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TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE

Meeting Date:	10/09/2017
Subject: RECEIVE Update and DIRECT staff as appropriate regarding Complete Streets/”Vision Zero” Implementation
Submitted For:	TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE
Department:	Conservation & Development
Referral No.:	1
Referral Name:	REVIEW legislative matters on transportation, water, and infrastructure.
Presenter:	Jamar Stamps, DCD	Contact:	Jamar Stamps (925)674-7832

Information

Referral History:

In July 2016, the Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution No. 2016/374 supporting the adoption of “Complete Streets” in Contra Costa County and approving the County’s Complete Streets Policy. In addition, the Board directed staff to include “Vision Zero ” concepts and Automated Speed Enforcement (“ASE”) in implementation. Staff from the Department of Conservation and Development (“DCD”) and the Public Works Department (“PWD”) have been closely collaborating on the development and implementation of the aforementioned initiatives.

Referral Update:

Complete Streets
Complete Streets policies and concepts have been part of the County’s project development process even prior to the adoption of Resolution No. 2016/374. Resolution No. 2016/374 formalized the County’s commitment to Complete Streets and set the County’s eligibility for OneBayArea Grant funds.

The County’s Complete Streets Implementation Policies are meant to:

1. Ensure new transportation projects consistently fulfill General Plan policies,
2. Existing projects incorporate Complete Streets infrastructure where needed and when feasible, and
3. Formalize consultation between County staff and the Countywide Bicycle Advisory Committee occurs to ensure best practices and design principles are used.

The County’s Complete Streets Policy also directs County staff to establish a method of evaluation for tracking progress with Complete Streets implementation (e.g. tracking the number of miles of paths, bike lanes and sidewalks, numbers of street crossings, signage etc.). County staff has enlisted Fehr & Peers for technical assistance in establishing evaluation criteria. Given the fact that funds for transportation projects are often limited, these evaluation criteria would assist in prioritizing bicycle and pedestrian improvement projects and result in more methodical and understandable decision making.

This effort unifies the complete streets and key performance indicator policies used by DCD and PWD in project development and helps to ensure the two Departments have consistent and well-communicated priorities and processes.

Fehr & Peers is in the process of developing a menu of proposed options. County staff will review the proposal and from there refine a recommended approach that would be presented to the TWIC at a future meeting.

Vision Zero
Fehr & Peers is also assisting County staff with developing a Vision Zero-type strategy. The branding of the program has not been determined and could eventually have a different title. Nevertheless, the basic tenets of the program (recognition that traffic fatalities are preventable and should not be an acceptable trade-off for automotive throughput) will be consistent with other Vision Zero programs.

Fehr & Peers is developing a proposed approach for County staff to consider. This effort will be data intensive, collaborative among various agencies (DCD, PWD, Health Services, and Highway Patrol) and key community stakeholders. Once the program framework is drafted County staff will recommend the Board adopt a resolution establishing the County’s commitment to the program. Following that, County staff will begin to develop and refine the program through collaboration with the aforementioned agencies and the public.

Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) Cameras
A summary of the status ASE activities, also known as speed cameras, is in the October 2016 TWIC report . TWIC directed staff to include ASE activities with the Complete Streets implementation. (This direction is memorialized in the draft 2018 State Legislative Platform being discussed at the October 2017 TWIC meeting) Enforcement of speed laws is a critical tool in the vision zero toolbox. While projects designed with complete streets and safety in mind are critical, it is unreasonable to expect that we are going to redesign and reconstruct our entire transportation infrastructure in attempt to ensure speed laws are followed. ASE also respects the fact that traffic control may not be the best use of critical law enforcement personnel and budgets.

The ASE component of the subject effort currently consists of legislative advocacy. Authorization to use cameras is ambiguous in applicable state statutes. AB 342 (Ting), introduced in 2017, would have removed this ambiguity and authorized a pilot project in the cities of San Jose and San Francisco. Consistent with direction from the Board of Supervisors, County staff will continue to find opportunities to advocate for ASE, and propose a pilot project when and where appropriate.

Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):

RECEIVE Update and DIRECT staff as appropriate.

Fiscal Impact (if any):

None.

Attachments
ATT 1,10-13-16 TWIC Excerpt