The Street Smarts Program is a collaborative effort between the Contra Costa County Public Works Department, the City of San Ramon (City), the Town of Danville, the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, and the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District to support traffic, bicyclists, and pedestrian safety for school children. It supports goal five of the Smart Growth Action Plan to help fund transit and other transportation improvements that foster smart growth principles. The County has participated in this program since 2004 by funding a share of the costs to implement the program. During Fiscal Year 2022/23, the City is administering the program and is requesting that the County fund a total of $20,000 for program development and administrative support services. On May 10, 2022, the Board of Supervisors approved an allocation of $40,000 from the Livable Communities Trust Fund to the Public Works Department to participate in the Street Smarts program for FY2021/22 and FY2022/23.
The Public Works Director, or designee, will execute on behalf of the County, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City to participate in the Street Smarts Program for the period July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023. The MOU is attached in its substantially final form and will be executed in a form approved by County Counsel.
The Street Smarts Program campaign is implemented through the collaborative effort of the Street Smarts Advisory Committee ("Advisory Committee"), which meets periodically to implement the following program components:
-Elementary School Safety Assembly: Street Smarts devised an elementary school safety assembly designed to teach students the basics of pedestrian and bicycle safety. For the 2022/23 school year, a contest is offered for students to have the opportunity to learn about traffic safety through short, interactive, and entertaining bike and pedestrian themes.
-Community Bike Rodeo/Festival: As a component of Street Smarts' Safe Routes to School Efforts, a community bike rodeo/festival is tentatively scheduled for Spring 2023 that allows students to practice their cycling and traffic safety skills in a controlled, supervised environment.
- Community Outreach Efforts: Street Smarts staff attends over two dozen community events as part of its outreach efforts. At the events, Street Smarts representatives staff an informational booth with traffic safety educational program materials and activities for children and teen drivers.
The Street Smarts Program advances traffic, bicyclists, and pedestrian safety within the San Ramon Valley. For these reasons, Supervisor Andersen recommends that the Board of Supervisors approve continuing participation in the program during Fiscal Year 2022/2023 and allocating an award of $20,000 for program support and administrative services.
Contra Costa County will no longer be a participant in the Street Smarts Program.
The Street Smarts Program supports Outcome 5: Communities are Safe and Provide a High Quality of Life for Children and Families.