For Transportation Commission Meeting [May 6, 2020]
TO: Honorable Chairperson and Commission
APPROVAL: Savat Khamphou, Public Works Director/City Engineer
FROM: Gene Klatt, Consultant Engineer, Lockwood Engineering
Title
Systemic Safety Analysis Report Program Study Results and Recommendations.
(ACTION ITEM)
Body
BACKGROUND:
On March 22, 2016, staff submitted a grant application for Systemic Safety Analysis Report Program (SSARP) from the State of California to identify and prioritize safety projects for future Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grant applications. On September 17, 2017 the City Council, after a selection process to select the consultant to perform the study, awarded the project to Albert Grover & Associates (AGA). The attached report analyzed four years of collision data from the UC Berkley Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS), Rialto Police Department and the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) database. The selected corridors and intersections were based on the highest accident incidents and as directed by the City Council.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
A systemic approach was used to conduct an initial broad analysis of the entire City and identified intersections and roadway corridors that have the highest concentrations of collisions for further analysis. The analysis reviewed historical data of fatal and severe injury collisions along the following corridors:
1. Foothill Boulevard
2. Baseline Road
3. Riverside Avenue
4. Eucalyptus Avenue
5. Cedar Avenue
6. Cactus Avenue
7. Casmalia Street
These corridors were made a high priority during the safety evaluation process. The emphasis focused on evaluating head-on, rear-end, broadside, fixed objects, and vehicle/pedestrian collisions. The information was used to identify locations with higher than expected collision rates and generate a master list of eligible safety projects that could be submitted for future Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grant funding consideration.
Four (4) years of data was analyzed that covered 2,197 reported accidents. Of the reported accidents, 66% were injury or fatal accidents. The highest factors involved were speed, driving under the influence (DUI) and right of way violations. Overall, Rialto was in the middle when compared to other cities but was in the bottom 30% for accidents related to alcohol and nighttime accidents.
The report has considered appropriate remedies that might help address the accidents and prepared recommendations for suggested improvements along with cost estimates. Currently, the suggested improvements amount to approximately $2.2 million in total.
Staff established funding in the Grant Project Fund Account No. 223-400-4420-7536-180005 in the amount of $54,000 for the subject grant and the expenditures with the SSARP Grant awarded by the State of California. This funding is only for the report preparation and after adoption of the report, funding for specific suggested improvements will be sought with HSIP grants or other available funding as directed by the City Council.
Conclusion
Grant funding allowed the City to review several years of accident data and seek remedies that might address the root cause of the accidents. The grant also considered the cost/benefit ratio in order to maximize the HSIP grants available in the future for recommended improvements. Not every street or intersection was studied but an effort to locate the highest accident locations has been made.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Staff requests that the Transportation Commission:
• Review and accept the Draft SSARP
• Recommend approval to the City Council.