning radii. There are no drainage gutters, only asphalt curbs at few locations. We noted no sidewalks, only asphalt or decomposed granite walkways which do not meet ADA standards. A white edge line is missing at a few locations.
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Figure 6.16 Robleda Road Typical Conditions
A recent E&TS survey reported an ADT of approximately 700 vehicles per day. This suggests that this road is not heavily travelled and most of the traffic on it is local traffic. The posted speed limit is 25 MPH. The E&TS report indicates a much higher collision rate of 5.52 per million vehicle miles when compared to the average of 1.43 per million vehicle miles on all other studied roadways in the Town. Using this justification, the E&TS has used the maximum reduction allowed under AB 43 provisions. The E&TS reported a critical speed of 38 MPH which is much higher than the posted speed limit of 25 MPH.
Suggestions for Improvements
Below are some suggestions on improving safety:
1. Since the recorded critical speed was much higher than the posted speed limit, it is recommended that the Town consider installing few traffic calming measures along this street. Considering the traffic volumes are very low and the land use is all residential, installing a Choker that would provide a traffic calming effect. As per FHWA, within a Choker on a two-way, two-lane roadway, vehicles can pass each other without conflict. But the narrower cross-section lowers the margin of error for motorists who, as a result, tend to moderate their speed. Below, figure 6.17 displays an example of a Choker for traffic calming purposes. See FHWA Traffic Calming Toolbox for more on chokers and traffic calming.
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Figure 6.17 A Typical Choker for Reducing Speeding
2. Provide center line striping.
3. Consider adding streetlights at curves and intersections.
4. Tighten intersections at several locations, like the Fremont Road intersection. Here, intersection bulb outs would be beneficial.
5. Refresh all striping and install white Edge Line striping where missing.
Figure 6.18 Suggested Safety Improvements at the Intersection of Robleda Road and Freemont Road
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6.3.7 Purissima Road
Existing Conditions
This roadway is another quite hilly road with semi-rural residential areas just east of I-280, closer to Purissima Park. According to the recent E&TS report, the average traffic volumes are quite low along this local street. Traffic volume ranges from 860 vehicles per day to 1,860 vehicles per day. The posted speed limit is 35 MPH. The critical speed along the two speed zones was 36 MPH and 45 MPH, respectively. It is not clear why the recommended speed for the 36 MPH critical speed zone was 35 MPH. Collison rates were reported to be lower than the average rate for studied roadways.
Figure 6.19 Crosswalk at Purissima Park – Missing Yield Line Markings At Purissima Park we noticed pedestrian and horse crossing signs at the crosswalk. The yield sign is present, but the crosswalk is missing the yield lines. ADA ramps are not present at the ends of the crosswalk. No streetlights were noted at the at the crosswalk. Additionally, white edge lines are missing.
Suggestions for Improvements
Based on the field review and the E&TS report, below are some suggestions on improving safety.
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1. Consider reducing speed limit along the speed zone between Elena Road to Roble Ladera Road to 30 MPH from the current limit of 35 MPH. the E&TS report indicates a critical speed of 36 MPH. This could be lowered to 30 MPH by applying the MUTCD CA provisions of rounding down the recommended speed limit from the 85th percentile speed by up to 7.4 MPH (CVC 22358.6(b)).
2. Install a yield line and a streetlight at the Purissima Park crosswalk as shown in Figure 6.20 below.
Figure 6.20 Suggested Safety Improvements at the exiting Crosswalk at Purissima Park
6.3.8 Elena Road
Existing Conditions
As a winding, narrow road, Elena Road has similar characteristics to Robleda Road. For this roadway, Town staff requested a review of the intersection of Vinedo Road. This location has been a concern for the Town, and a consultant has prepared a plan to address safety concerns.
The Town’s staff provided that safety plan for review and comments.
We noticed faded striping near the intersection. This intersection is located at a horizontal curve that significantly impacts visibility. In addition, there is a steep vertical curve along Elena Road just west of the intersection. These features further impact visibility of the intersection. There are several horizontal curves as one drives from east to west through this intersection.
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Figure 6.21 Intersection of Elena Road at Vinedo Road
There is no white edge line striping along the street. Detail 22 striping along the curve at the intersection is missing a lane line extension through the intersection. We noticed larger trucks along Elena Road are straddling the centerline or crossing it as they navigate through the intersection.
Figure 6.22 Larger Vehicles Driving Closer to the Centerline
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The E&TS report for this roadway indicates a lower average traffic volume along this road, ranging from 430 vehicles to 2,020 vehicles per day. The posted speed limit is 25 MPH and the current speed limit posting seems to be adequate for this location. Could this curve be straightened, since there is some right of way along the southerly side of the intersection? Suggestions for Improvements
Based on the field review and other documents provided by the Town, below are some suggestions for improving safety at the intersection of Elena Road and Vinedo Road.
1. Provide a lane line extension through the intersection. Field review suggests that vehicles are crossing over the centerline extension when going along the horizontal curve.
2. Refresh all lane line and intersection striping and markings.
3. Use W1-1 for all curve warning signs that have an advisory speed of below 30 MPH. For advisory speeds above 30 MPH use a W1-2 sign.
Figure 6.23 Review of the Striping and Signing Plan and Suggested Improvements
4. Review the need for advisory speed due to vertical curves. At this location there is a severe vertical curve to the east that may qualify for an advisory speed.
5. For a long-term solution, consider straightening the horizontal curve at the intersection. It appears that the ROW is available and could be used for this purpose.
6. Consider installing traffic calming measures like Chicanes in advance of the curve in both directions.
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Figure 6.24 Consider Removing the Horizontal Curve as a Longterm Safety Improvement
6.4 Conclusion
The Town of Los Altos Hills is mostly residential. It attracts local traffic with minimal cut-through traffic. Most of its streets are hilly and curvy that creates a challenge for providing riding space for bicyclists. Due to the topography, pedestrian access is limited to mostly gravel paths with limited ADA access.
Most of the Town’s streets are classified as local roads in the CRS at Caltrans. The Town may consider using CVC provisions on posting Prima Facie speed limits and may also avoid the need for E&TS for enforcement.
It would be greatly beneficial for the Town to establish safety corridors and/or a High Injury Network (HIN) to take advantage of AB 43 provisions for further lowering speed limits below the Critical Speed. The Town has received a grant that should allow Town staff to implement safety measures along key routes for bicycling and walking.
Traffic volumes around the Town are manageable, and, in several locations, they are quite low.
This provides an advantage for the Town to consider some traffic calming measures that are designed for lower volume roads. Most of the Town’s roads could benefit from the installation of traffic calming measures that involve horizontal deflections, like Chicanes, Chokers, curbextensions, bulb-outs, etc. Having a toolbox available to staff for implementing such measures at locations with safety concerns would improve safety through a strategic approach. Traffic Calming devices that provide vertical deflection (speed humps, raised crosswalks, etc.) may not be feasible for hilly roads. Such devices are also not encouraged by emergency responders.
Town staff should coordinate with Police and Fire in finding locations that could benefit from vertical deflections for calming traffic.
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There are locations that would benefit from safety lighting. Provision of safety lighting should be considered in coordination with local community.
Finally, review all existing striping and signing for consistency with MUTCD CA. Install edge line striping along hilly roads to provide better delineation of the roadway.
Town of Los Altos Hills
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September 2026
Appendix: Safe System Resources
The following resources support agencies with setting forth the recommendations in the Complete Streets Safety Assessment. By highlighting current federal, state, and practice-based guidance for advancing Safe System, these materials emphasize moving beyond a reactive, crash-history-only approach toward proactive identification of systemic risk, speed management, context-sensitive design, safer intersections, and implementation strategies that reduce fatal and serious injury outcomes for all roadway users.
This appendix is intended to help California agencies connect assessment findings to current best practices, policy direction, and implementation tools. The resources include federal guidance, Caltrans and California State Transportation Agency policies and manuals, national design guidance, research on emerging safety frameworks, and applied tools for translating safety recommendations into projects, programs, and funding-ready actions. Agencies may use these references to inform project development, prioritize countermeasures, strengthen grant applications, and align local Complete Streets efforts with broader state and national roadway safety goals.
To assist agencies in navigating these materials, the resources are organized into the following ten categories:
• Core Safe System and Vision Zero Frameworks
• Speed Management and Traffic Calming
• California Policy, Design, and Implementation
• Federal Planning, Design, and Operations Guidance
• Bicycle, Pedestrian, Intersection, and Complete Streets Design • Equity, Enforcement, Culture, and Community Implementation • Research, Evaluation, and Analytical Tools
• International and Global Practice
• Federal and State Funding
• Grant Resources
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Core Safe System and Vision Zero Frameworks
The following resources provide foundational guidance on the Safe System Approach, Vision Zero, and national roadway safety priorities. Agencies can use these materials to build a shared understanding of Safe System principles, communicate the paradigm shift to staff and decision makers, and align local safety work with federal and national best practices. ● USDOT National Roadway Safety Strategy
● USDOT National Roadway Safety Strategy Progress Report ● FHWA Safe System Strategic Plan
● FHWA Safe System Approach Principles and Elements
● FHWA Safe System Approach Framework
● ITE Technical Brief: The Utility of Measuring Kinetic Energy in Evaluating Roadway Safety Risks
● ITE Implementing Safe Systems in the United States: Guiding Principles and Lessons from International Practice
● ITE Safe Systems Synthesis: An International Scan for Domestic Application ● Safe System Consortium Recommendations
● AAA Foundation: A Safe System Guide for Transportation - Lead Your Community to Action
● AAA Foundation: A Safe System Guide for Transportation - Successful U.S. Community Examples
● Road to Zero
● Safety for All Roadway Users
● Vision Zero Network
● Vision Zero Toolkit
● Rethinking Traffic Safety: The Case for Reducing Kinetic Energy Exposure, Not Just Speed
● 2023 TRB Annual Meeting Keynote: NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy on the Safe System Approach
● Fehr & Peers Safety Multipliers
● Fehr & Peers: The Ws of Safety
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Speed Management and Traffic Calming
The following resources focus on managing vehicle speeds through policy, design, operations, enforcement, and self-enforcing roadway strategies. These materials can help agencies identify appropriate speed management tools, communicate why speed is central to crash survivability, and develop projects that better align operating speeds with surrounding land use and roadway context.
● SafeTREC California Safe Speed Toolkit
● FHWA Safe System Approach for Speed Management
● FHWA Noteworthy Speed Management Practices
● FHWA Self-Enforcing Roadways: A Guidance Report
● FHWA Speed Safety Camera Program Planning and Operations Guide ● Vision Zero Network: Fair Warnings - Equity in Speed Safety Camera Programs ● Global Designing Cities Initiative: Speed Management
California Policy, Design, and Implementation
The following resources highlight California-specific policies, design guidance, and implementation tools that can support local Complete Streets and roadway safety efforts. These references can help agencies align local recommendations with CalSTA, Caltrans, and statewide funding/program requirements, particularly for speed management, contextual design, intersection safety, and active transportation implementation. ● CalSTA SP 01-25: Joint Secretary’s Policy on Road Safety ● Caltrans DIB 94: Complete Streets Contextual Guidance ● Caltrans Intersection Safety and Operational Assessment Process (ISOAP) Guide ● Caltrans Traffic Calming Guide: A Compendium of Strategies ● Caltrans SB 743 Mitigation Playbook
● California Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP)
● California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CA MUTCD) ● California Transportation Commission Active Transportation Program ● California Office of Traffic Safety Grants
● WSDOT Injury Minimization and Speed Management
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Federal Planning, Design, and Operations Guidance
The following resources provide federal and national guidance for applying the Safe System Approach across transportation planning, design, operations, and programming. Agencies can use these materials to translate safety concepts into project development, roadway design decisions, corridor planning, and institutional practices that support proactive risk reduction. ● NCHRP: A Guide to Applying the Safe System Approach to Transportation Planning, Design, and Operations
● NCHRP: Applying the Safe System Approach to Transportation Planning, Design, and Operations
● NCHRP: Institutionalizing the Safe System Approach in Transportation Planning and Programming
● FHWA Safe System Project-Based Alignment Framework
● FHWA Safe System Roadway Design Hierarchy
● FHWA Safe System Approach for the Urban Core
● FHWA Integrating the Safe System Approach with the HSIP ● FHWA Proven Safety Countermeasures
● Context-Sensitive Street Classification Framework for Speed Limit Setting ● TRB: An Expanded Functional Classification System for Highways and Streets ● TRB: Roadway Cross-Section Reallocation
● FHWA USDOT National Deployment Plan for V2X Technologies Bicycle, Pedestrian, Intersection, and Complete Streets Design The following resources provide guidance for designing streets and intersections that better serve people walking, biking, rolling, accessing transit, and driving. Agencies can use these materials to identify context-sensitive treatments, improve multimodal connectivity, reduce conflict points, and advance Complete Streets recommendations from planning through design. ● FHWA Primer on Safe System Approach for Pedestrians and Bicyclists ● FHWA Improving Pedestrian Safety on Urban Arterials: Learning from Australasia ● AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, 5th Edition ● NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide
● NACTO: Don’t Give Up at the Intersection
● NACTO: The Infrastructure Bill Grants Cities More Control Over Street Design ● FHWA Make Complete Streets the Default Approach
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Equity, Enforcement, Culture, and Community Implementation The following resources address the community, institutional, and equity dimensions of roadway safety implementation. These materials can help agencies develop engagement strategies, evaluate the role of enforcement, prioritize investments equitably, and build a traffic safety culture that supports Safe System outcomes.
● FHWA Equity in Roadway Safety Resources
● Vision Zero Network: Prioritizing Health Equity in Vision Zero Planning ● Vision Zero Network: Re-thinking the Role of Enforcement in Traffic Safety Work ● Vision Zero Network: Developing a Robust Vision Zero Prioritization Process ● ITE Institutionalizing the Safe System Approach in Local Road Safety Plans ● Center for Health and Safety Culture
● Creating Safer Systems and Healthier Communities: Resource Hub ● AAA Foundation: Developing a Near-Miss Reporting System for Roadside Responders Research, Evaluation, and Analytical Tools
The following resources provide research, evaluation methods, and analytical tools that can help agencies assess safety risks and compare the effectiveness of potential countermeasures.
These references can support systemic safety analysis, project prioritization, benefit estimation, and ongoing evaluation of safety outcomes.
● SafeTREC Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS)
● Crash Modification Factors Clearinghouse
● The Safe Systems Pyramid: A New Framework for Traffic Safety ● Recurrent Patterns in the Application of Traffic Impact Analyses: Safety First or Last? ● Rethinking Safety (BMJ Injury Prevention, 2026)
International and Global Practice
The following resources provide international perspectives on Safe System implementation and global road safety practice. Agencies can use these materials to understand how other countries and global safety leaders frame systemic risk reduction, survivable speeds, and longterm strategies for eliminating fatal and serious injury crashes. ● Sustainable and Safe: A Vision and Guidance for Zero Road Deaths ● Saving Lives Beyond 2025: Recommendations of the Academic Expert Group for the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety
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Federal and State Funding
The following resources identify major federal and state funding programs that may support Safe System, Complete Streets, active transportation, and roadway safety projects. Agencies can use these references to connect recommended improvements to potential grant opportunities, understand program eligibility, and position projects for future funding applications.
● USDOT & FHWA Competitive Grant Funding Matrix
● USDOT Rural Grant Toolkit: Navigating Grant Applications ● FHWA Complete Streets Funding Poster: Safety for All
● FHWA Bicycle and Pedestrian Funding Opportunities
● USDOT Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program ● Caltrans Active Transportation Program (ATP)
● Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP)
● Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) Program ● State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)
● Urban Greening Grant Program
● Local Partnership Program (LPP)
Grant Resources
The following resources provide examples and guidance related to competitive grant applications, funding strategies, and infrastructure investment approaches. Agencies can use these materials to strengthen grant narratives, understand what makes applications competitive, and identify broader funding models that may support implementation. ● Transport Canada Funding Programs
● Montgomery County Transportation Development Review
● Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning Grant Funding Information ● Nevada DOT: What Makes an Application Competitive
● Cook County: Invest in Cook
● NCSL Transportation Funding and Finance Legislation Database ● Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: It’s Time for States to Invest in Infrastructure
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September 2026
About the Program
The Complete Streets Safety Assessment (CSSA) conducts comprehensive transportation safety assessments that focus on pedestrian and bicycle safety. The aim of the CSSA is to help communities identify and implement traffic safety solutions that lead to improved safety and accessibility for all users, especially people walking and biking, on California’s roadways.
The Safe Transportation Research and Education Center (SafeTREC) is a University of California, Berkeley research center affiliated with the Institute of Transportation Studies and the School of Public Health. Our mission is to inform decision-making and empower communities to improve roadway safety for all. We envision a world with zero roadway fatalities or serious injuries and a culture that prioritizes safe mobility.
For more information, visit: https://safetrec.berkeley.edu or email us at [email protected].
Contributing Authors
This report was written by:
Obaid Khan, Technical Evaluator
Noelani Fixler, SafeTREC
Lilette Gorostieta, SafeTREC
ITEM 7C
TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS August 20, 2026
Staff Report to the City Council
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION APPROVING A POLICY AND PROCEDURE
FOR TOWN PURCHASING POLICY
FROM: Varsha Srinivasan, Management Analyst VS
APPROVED: Cody Einfalt, City Manager
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council consider and adopt a resolution (Attachment 1) approving Policy and Procedures for the Town Purchasing Policy (Attachment 2) by:
1. Adopting the revised Town Purchasing Policy as set forth in Title 2, Chapter 4 of the Los Altos Hills Municipal Code, including all procedures for open market orders, informal and formal bidding, and emergency purchasing, to ensure compliance with California Public Contract Code and current municipal standards.
2. Approving the implementation of the updated procurement thresholds and procedures, including the requirement for at least three competitive bids for purchases and contracts exceeding $60,000, and formal bidding for contracts over $200,000, as specified in the Municipal Code and Public Contract Code Sections 22032 and 22034.
3. Direct staff to maintain and update the contractors list and ensure all notices inviting informal and formal bids are distributed in accordance with Public Contract Code Section 22036 and the California Uniform Construction Cost Accounting Commission guidelines.
4. Authorize the City Manager to award contracts up to $60,000 and require City Council approval for contracts exceeding this authority, in accordance with the revised policy.
BACKGROUND:
The Town of Los Altos Hills has maintained a formal purchasing system since its incorporation, with the City Council periodically updating procurement policies to reflect changes in state law and municipal needs. The foundational authority for Town purchasing is established in Title 2, Chapter 4 of the Los Altos Hills Municipal Code, which delegates purchasing authority to the City Manager and sets forth requirements for requisitions, estimates, and the prohibition of procurement splitting. These provisions were originally adopted by Ordinance 252 and have been amended by subsequent ordinances, which are listed below.
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Town Purchasing Policy
August 20, 2026
Ordinance Effective
Date
Section(s)
Modified Key Changes
Ord. 252 Original
adoption
§§ 2-4.01
through 2-
4.06 Established the Town's purchasing system;
City Manager as purchasing agent
Ord. 505 October 12,
2006
§ 2-4.03
First amendment to open market orders
section after original adoption
Ord. 580 March 23,
2019
§ 2-4.03
Increased City Manager's open market
authority from $15,000 to $25,000; approved
5-0
Ord. 583 July 20, 2019 § 2-4.04
Updated bidding procedures to match Ord.
580; set formal bid threshold at $125,000; CM
authority at $25,000
Ord. 609 May 20,
2023
§§ 2-4.01, 2-
4.03, 2-4.04
Comprehensive overhaul: CM authority raised
to $60,000; formal bid threshold raised to
$200,000; added procurement splitting
prohibition; reorganized bidding procedures;
aligned with CA Uniform Public Construction
Cost Accounting Act
Ord. 620 January 8,
2026
§§ 2-4.01, 2-
4.03 Most recent amendment to purchasing system
(incorporated into current code)
Key milestones in the development of the Town’s purchasing policy include the adoption of formal and informal bidding procedures for goods, services, and public projects, as well as the integration of requirements from the California Public Contract Code. Notably, the City Council has approved amendments to align local procedures with Public Contract Code Sections 22032, 22034, and 22036, ensuring that contractor lists and bid notifications meet state standards. The most recent comprehensive review and revision of the Purchasing Policy was initiated in 2023, with further updates considered at regular and adjourned City Council meetings on November 20, 2025, and December 9, 2025, respectively. Council waived the reading and introduction of the Purchasing System Ordinance at the November 20, 2025, meeting and adopted the Ordinance at the December 9, 2025, meeting. These actions have established the current framework for procurement activities and set the stage for the present consideration of additional policy revisions.
DISCUSSION:
Staff has conducted a detailed analysis of the Town’s current purchasing policy framework, focusing on technical requirements, operational impacts, and compliance with evolving state mandates. The following discussion addresses key implementation considerations,
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Town Purchasing Policy
August 20, 2026
stakeholder input, and comparative evaluation of policy alternatives. These items were also brought to the Finance & Investment Committee (FIC) on July 27, 2026, for their review.
Technical and Procedural Analysis
The revised Town Purchasing Policy introduces several technical specifications to ensure compliance with California Public Contract Code and to enhance transparency and accountability in procurement activities. Notably, the policy delineates clear procedures for both informal and formal bidding, including requirements for bid solicitation, contractor notification, and bid evaluation. For public projects valued at $200,000 or less, the Town must maintain a current list of qualified contractors and distribute notices inviting informal bids to all contractors on the list as well as to construction trade journals, with a minimum notification period of 10 calendar days before bids are due. For projects exceeding $200,000, formal bidding procedures require public advertisement, electronic and mailed notifications to trade journals, and a minimum 14- to 15-day notice period prior to bid opening. These measures are designed to maximize competition and ensure equitable access for potential vendors. A summary of these thresholds is outlined in Attachment 3.
The policy also provides for the rejection of bids and outlines the process for awarding contracts when all bids exceed the established threshold. In such cases, the City Council may, by a four-fifths vote, award the contract at up to $212,500 if the Town’s cost estimate is deemed reasonable. If no bids are received, the Town may proceed by force account or negotiated contract, subject to statutory requirements.
Service Procurement and Evaluation Criteria
For professional and contractual services, the policy emphasizes the importance of demonstrated competence, overall value, and professional qualifications, with cost as only one of several evaluation factors. The City Manager is authorized to solicit proposals or quotations through multiple channels, including direct mail, telephone, email, or public posting, to ensure a broad and competitive selection process. This approach aligns with best practices for public sector procurement and supports the Town’s objective of securing highquality services.
Comparative Evaluation of Policy Alternatives
Staff evaluated alternative approaches to procurement thresholds and bidding procedures, including maintaining prior thresholds or further increasing City Manager authority. The adopted thresholds reflect a balance between operational efficiency and Council oversight, consistent with statewide norms for municipalities of similar size and complexity.
Comparative analysis indicates that the revised thresholds and procedures are expected to reduce administrative delays while maintaining robust internal controls.
Stakeholder and Committee Input
Input from the Finance and Investment Committee on July 27, 2026, and external legal counsel was solicited during the policy revision process. Stakeholders emphasized the need for clear documentation, regular updates to contractor lists, and ongoing staff training to
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Town Purchasing Policy
August 20, 2026
ensure consistent application of the policy. No significant objections were raised regarding the proposed procedures, and the committee supported the alignment with state law and industry standards. More information on this discussion can be found under section 6 of the Draft FIC Minutes Transcript 7-27-2026 (Attachment 4).
Implementation Timeline
The following table summarizes key milestones in the policy update process:
Date Milestone/Event
March 16, 2023 Introduction of Ordinance 609 and initial policy revision
May 20, 2023 Effective date of Ordinance 609 and
implementation of new procedures
Nov 20, 2025 Regular City Council review
of purchasing policy
Dec 9, 2025 Adjourned meeting for further policy
amendments
July 16, 2026 Consideration of final adoption of revised policy Performance and Compliance Monitoring
To ensure ongoing compliance, the policy requires the City Manager to maintain comprehensive records of all open market orders, bids, and contract awards, which are subject to public inspection. Staff will conduct periodic reviews of procurement activities and update procedures as necessary to reflect changes in state law or municipal priorities. Performance metrics, such as bid response rates and contract processing times, will be tracked to assess the effectiveness of the revised policy.
In summary, the proposed revisions to the Town Purchasing Policy are designed to strengthen legal compliance, promote competitive procurement, and enhance operational efficiency, while providing appropriate checks and balances through Council oversight and public transparency.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
This action does not qualify as a “Project” as defined in California Government Code Section 15378(b) of the Guidelines for California Environmental Quality Act.” CITY COUNCIL WORKPLAN:
The adoption of the revised Town Purchasing Policy directly supports the FY 2025-26 City Council Work Plan item titled “Enhance Financial Stability and Operational Efficiency through Modernized Procurement Practices.” This action advances the Council’s strategic
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Town Purchasing Policy
August 20, 2026
priority to maintain sound fiscal management by ensuring that all Town purchasing activities are conducted in accordance with current legal requirements and industry best practices, as established in Title 2, Chapter 4 of the Los Altos Hills Municipal Code. By updating procurement procedures and thresholds, the Town strengthens internal controls, promotes transparency, and streamlines operational processes, thereby aligning with the Council’s broader goals of effective governance and responsible stewardship of public resources. This policy update represents measurable progress toward completion of the identified work plan item and reinforces the Town’s commitment to continuous improvement in municipal operations.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The adoption of the revised Town Purchasing Policy is not anticipated to result in a direct, material fiscal impact to the Town’s operating or capital budgets. The policy update formalizes existing procurement practices and aligns local procedures with current requirements of the California Public Contract Code and the Los Altos Hills Municipal Code, as referenced in Title 2, Chapter 4. No new programs or capital expenditures are authorized as part of this action, and no additional appropriations are required at this time.
Implementation of the revised policy will be managed within existing departmental resources. Staff time will be required for ongoing training, maintenance of contractor lists, and periodic compliance reviews; these activities are expected to be absorbed within current budgeted staffing levels. Any incremental administrative costs associated with enhanced recordkeeping or bid solicitation are not projected to exceed existing allocations for procurement administration.
Funding for purchases and contracts executed under the revised policy will continue to be drawn from the General Fund and other established special revenue or capital project funds, as appropriate to the nature of each procurement. All expenditures will remain subject to annual budget adoption and appropriation by the City Council in accordance with standard municipal financial controls.
The policy’s provisions for competitive bidding and cost-effective procurement are expected to support long-term fiscal stewardship by promoting transparency, reducing the risk of procurement errors, and ensuring that Town funds are expended in accordance with best value principles. No cost increases or savings directly attributable to the policy update have been identified at this time.
Summary Table: Fiscal Impact of Policy Adoption
Fiscal Impact Category FY 2026-27 Estimate Ongoing Annual Impact Additional Staff Time Absorbed Absorbed
Training/Compliance Activities Absorbed Absorbed
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Town Purchasing Policy
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New Appropriations Required None None
Projected Cost Savings Not Quantified Not Quantified
Funding Source(s) Existing Funds Existing Funds
No budget amendment is required as a result of this action. Should future changes to procurement practices or statutory requirements necessitate additional resources, staff will return to Council with a separate funding request.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution
2. Proposed Purchasing Policy
3. Purchasing Thresholds & Approval Flowchart
4. Draft FIC Minutes Transcript 7-27-2026
Prepared by: Emily Zhang, Finance & Administrative Services Intern
ITEM 7C Attachment 1
RESOLUTION NO._____
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS APPROVING A TOWN PURCHASING POLICY WHEREAS, the Town of Los Altos Hills does not currently have a Purchasing Policy; and WHEREAS, City Council of the Town desires to formally adopt a Townwide Purchasing Policy; and
WHEREAS, to ensure the proper administration of the Purchasing Policy and to formally establish internal controls, the City Council wishes to approve the Town Purchasing Policy, establishing the City Council’s role in requesting and approving the Policy on behalf of the Town.
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the Town of Los Altos Hills, does RESOLVE as follows:
1. The above recitals are true and correct and hereby incorporated into this Resolution.
2. The Town Purchasing Policy, included as Attachment 2, is hereby approved.
3. The City Manager is authorized to execute the approved Purchasing Policy, and to take any other related action reasonably necessary to carry out the intent of this Resolution.
4. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its passage.
The above and foregoing Resolution was passed and adopted by the City Council of the Town of Los Altos Hills at a regular meeting held on the 20th day of August, 2026 by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
BY:
___________________________
Rajiv Bhateja, Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________________
Arika Birdsong-Miller, City Clerk