Commerce City public works unveils Safety Action Plan draft and data-driven priorities

Commerce City — Interim Public Works staff presented the city’s Safety Action Plan (SAP), a data-driven effort aimed at reducing fatal and serious-injury (KSI) crashes on arterial and collector streets. The project, funded through the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program, uses crash and systemic roadway analysis to prioritize interventions.

"This study was funded through the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All program," said Jenna, interim director of public works. Staff and a consultant analyzed crashes from 2019 through 2023, noting an overall decline in total crashes but an increase in crash severity. Rear-end collisions were the most common crash type; vehicle collisions with bicyclists or pedestrians accounted for about 15 percent of KSI crashes, and the presentation noted that almost 70 percent of crashes occurred during daylight hours but winter conditions saw a higher share of severe outcomes.

Engagement for the SAP included two open houses in summer 2024, five pop-up events, mailing 12,300 flyers and an online MetroQuest survey that produced more than 800 comments. Stakeholder outreach included the school district, Adams County, the fire district and the police department. A consultant-led systemic analysis ranked roadway segments by risk using roadway geometry and operational features; staff said the combined crash and systemic scores produced a list of eight priority road segments for near-term attention once implementation funds are secured.

Jenna described potential countermeasures drawn from Federal Highway Administration guidance and the consultant’s recommendations: rectangular rapid flashing beacons, bicycle lanes, lower speeds where appropriate, medians, roadway-departure remedies, red-light cameras, and backplates with retroreflective borders. Staff said countermeasures will be tailored to each corridor and that the city will use the SAP to support future grant applications for implementation funding. The draft SAP is expected in May or June, with staff planning to return to council in July with a final plan and a resolution committing the city to Vision Zero-style reductions in fatalities and serious injuries.

Councilmembers asked about localized patterns and next steps. Councilmember Dukes and others emphasized the need to pair SAP results with traffic calming programs for local streets, not just arterials, and to coordinate with CDOT on state-controlled corridors. Staff said they are building an internal Power BI platform with Adams County and the consultant to track crash metrics and measure implementation outcomes.