CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
MEETING DATE: September 21, 2016
PREPARED BY: Hilary Holeman, Administrative Analyst/City Manager’s Office
APPROVED BY: Steve Rymer, City Manager
Title
CITY SUPPORT OF THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES VISION ZERO TRAFFIC SAFETY RESOLUTION
END
RECOMMENDATION(S)
RECOMMENDATION
1. Authorize the City's voting delegate to vote on the Vision Zero traffic safety resolution to be considered at the League of California Cities (LOCC) annual conference; and
2. Direct staff to explore the benefits the Vision Zero traffic safety initiative would have on Morgan Hill.
BODY
COUNCIL PRIORITIES, GOALS & STRATEGIES:
Ongoing Priorities
Enhancing Public Safety
Preserving and Cultivating Public Trust
2016 Focus Areas
Planning Our Community
REPORT NARRATIVE:
Each year, the LOCC accepts resolutions from member cities and elected officials to be voted on at its annual conference in Long Beach, CA, October 5-7, 2016. This year one resolution has been introduced for consideration at the conference and referred to appropriate LOCC Policy Committees. The resolution (Attachment 1) is in support of "Vision Zero" and other programs or initiatives to make safety a top priority for transportation projects and policy formulation.
Vision Zero is a traffic safety improvement strategy first initiated by Sweden in 1997 and has been credited with reducing traffic fatalities in Sweden and other European countries by 50% over the past decade. Since 2014, eighteen U.S. cities have adopted Vision Zero programs (Attachment 2) including the following California cities: San Jose, San Francisco, San Mateo, San Diego, Los Angeles, Long Beach and Fremont.
The Vision Zero core principles are committing to build better and safer streets, educate the public on traffic safety, enforce traffic laws, and adopt policy changes that save lives. The goal is to create a culture that prioritizes traffic safety and minimizes serious injuries or death on our roadways. The envisioned end result of this initiative is safer, more livable streets as we work to eliminate traffic fatalities.
It has been an ongoing goal of the City's to focus on improving bike and pedestrian safety traffic calming and pedestrian safety efforts in the downtown area including improved lighting, crosswalk flags, reducing width of lanes, and the installation of speed humps. Future plans include a traffic signal at Fourth Street and in ground crosswalk lights. The City and the Morgan Hill Unified School District have been working in partnership on their ongoing commitment to making access to schools a safer place for the community. For example the relocation of the El Toro Elementary School drop-off/pick-up location and improved sidewalks and pathways around Paradise Valley Elementary School.
By approving the recommendation, our City LOCC representatives, Mayor Steve Tate (delegate) and Mayor Pro Tem Rich Constantine (alternate), will have the Council's general guidance for the vote to be taken on the resolution and are authorized to vote on amendments in the manner they deem to be in the best interest of the City. It is important to note, the action of this report is to support the LOCC resolution at the upcoming conference and provide direction for staff to further explore the benefits of the Vision Zero initiative to Morgan Hill. It is not an adoption of the initiative at this time.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Inform
ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS:
Council could not support recommended position or further exploration.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL AND COMMISSION ACTIONS:
At the July 20, 2016 Council Meeting, Mayor Steve Tate was appointed LOCC delegate and Council Member Rich Constantine was designated as the alternate.
FISCAL AND RESOURCE IMPACT:
No fiscal impact at this time.
CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act):
Not a Project
LINKS/ATTACHMENTS:
1. 2016 Annual Conference Resolution Packet
2. Map of Cities Who Have Adopted the Vision Zero Initiative