March 3, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
Palo Alto
Safe Streets & Roads for All
City Council
Project Timeline & Next Steps
Key Elements & Tonight's Purpose
Overview of Draft Safety Action Plan
Feedback on Quick-Build Program & Resolution
Agenda
Project Timeline & Next Steps
Date Activity
January 7 Draft Plan at Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee January 9 Draft Plan at Human Relations Commission
January 23 Draft Plan at City/School Transportation Safety Committee January 29 Draft Plan at Planning and Transportation Commission March 3 Draft Plan at Council Study Session
March 15 Public Comment Deadline
May 13 (Tent.) Final Plan & Resolution to Council Policy & Services Committee June 2 (Tent.) Final Plan & Resolution to Council
Draft Safety Action Plan Key Elements & Tonight's Purpose This Safety Action Plan is…
A key to unlocking federal, state, and regional funding A roadmap to reach zero fatalities, focused on the next five years An acknowledgement of the City’s commitment to a change in protocols and processes related to funding and policies (via Resolution) An opportunity for City staff to use tools like Quick Build projects to quickly implement safety needs with the ability to make changes to design over time Purpose: Resolution & Quick-Build Program Feedback
Create a citywide speed management plan
Review the Citywide TIF and County TIA Guidelines for Safe System/VMT alignment Collaborate with neighboring cities, the County, VTA, other transit providers, and Caltrans to improve first-last mile connections to key routes and improve transit infrastructure along major transit routes
Update Public Works Standard Drawings and Specifications to align with Safe System principles
Collaborate with Santa Clara County Public Health Department and the City of San Jose to partner in acquisition of trauma center data sharing
Develop user safety guidance for e-bikes and e-scooters that travel in the City Enhance the culture of safety with decision makers and City staff The Next Five Years
Common Data Inputs
SWITRS Crash Data (2018-2022)
Community input from the Bike Palo Alto Event
Online survey responses
Interactive webmap
Internal Stakeholder Working Group
How Do the SAP and BPTP Update Overlap?
Safety Action Plan
Safety for all modes of travel
Takes a safety lens to existing
plans with proposed projects
Sets the City up to institutionalize
a new safety framework
How is the SAP Different from the BPTP Update?
Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Update
Safety focus on bicyclists and
pedestrians
Creates new bike/ped projects
Builds off the policy framework
identified in the SAP
What is the Relationship of SAP to Other Plans?
Safety Action Plan
Bicycle and Pedestrian
Transportation Plan
Update
Specific/Area Plans
(e.g. San Antonio
Road Area Plan)
Policy foundation for
transportation planning
Identification of network
and facility types
Land use and
transportation design
and implementation
planning
Source: Fehr & Peers for FHWA
The Safe System Approach
Aims to eliminate fatal and serious injuries for all road users by:
Accommodating Human Mistakes
Keeping Impacts On The Human Body At Tolerable
Levels
The Safe System Approach
Source: FHWA
The Safe System Approach
The Safe System Approach
The Public Health Impact Pyramid
As informed by Ederer, et. al.: https://visionzeronetwork.org/applying-the-health-impact-pyramid-to-roadway-safety/
ACTIVE MEASURES
LATENT MEASURES
BUILT ENVIRONMENT
SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS
AWARENESS
MEASURES
INDIVIDUAL
EFFORT
POPULATION
HEALTH IMPACT
The Public Health Impact Pyramid
Source: Vision Zero Network https://visionzeronetwork.org/applying-the-health-impact-pyramid-to-roadway-safety/ Engagement
Invite discussion with key
stakeholders
Project Prioritization
or Location-Specific
Engineering
Recommendations
Strategies for Engineering,
Education, and
Enforcement
Partnerships
Develop internal
partnerships
High-Injury
Network (HIN)
Identification
Systematic and
Data-Driven
Analysis
Strategic
Planning
Vision Statement
and Goals
Strategies for
Evaluation and
Implementation
(e.g. funding sources)
Discussion of
Existing Efforts
What Does A Safety Action Plan Include?
High-Injury Network
www.cityofpaloalto.org
High Injury Network
Community Engagement
www.cityofpaloalto.org
Online survey (October to December 2023)
766 respondents
Bike Palo Alto (October 2023)
May Fete (May 2024)
Internal Stakeholder Working Group
Council & Committee Meetings
Community Engagement
General enthusiasm for bike lanes
Concerns around speeding motorists
Need for enhanced intersection treatments
Need for more bike lanes along school routes
Need for additional connections to key destinations
Community Feedback: Key Themes
Safety Focus Areas
www.cityofpaloalto.org
13% of KSIs 15% of KSIs 9% of KSIs 6% of KSIs
13% of KSIs 4% of KSIs 6% of KSIs
Residential
Arterials
Alcohol
Involved
Pedestrians On
Arterials at Night
Pedestrians On Major
Downtown Streets
90° Angle Collisions
with Bicyclists (All Ages)
Walk & Roll Bike Routes
Crossing Higher Stress
Streets
Children Riding
Bicycles
KSI: Severe Injury or Fatal Collisions
Equity Considerations
Population Below the Federal Poverty Line in
Palo Alto
• Census blocks where 10-20% of the
population lives below the poverty line
Downtown
Alma St/East Meadow Dr/Charleston
Rd
Parts of Stanford
Southeast corner of the City
Equity Considerations
East Palo Alto Walk and Roll Routes
• Highlights connectivity of Walk & Roll
Routes to adjacent EPCs
Parts of Stanford
East Palo Alto
Equity Considerations
Transit Corridors in Palo Alto
• Prioritizes the need for first/last mile
access to transit stops and key
destinations
Safety As A Public Health Concern
www.cityofpaloalto.org
The Public Health Impact Pyramid
ACTIVE MEASURES
LATENT MEASURES
BUILT ENVIRONMENT
SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS
AWARENESS
MEASURES
INDIVIDUAL
EFFORT
POPULATION
HEALTH IMPACT
As informed by Ederer, et. al.: https://visionzeronetwork.org/applying-the-health-impact-pyramid-to-roadway-safety/ The Public Health Impact Pyramid In Action – Palo Alto SRTS Variety of mode choice options to get to school
Investment in Walk & Roll Routes citywide
Speed management – 20 MPH in school zones
BPTP Update prioritized project list
Signal timing upgrades, all-pedestrian phases, LPIs
Bike rodeos & core education programs
Helmet distribution
Passive signage or child safety alert figurines
As informed by Ederer, et. al.: https://visionzeronetwork.org/applying-the-health-impact-pyramid-to-roadway-safety/ Reaching Zero Death & Serious Injuries
www.cityofpaloalto.org
Quick Build Program
Serves goal to immediately implement safety needs
Requires minor construction activities but are built to be durable, low to moderate in material cost, and last from one to five years For Your Feedback
Mission/Geneva Safety Project
Source: SFMTA
Grimmer Elementary School Traffic Safety Assessment
Source: City of Fremont
Resolution Tradeoffs
Vehicle delay may increase to prioritize speed reduction and safety Reallocation of vehicle travel lanes and/or on-street parking may occur to install active transportation facilities
Land use planning, zoning, and partnerships with transit providers will be seen as safety focus areas, to ensure reliable and frequent transportation options to key destinations
For Your Feedback
Project Timeline & Next Steps
Date Activity
January 7 Draft Plan at Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee January 9 Draft Plan at Human Relations Commission
January 23 Draft Plan at City/School Transportation Safety Committee January 29 Draft Plan at Planning and Transportation Commission March 3 Draft Plan at Council Study Session
March 15 Public Comment Deadline
May 13 (Tent.) Final Plan & Resolution to Council Policy & Services Committee June 2 (Tent.) Final Plan & Resolution to Council
Thank you!
Ashlee Takushi
Fehr & Peers | [email protected]
Sylvia Star-Lack
OOT | [email protected]
www.cityofpaloalto.org