City auditor finds equity priority communities receive similar or higher access to some traffic safety services; auditors recommend targeted school outreach and

The City Auditor presented a review Aug. 26 of access to San Jose traffic safety programs, focusing on whether traditionally marginalized communities receive comparable services. The audit concluded that equity priority communities generally received the same or higher levels of some traffic safety services — notably quick‑build Vision Zero projects — but identified gaps in school program outreach and language access.

Auditor Joe Royce told the council the audit used two equity lenses — the city’s own Equity Atlas and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s equity priority communities — and found that quick‑build projects and certain pedestrian enhancements were disproportionately located in equity priority areas. However, the report identified that school traffic safety services such as crossing guards and walk‑and‑roll programming were less consistently distributed; fewer schools in equity priority tracts participated than expected. The audit recommended proactive outreach to schools, improved cross‑departmental coordination on crossing guard requests, and…