Palo Alto reviews draft Safe Streets for All safety action plan, seeks input on quick-build projects and equity mapping

PALO ALTO — City transportation staff and consultants presented a draft Safe Streets for All safety action plan at a March 3 study session, asking the City Council for feedback on a proposed quick-build program, a safety-focused resolution and a five-year implementation framework intended to reduce fatalities and serious injuries on city streets.

The presentation was led by Sylvia Starlak, transportation planning manager for the Office of Transportation, and consultant Ashley Takushi. Starlak told the council the plan is intended to unlock federal, state and regional funding opportunities — including eligibility for federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grants — and to institutionalize safety into project prioritization, design trade-offs and ongoing policies.

The plan centers on a “safe system” approach, Starlak and Takushi said, combining engineering, speed management, public-health framing and outreach to anticipate human error, limit transfer of kinetic energy in crashes and share responsibility for safety across agencies and road users. A high‑injury network (HIN) derived from crash records spanning 2018–2022 shows that 63% of collisions occur on about 4% of Palo Alto’s roadway miles, the staff presentation said.

Why it matters: The city’s transportation emissions and a growing housing supply increase the need to move more people in limited roadway space, Starlak said, and the council direction would help make Palo Alto eligible for competitive safety grants. The plan aims to increase walking, biking and transit use by reducing perceived danger — a barrier staff said is central to mode shift.

What’s in the draft: Staff said the plan includes the federal SS4A-required elements and proposes a quick-build program for near‑term, lower‑cost physical changes; updates to traffic‑calming, signal timing and intersection treatments; and a resolution that asks staff to consider trade-offs such as vehicle delay, right‑of‑way reallocation, parking changes and transit partnerships.

Community input and concerns: The plan’s outreach included an online survey, interactive map and in‑person events. Public commenters, including a six‑speaker group led by Helene G., urged council to pursue quick wins such as converting a four‑way stop and painting curb “daylighting” red near crosswalks under California’s daylighting law. Helene G. cited a serious collision at Middlefield and San Antonio and urged faster fixes at known dangerous intersections.

Members of Palo Alto’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee and individual residents urged the council to approve the draft framework but to accelerate collection of usage data — bike and pedestrian counts and collision context — so the city can target engineering and enforcement to the causes of crashes rather than relying only on collision “dots” on a map. Eric Nordman, a committee member, urged measurable targets (20% reduction in five years, 40% in ten) toward a longer zero‑fatalities goal.

Data and priorities: Several council members pressed staff on data limitations. Staff said the HIN uses collision data through 2022 and that provisional 2023 data exist but require validation. There is not yet a citywide, consistent bicycle- and pedestrian-count program; staff said the forthcoming Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan (BPTP) update will recommend monitoring locations and methods. Staff also noted regional equity tools (Metropolitan Transportation Commission equity priority community metrics) do not identify census tracts labeled EPC inside Palo Alto, so the plan used alternative local equity indicators (poverty rates by census block) and considered connections for people commuting from East Palo Alto.

Quick‑build program and speed management: The draft quick‑build program would allow low‑cost, reversible changes to lanes, crossings and buffering that can be installed and adjusted before permanent construction. Staff emphasized a forthcoming speed‑management program to identify where speeding overlaps the HIN so the city can prioritize treatments such as calming, signal timing or enforcement. Councilors and commenters urged more immediate red‑curb painting near crosswalks, improved sight lines at specific intersections and better lighting in nighttime pedestrian corridors.

Implementation and next steps: The draft public comment period closes March 15. Staff plans to compile feedback and return a final plan to the Policy & Services Committee in May and to council in June. Staff also said they will continue coordinating the plan with the BPTP update and with the San Antonio Road area plan so safety recommendations align with land‑use and transit changes.

Council reaction and direction: Council members generally supported the safe‑system approach but expressed concern about data gaps and urged staff to prioritize near‑term, low‑cost fixes that do not depend on federal grants. Several asked staff to return with more specific monitoring plans (bike counts, collision cause analysis) and timetables for quick‑build pilot projects. Council members also asked staff to work with the Planning & Transportation Commission on site‑specific trade‑offs and to return information on how the plan will be tracked and reported publicly.

What council did not decide: The study session did not involve a vote to adopt the plan; it was a request for feedback and direction. Staff said they will bring a final plan to committees and council later this spring after the public comment period closes on March 15.

Context and follow‑up: Councilors and commenters emphasized the need to pair long‑term strategies with immediate action — painting daylighting curbs, correcting misplaced stop signs, and responding to outstanding 3‑1‑1 requests on hazardous crossings. Staff said some near‑term responses are already underway (examples cited included completed stop‑control changes at one roundabout) and that quick‑build pilots and a speed‑management program are planned after plan adoption.

For readers: The draft plan and interactive materials were posted on the city’s website; public comment closes March 15. Staff said the plan is designed to be updated as new collision and usage data are validated and as implementation funding becomes available.