Planning commission recommends city adopt multimodal safety action plan

The Planning Commission on July reviewed a proposed city Safety Action Plan developed with a Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant and voted 4-0 to send the plan to the City Council for possible adoption.

The plan, developed with consultant Kimberly Horn after a 2023 SS4A grant, lays out six chapters of analysis and recommended countermeasures designed to reduce serious crashes across the city. City staff told the commission the $250,000 project included a $50,000 local match and used crash data primarily from 2017–2021 supplied by ODOT for the analysis.

Why it matters: Commission endorsement is the step the staff said is needed before the City Council can adopt the plan and make the city eligible for federal infrastructure funds tied to SS4A and similar programs. The plan also frames local goals around Vision Zero — the stated aim of eliminating traffic fatalities — and pairs engineering, education, enforcement and other strategies with an action plan of specific projects.

City staff summarized the plan’s structure and outreach. "The plan is made up of, 6 chapters," the staff member said, describing chapters on process and engagement, crash history, a high-injury network, countermeasures and an implementation action plan. Staff said a steering committee that included city staff, local schools, ODOT, the chamber of commerce and other organizations guided the work; the steering group held four or five meetings during the plan’s development.

The draft identifies a high-injury network that staff said covers roughly 8.5% of the city’s road mileage and includes corridors residents are likely familiar with: South Division from downtown to I-35, West Noble, the I-35/Noble interchange area, Pine Street north toward the high school, and short segments such as Walnut and Perkins (the latter flagged after a bicycle fatality). For each location the plan pairs analysis with possible countermeasures, ranging from improved lighting, added left-turn lanes and pavement markings to new signals, pedestrian hybrid beacons, sidewalks, roundabouts or lane reconfigurations.

Commissioners asked about public support and enforcement tools. "I think, 70 it came back about 74% of the community was in favor of better pedestrian and bike, safety actions," Commissioner Dan said, referring to the plan’s public survey. On speed monitoring, staff clarified the recommendations center on nonenforcement technologies such as portable speed-feedback trailers and activated crosswalk lighting, not automated ticketing cameras: "No monitoring. No monitoring. No." the staff member said.

Staff described outreach that included an online survey, a booth at an October wine festival and a May event with a draft plan on display. The plan’s action items identify potential partners and next steps such as coordinating enhanced enforcement with police, updating the trails master plan and conducting intersection assessments.

After discussion, a commissioner moved to send the plan forward; another commissioner seconded the motion. Planning Commissioner Zach Robbins, Commissioner Lloyd Lentz, Commissioner Steven Harrison and Commissioner Brent Linford voted yes, producing a 4-0 vote to forward the plan to the City Council. Staff said the plan will go to the City Council at its first August meeting, where adoption would be required before staff can pursue federal funding for individual projects.

The commission’s recommendation does not itself authorize construction or spending. The draft plan lists candidate projects and countermeasures; individual projects would require separate design, funding approvals and any necessary right-of-way or permitting actions before work begins.