Fremont adopts Safe Streets action plan, commits to zero fatalities and serious injuries by 2036

The Fremont City Council voted 7–0 on May 12 to adopt the Safe Streets for Fremont safety action plan, a city transportation-safety roadmap developed with consultant JEO that sets a goal of zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries by 2036.

"We are asking for your council to adopt the action plan this evening and commit to a goal of zero serious injuries and zero fatalities by the year 2036," Anna Allen, the city engineer, told the council. JEO presented crash data showing roughly 2,800 crashes in Fremont from 2019–2023, including 45 serious-injury crashes and five fatalities. Consultants identified 51 vulnerable-road-user crashes in that period, with one resulting fatality.

Consultant Zach Abrams said the plan combines crash data and community input — the team collected about 510 responses through online and in-person outreach — to prioritize sites and select countermeasures. "We identified top corridors including L Street, 23rd Street, Military Avenue, Lincoln Avenue and Broad Street," Abrams said, and outlined engineering and policy options such as improved crosswalk visibility, pedestrian refuge islands, rapid-flashing beacons and signal upgrades.

Council members pressed for clarity on implementation and prioritization. Councilman Horner said the city must avoid dropping previously approved projects; Allen said the plan is intended to be a menu of improvements that can be incorporated into future reconstruction and maintenance work, and that some safety measures are low cost or policy changes rather than large capital projects. The resolution approving the plan was introduced as Resolution 2026-121 and passed 7–0.

The council adoption allows staff to incorporate the plan when applying for federal Safe Streets (SS4A) grant funding and to begin identifying short- and long-term projects for engineering, education and policy changes.