Staff Report.Local Roadway Safety Plan Final Report
PREPARED BY: Ying Smith
Transportation and Mobility Manager
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, Finance Director, and Parks and
Public Works Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 406-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 4/19/2022 ITEM NO: 16
DATE: April 14, 2022
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Local Roadway Safety Plan:
a. Adopt the Local Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP);
b. Direct Staff to Develop the Short-Term Improvements and Pursue Grant
Funding; and
c. Direct Staff to Proceed with All Implementation Actions in the LRSP
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the Town Council:
a. Adopt the Local Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP);
b. Direct staff to develop the short-term improvements and pursue grant funding; and
c. Direct staff to proceed with all implementation actions in the LRSP.
BACKGROUND:
The Town received a Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grant in an amount of
$72,000 from Caltrans in 2019 to prepare a Local Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP). The preparation
of a LRSP is included in the Town’s adopted FY 2020/21-2024/25 Capital Improvement Program
(CIP). Preparing a LRSP provides an opportunity to address unique roadway safety needs in Los
Gatos while contributing to the success of the State’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan.
The LRSP will help establish a framework and process for identifying, analyzing, and prioritizing
roadway safety improvements on local and rural streets. In addition, completing the LRSP will
allow the Town to be eligible for applying and receiving HSIP grant funds in future years.
The Town began the LRSP process in January 2021. A progress report, summarizing the major
completed tasks, was provided at the December 21, 2021 Town Council meeting. The progress
report provided a high-level summary of the completed tasks of Vision Statement, Existing
PAGE 2 OF 3 SUBJECT: Local Roadway Safety Plan Final Report DATE: April 14, 2022
BACKGROUND (continued):
Conditions and Safety Data Analysis, Collision Profiles, Community Engagement, and Priority
Emphasis Areas.
DISCUSSION:
The project team, made up of Town and Fehr & Peers staff, completed the remaining LSRP tasks
in early 2022. Following is a high-level summary of the remaining tasks:
1. Walk Audit: The project team prepared the draft countermeasures in the Priority Emphasis
Areas and held a walk audit with the Safety Partners on January 25, 2022. The Safety
Partners included representatives from the Los Gatos - Monte Sereno Safe Routes to
School, the Los Gatos Union School District, the Complete Streets and Transportation
Commission (CSTC), Santa Clara County Public Health Department, the Los Gatos-Monte
Sereno Police Department, and the Town Traffic Engineer. The group walked through two
of the five Priority Emphasis Areas, Tait Avenue and Los Gatos Boulevard between Bennett
Way to Garden Lane, discussed the draft countermeasures and provided input. Following
the walk audit and consideration of the input, the project team modified the
countermeasure recommendations and included them in the Final Report.
2. Countermeasures: The project team prepared a toolkit of countermeasures to address the
safety patterns. The most relevant countermeasures were recommended for the priority
emphasis areas. These recommendations will help guide future design and engineering to
develop projects to improve safety at key locations.
3. Final Report: The report (Attachment 1) documents the process and results of all tasks,
including technical data and detailed analysis. Most importantly, the report includes
recommendations for implementation actions, phasing, and sequencing. Implementing
countermeasures, projects, and programs identified in the LRSP typically requires an
ongoing, long-term commitment from the Town. To facilitate the evaluation and
prioritization of funding, it can be desirable to consider the implementation of safety
projects through different time horizons.
Near-term implementation efforts may focus on low-cost improvements which can be
constructed within five years. These may include systemic improvements such as upgraded
traffic signal heads, signal phasing and timing modifications, high-visibility crosswalk
markings, and pedestrian visibility enhancements which can be pursued as discrete projects
or as system improvements at multiple locations.
PAGE 3 OF 3 SUBJECT: Local Roadway Safety Plan Final Report DATE: April 14, 2022
DISCUSSION (continued):
Medium-term implementation goals may target the pursuit of progressive safety elements
such as those identified in the Countermeasure Toolbox in all capital projects and
infrastructure planning efforts already underway. This could include emphasizing safety in
projects such as the Highway 17 Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing, Winchester Boulevard
Complete Streets, Blossom Hill Road Safety Improvements, and Los Gatos Boulevard
corridor improvements.
Long-term goals may focus on further emphasizing safety in future planning and design
efforts, including updates to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan and all capital
improvement projects. Future efforts for the Town to consider may also include formalizing
a Town pledge to Vision Zero strategies and values. An ongoing commitment to the
inclusion of off-site safety improvements in conjunction with development projects would
allow the Town to capitalize on additional funding opportunities.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends the Town Council adopt the Local Roadway Safety Plan and direct staff to
proceed with the implementation actions in the Final Report.
COORDINATION:
The Complete Streets and Transportation Committee (CSTC) has received regular updates on
the project progress and provided input. At its March 10, 2022 meeting, the CSTC reviewed the
progress report on the new tasks completed since January this year.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
Attachment:
1. Local Roadway Safety Plan Final Report