City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: May 12, 2026
Agenda Item: 4.L
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Christopher Dishlip, Director of Public Works, Mobility Division Subject: Adoption of Local Roadway Safety Plan
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect and a finding of categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15262 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines; and
2. Adopt the attached 2022 Local Roadway Safety Plan.
Summary
The City of Santa Monica has a long-standing commitment to enhancing safety for all users of its local roadways, as reflected by the City’s commitment to conducting and updating a Local Roadway Safety Plan or equivalent every five years. Agencies must have a completed Local Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP) or equivalent to apply for Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grant funding. Staff seeks approval of the City’s 2022 LRSP to remain competitive for HSIP and other grant funding sources.
Although the 2022 LRSP has been completed and posted on the City’s website since 2022; it is being presented to Council now because LSRPs that have been adopted by the City Council have the ability to make grant applications more competitive.
Discussion
The City of Santa Monica has a long-standing commitment to enhancing safety for all users of its local roadways and has established guiding transportation safety programs, policies, and goals with the following planning documents: Land Use and Circulation Element (2010), Bike Action Plan (2011), Pedestrian Action Plan (2016), Climate Action 2 of 3
and Adaptation Plan (2019), Bike Action Plan Amendment (2020), Wilshire Boulevard Safety Study (2020), and the Local Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP) (2022). The 2022 LRSP analyzed collision data from 2015 – 2019 and identified the highest priority intersections and corridors for improvement, as well as recommended focus areas.
Findings and emphasis areas identified in the current LRSP have been used to prioritize the rollout of capital improvements, including pedestrian crossings at intersections, projects addressing crashes involving people bicycling and using shared mobility devices, speed management and network improvements in CalEnviroScreen areas.
These areas are most burdened by pollution and community vulnerability. Projects that address these emphasis areas and have been recently completed or are nearing completion include Six Schools Pedestrian Improvements, Olympic Boulevard Sidewalks, Bergamot First and Last Mile Improvements, Broadway Protected Bikeway, Colorado Avenue Protected Bikeway, East Pico Safety Project and Wilshire Safety Improvements.
Staff is currently working to update the LRSP with data from 2020-2025 and anticipates coming to Council with an updated LRSP in Fall 2026. In order to remain eligible for HSIP and other transportation safety funding sources, staff recommends that Council adopt the 2022 LRSP now to remain competitive for any funding sources that might become available prior to Council’s adoption of the updated LRSP later this year.
Currently the LRSP is a technical requirement for the California Department of Transportation’s Highway Safety Improvement Program.
Environmental Review
The City’s Local Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP) is categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) and Section 15262 of the CEQA Guidelines. Section 15061(b)(3), states that CEQA does not apply “where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility the activity may have a significant effect on the environment”.
Section 15262 exempts a project involving only feasibility or planning studies for possible future actions which the agency, board, or commission has not approved, adopted, or funded. The LRSP is a plant that would guide the prioritization of future 3 of 3
capital improvement projects, including pedestrian crossing upgrades at key intersections, initiatives addressing crashes involving people bicycling and using shared mobility devices, network enhancements in CalEnviroScreen-designated communities, and speed management projects. Therefore, the LRSP is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) and Section 15262.
Past Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
02/23/2016
(Attachment A)
Adoption of Pedestrian Action Plan
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
There is no immediate financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of recommended action. Staff will return to Council if specific budget actions are required in the future.
Prepared By: Colleen Stoll, Transportation Demand program Manager Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. February 23, 2016 Staff Report (web link)
B. Santa Monica 2022 Local Roadway Safety Plan - Summary C. Santa Monica 2022 Local Roadway Safety Plan - Full
D. Written Comments