Evaluation of Local Pedestrian Safety: The California Pedestrian Safety Assessments

ProgramPresentation for MTC’s

Pedestrian Safety Summit

Meghan Mitman, AICPFehr & Peers

January 29, 2010

PSA Program History

• CA Office of Traffic Safety (OTS)• National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration (NHTSA)• UC Berkeley ITS Tech Transfer• Consultant: Fehr & Peers

OTS Vision for Ped Safety

Enable California communities to:• Improve pedestrian safety at specific

locations and citywide• Create safe, comfortable, accessible,

and welcoming environments for pedestrians

• Enhance walkability, livability, and economic vitality

OTS: Building upon TSE

Traffic Safety Evaluations (TSE) – 10 years

• Combining two experts: traffic engineering and enforcement

• Field site visit and staff interview

• Recommendations for enhancing traffic safety

Scope: Primary Focus

• Infrastructure• Engineering• Planning• Policy• Economic

Vitality

Scope: Secondary Considerations

PSA Advisory Panel

• Dan Burden, Glatting Jackson• Christopher Murphy, Office of Traffic Safety• Lisa Dixon, Office of Traffic Safety• Ken Kochevar, Federal Highway Administration• William Kootsikas, National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration• Rosalind Tianco, National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration• Richard Haggstrom, Caltrans• Ken McGuire, Caltrans• Bruce Appleyard, UC Berkeley• Charlie Zegeer, University of North Carolina at Chapel

Hill• Rudy Umbs , Federal Highway Administration

Feedback from Rudy Umbs, FHWA:

Elements of the PSA

Collision Data and OTS Rankings

TABLE 2-2. WALNUT CREEK TRAFFIC COLLISIONS AND RANKINGS, 2007

TYPE OF COLLISIONVICTIMS KILLED &

INJURED

RANKING BY DAILY VEHICLE MILES

TRAVELED (of 103 cities)

RANKING BY AVERAGE POPULATION (of 103 cities)

Total Fatal and Injury 359 79 (77 percentile) 29 (28 percentile)

Alcohol Involved 23 91 (88 percentile) 64 (62 percentile)

HBD (Had Been Drinking) Driver <

212 75 (73 percentile) 67 (65 percentile)

HBD Driver 21 - 34 6 83 (81 percentile) 63 (61 percentile)

Pedestrians 31 49 (48 percentile) 16 (16 percentile)

Pedestrians < 15 3 80 (78 percentile 70 (68 percentile)

Pedestrians 65+ 8 17 (17 percentile) 5 (5 percentile)

Bicyclists 9 93 (90 percentile) 86 (83 percentile)

Bicyclists < 15 2 92 (89 percentile) 82 (80 percentile)

Composite 86 (83 percentile) 41 (40 percentile)

Speed Related 73 55 (53 percentile) 23 (22 percentile)

Nighttime (9:00pm - 2:59am)

23 87 (84 percentile) 51 (50 percentile)

Hit and Run 13 87 (84 percentile) 71 (69 percentile)

DUI ARRESTS 396

Source: California Office of Traffic Safety, http://www.ots.ca.gov/Media_and_Research/Rankings/default.asp

Pre-Visit Interview:Programs, Policies, and

Practices

Range of Issues

Addressed

Interview Benchmarking:Key Strengths,

Enhancements, and Opportunities

Benchmarking Matrix

Key Strengths - Examples

• General Plan establishes pedestrian opportunity areas and encourages the development of pedestrian nodes

Key Strengths

• Public Art is present throughout Walnut Creek

Key Strengths

Enhancement Areas - Examples

• Establish a Downtown Transportation Management Association (TMA)

• Establish TDM policies as conditions of development approval

Enhancements

• Police Enforcement– Routinize efforts – Share resources with

neighbors– Educate officers– Enhance involvement of

enforcement in planning, design, construction, and operation of pedestrian facilities

Enhancements

Opportunity Areas - Examples

• Establish a crosswalk policy to address:– Installation– Removal– Enhancements

Opportunity Areas

• Involve Health Agencies (including EMS) in the planning or design of pedestrian facilities

Opportunity Areas

Field Visit:Multi-disciplinary participants

and walking audit

Multi-disciplinary Participants

ADA Coordinator*Engineering/Public Works Department Staff (including maintenance staff)*

Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee Members Health Organizations including EMS

Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator* Local/Regional Utilities Companies

Business Owners or Residents in Focus Location(s)Neighborhood Preservation or Services Department Staff

Business Associations Parking Management Staff

Caltrans District/ Headquarters Staff Pedestrian Advocacy Organization Members

City Architect Planning Commission and/or Board Members

City Landscape Architect Police Traffic Safety Enforcement Officer*

City Manager or Assistant Project Development/ Property Owners

City Planning Department Staff (Long Range and Development Review)* Redevelopment Agency Staff

Civic Engagement Department Staff Regional Agency/ MPO Representative

Community Development Department StaffRepresentatives from Non-English Speaking Communities

Community Associations School District Staff/PTA/PTO Leaders

Department of Aging Senior Citizen Advocates

Disability Rights Advocacy Organization Traffic Safety Advisory Committee Members

Elected Officials Transit Services Staff

Field Audit Participants

Field Audit Types

• Walking Audit• Nighttime Audit• Economic Vitality• Target Citizen Group• Windshield

• Aerial/GIS-Based• Site Plan Review• Intercept Surveys• Focus Groups

Walking Audit Route Overview

Sample Observations and Recommendations

North Broadwayand Duncan Street

(Walnut Creek)

North Broadwayand Duncan Street (Walnut Creek)

Veterans Boulevard

Significant jaywalking between Kaiser and Kmart, bus stop; recent fatality

Glossary of Candidate Treatments

Recommendations

The Report

Related Programs in California

• Pedestrian Safety Action Plans (PSAPs)

• Community Pedestrian Safety Engagement

• Healthy Transportation Network

Questions or Comments?

Meghan Mitmanm.mitman@fehrandpeers.com

415-348-0300www.coolpedestrianenvironments.org