DEPARTMENT: Transportation & Capital Improvements
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Mike Frisbie, P.E.
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Traffic Safety and Enforcement Grant
SUMMARY:
An ordinance authorizing the submission of an application to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for funding consideration under the Statewide Pedestrian and Bicyclist Focus Education and Enforcement Effort, and authorizing the acceptance of up to $428,670.28 in federal grant funds for Vision Zero San Antonio: Traffic Safety Education and Enforcement Program, if awarded.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Vision Zero is an international effort that was first adopted in 1997 in Sweden. Several European nations and cities around the world have since also adopted Vision Zero and have achieved significant fatality reductions. Cities in the United States that have adopted the Vision Zero goal include Austin, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Portland, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle. The Vision Zero approach is summarized by the thought that no loss of life is acceptable.
Vision Zero continues many of the traditional traffic safety initiatives but goes further in its holistic approach, bringing together different stakeholders within the community to work together toward the common goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries.
Councilmember Shirley Gonzales submitted a City Council Request (CCR) in June of 2015 directing staff to create a Vision Zero Action Plan. In September of 2015, San Antonio Mayor Taylor initiated Vision Zero with a press conference on the steps of City Hall. Vision Zero is a being led by the Transportation & Capital Improvements Department (TCI). Vision Zero has been presented to the Governance Committee, the Transportation, Technology and Utilities Committee, and the Criminal Justice, Public Safety and Services Committee. There have been five stakeholder meetings and three task force meetings with partner agencies to develop the Vision Zero Action Plan.
ISSUE:
This ordinance authorizes the submission of an application to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for funding consideration under the Statewide Pedestrian and Bicyclist Focus Education and Enforcement Effort, and authorizes the acceptance of up to $428,670.28 in federal grant funds for Vision Zero San Antonio: Traffic Safety Education and Enforcement Program, if awarded.
TCI would like to continue efforts toward development and implementation of a Vision Zero Action Plan with assistance through this federal grant. The goals of the proposed NHTSA grant for Vision Zero San Antonio: Traffic Safety Education & Enforcement program are to:
1) Further the goal of the Vision Zero San Antonio initiative to reduce traffic related fatalities and serious injuries on San Antonio roadways to zero.
2) Educate people driving, walking, and bicycling about the consequences of failure to yield, speeding, and practicing unsafe passing procedures.
3) Coordinate with the San Antonio Police Department to hold at least 6 High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) events to reinforce the hands free ordinance, safe passing ordinance, and failure to yield.
The key to success in achieving Vision Zero is a combined approach using the five essential elements for a safe transportation system: Engineering, Encouragement, Enforcement, Education, and Evaluation. The proposed program activities will follow the Five E approach.
Engineering
Develop a pedestrian and bicycle crash analysis to identify trends, high risk populations, and high crash locations over the past five complete calendar years. Review of year to date crashes will also be analyzed. Crash data for analysis will be provided by TXDOT. A minimum of five high crash corridors and five high crash intersections will be identified through the data. Six of these ten locations or hot spots will be used for the location of the high visibility enforcement and media campaign.
Encouragement
TCI will invite the general public, neighborhood associations, biking and walking advocates, businesses, insurance companies, and safety experts, including political leaders, engineers, planners, health care providers, first responders, and other community organizations to participate in the first annual Vision Zero Symposium to discuss traffic safety. A desired outcome of the symposium is to provide a forum for community members to discuss traffic safety and to grow community advocates for pedestrian and bike safety and to grow the Vision Zero movement.
Enforcement
The high crash locations identified through the crash analysis will be used for the location for high visibility enforcement. High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) is a universal traffic safety approach designed to create deterrence and change unlawful traffic behaviors. HVE combines highly visible and proactive law enforcement targeting a specific traffic safety issue. Law enforcement efforts are combined with visibility elements and a publicity strategy to educate the public and promote voluntary compliance with the law.
Education
The education and media campaign will accompany enforcement activities. It will consist of six pushes which will include: news releases and requests for coverage; informational pamphlets and brochures; PSAs; posters; paid advertisements; and a website redesign. All campaign materials will be published in both English and Spanish and will be available on the newly redesigned website.
Evaluation
Evaluation of the activities and interventions will be integrated throughout the implementation of the proposed project. Prior to implementation, an online survey as well as intercept surveys will be used to understand current public opinion and thought in regards to Vision Zero and traffic safety. Hot spots identified for HVE will be investigated to understand current traffic behaviors. Traffic counts will be taken before and after the interventions. Speed analysis will be conducted to see if there was any improvement to compliance with speed enforcement. Crash data before the intervention and after the intervention will be analyzed to see if there is any improvement. Metrics will be integrated into the new website to track the number of hits and downloads.
ALTERNATIVES:
City Council could choose not to authorize any or all of the activities in this submittal for federal funding consideration. However, the City would miss an opportunity to obtain approximately $428,670 in federal funds dedicated specifically to bike and pedestrian education and enforcement. This is an opportunity to enhance traffic safety and further San Antonio’s Vision Zero goal.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This City Council action to submit the application does not commit any funds. However, if this proposal is awarded, a local in-kind match has been identified utilizing current staff resources. The program total cost is estimated to be $711,430.83 with approximately $282,760.56 in non-federal funding and $428,670.28 in federal funding. Approximately $86,222.97 of the non-federal funding is attributed to the City of San Antonio from in-kind staff hours. No new funding will need to be allocated. A summary of the proposed costs is shown below.
|
Federal |
Non-Federal |
TOTAL |
|
$428,670.28 |
$282,760.56 |
$711,430.83 |
|
|
COSA |
Other |
|
|
|
$86,222.97 |
$196,537.58 |
|
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of an ordinance authorizing the submission of an application to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for up to $428,670.28 in funding consideration under the Statewide Pedestrian and Bicyclist Focus Education and Enforcement Effort and authorizing the acceptance of the federal funds, if awarded.