HomeMy WebLinkAbout6/18/2024 Item 4a, Nelson and Schwartz - Staff Agenda CorrespondenceCity of San Luis Obispo, Council Memorandum
City of San Luis Obispo
Council Agenda Correspondence
DATE: June 17, 2024
TO: Mayor and Council
FROM: Brian Nelson, Acting Public Works Director
Prepared By: Luke Schwartz, Transportation Manager
VIA: Whitney McDonald, Interim City Manager
SUBJECT: ITEM 4A – SLOCOG REGIONAL ROAD SAFETY PLAN PRESENTATION
Staff have been asked to provide additional details regarding the San Luis Obispo Council
of Governments (SLOCOG) planned presentation on their Regional Road Safety Plan
effort, which is the topic of a brief presentation under Item 4a on the June 18, 2024 City
Council Agenda.
Attached to this Agenda Correspondence, readers will find a copy of the May 29, 2024
SLOCOG Board Staff Report (Item C-9), which provides additional background
information and information on upcoming public outreach events supporting this regional
planning effort.
The purpose of the presentation to Council is to bring community awareness to the plan
and to help garner community engagement in the form of public comment and
participation in regional road safety surveys. There is no direct action being requested of
Council other than to receive the information and spread awareness. SLOCOG staff have
presented this topic to other cities and will soon be presenting to the County Board of
Supervisors and community advisory groups, as well as continuing outreach through
social media channels.
It should also be noted that the City Transportation Division is currently in progress with
the City’s first local Vision Zero Action Plan, which mirrors SLOCOG’s Regional Road
Safety Plan effort, with more detailed analysis and focus on transportation safety topics
within the city. City staff plan to have a Draft Vision Zero Action Plan ready to share for
community input this summer, with plans to take a Final Vision Zero Action Plan to the
City Council for adoption in the fall of 2024. This timeline leads the SLOCOG regional
planning effort by approximately one year, and SLOCOG steering and technical
committees are working collaboratively with City staff to ensure their plan is
complimentary and consistent with City initiatives.
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SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS
STAFF REPORT
MEETING DATE: MAY 29, 2024 ITEM C-9
SUBJECT:
STAFF CONTACT:
Get Involved: Regional Road Safety Action Plan
John DiNunzio
SUMMARY
This item provides an update of actions being taken relating to improving roadway safety across the region via
the Regional Road Safety Action Planning effort.
SLOCOG received a Federal Safe Streets for All (SS4A) grant to prepare a Regional Road Safety Action Plan
to identify actions that can significantly make a difference in evolving our roadway network into a safe mobility
network. The Plan will help formulate the best approaches, philosophies, and programs to meet our current
and future road safety needs, while identifying opportunities for beneficial safety investments. The plan takes
a regional look to establish vision and goals, include holistic and inclusive public engagement, conduct crash
data and equity analysis to enhance locally adopted safety plans, and provide data and engagement tools for
ongoing use. The plan will conclude with project and programmatic strategies and recommendations for both
improving the built environment with safety countermeasures but also regional public safety engagement
activities such as campaigns to discourage speeding, drunk & distracted driving. The plan will position the
region and agencies to be eligible for future state and federal implementation grants.
In October 2023, SLOCOG made a policy proclamation – “’Road to Zero’ Regional Fatalities and Serious
Injuries by 2050” – that is a commitment by SLOCOG Board to an eventual goal of zero roadway fatalities and
serious injuries. This was the result of an ongoing effort to address the fact that fatalities on nation’s roads
have remained stubbornly high for the past decade, and in the SLO region there were a total of 155 fatalities
and 832 serious life changing injuries between 2018 and 2022. A Road to Zero Steering Committee has been
formed to oversee the Safety Action Plan development, implementation and monitoring and is meeting
approximately quarterly in 2024 and 2025.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff: Receive update and encourage public engagement and participate in upcoming activities related to
the SLOCOG Road to Zero Safety Action Plan.
TTAC: See Addendum
CTAC: See Addendum
DISCUSSION
The Road to Zero (RTZ) is a new regional transportation policy focused on eliminating traffic fatalities within
30 years. This safety target goal is based on the fact that traffic fatalities are preventable, and that zero traffic-
related fatalities and serious injuries is the only acceptable goal. The recently approved proclamation by
SLOCOG shows that safety is valued across organizations beginning with the highest-ranking city and county
officials in the San Luis Obispo region and by accomplishing the leadership commitment and goal setting
supporting the RTZ as a strategy to promote safer streets.
SLOCOG formed a Road to Zero Steering Committee that oversees the Action Plan development,
implementation and monitoring. The Committee will be convened as it relates to the Regional Safety Action
Plan development schedule. Convening this working group will include representation from but not limited to
CHP, Fire, City Police, County Public Works and Public Health, and city & county staff from planning,
engineering, enforcement, school board, public affairs. The RTZ Steering Committee is anticipated to meet
quarterly or every two months, with a larger meeting convening yearly at the October SLO Safe Streets Forum
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KEY ACTIVIITES
Public engagement will be occurring between April and November 2024 as we develop the existing setting
and potential strategies for the Regional Safety Action Plan. Community engagement starts with thinking about
why the engagement is happening and what the purpose of the interactions are. Incorporating EQUITY into
the public engagement and planning process is a key tenant of the effort.
Public engagement through a survey, interactive map, and attendance at local events will occur from May to
November 2024. Collecting input from across the region will help provide context-specific information and
regional perspectives related to roadway safety. A variety of methods to engage the community and safety
partners are planned such as:
Project Website: The project website www.slocogroadtozero.org will be developed as a highly visual and
interactive space with the goals of disseminating information (such as public meeting schedules and project
fact sheets) and providing opportunities for input or to contact the project team.
Survey: An online questionnaire was created to ask about people’s experiences on the roadways. Paper
surveys will be accessible as an offline alternative.
Interactive Map: An online map will be used to solicit input from the community on locations that have
perceived safety concerns and the option for the general public to comment on particular issues. While crash
data reports the incidents where a crash actually happened, there are often many locations that have “near
misses” or other unique aspects that are of concern. Maps will be available at in-person events for comments
to be received as an offline alternative.
Social Media: Project updates, advertising upcoming events, and sharing national safety messages and traffic
behavior strategies will be posted on social media platforms.
Community Events: The project team will attend community events, using events to capture feedback without
requesting the public to travel to a location that may not be convenient.
Key events include:
• April 30 Caltrans Worker’s Memorial and Safety Fair
• May ~ August -City Council, Board of Supervisors and Community Advisory Councils
• May 16 – SLO Farmers Market Public Works Night
• May 23 – SLO Farmers Market Public Works Night
• June 1 – Paso’s Safety Fest
• October 2 - SLO Safe Streets Forum – Ludwick Center 6pm
• November 17 - World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims 2024 – SLO County Courthouse
A 2024 SLO Safe Streets Forum will be hosted by SLOCOG and other key safety partners on October 2nd to
bring information and speakers together to discuss the ongoing roadway safety efforts and vision of the region.
This will be the third consecutive year of having a forum. A World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic
Victims will be held at the SLO County Courthouse.
Both the SLO Safe Streets Forum and World Day of Remembrance are events which have been developed
as part of the stakeholder listening that has taken place to date.
For further information contact John DiNunzio, Senior Programming & Project Delivery, SLOCOG
jdinunzio@slocog.org (805) 781-5764
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