To: Board of Supervisors
From: Brian M. Balbas, Public Works Director/Chief Engineer
Report Title: Adopt the Contra Costa County Vision Zero Final Report, Countywide.
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
ADOPT Resolution No. to affirm the Vision Zero Action Plan to Achieve Zero Annual Transportation-Related Fatalities and Severe Injuries on Unincorporated County Roads as recommended by the Public Works Director, Countywide. (All Districts)
FISCAL IMPACT:
No fiscal impact.
BACKGROUND:
This resolution will formalize that Contra Costa County is a Vision Zero County as recognized by the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA). The aim of Vision Zero is to reduce serious injuries and fatalities on the unincorporated roads to zero as soon as possible.
On March 1, 2022, the Board of Supervisors adopted the Vision Zero Final Report and Action Plan which was for the County to establish a commitment to the Vision Zero Program by adopting a Resolution. Other jurisdictions in the region, such as the City of Lafayette, City of San Francisco, and City of Fremont, have adopted resolutions to affirm their programs. The CCTA has also recently adopted a Vision Zero Program, and they are requesting that all Cities within Contra Costa County and the County build upon CCTA’s efforts by adopting a resolution of their own to affirm their programs and Action Plan.
The Vision Zero Action Plan that was adopted by the Board of Supervisors on March 1, 2022, demonstrated that Contra Costa County is committed to Vision Zero: the elimination of severe injuries and fatalities resulting from traffic collisions on County roadways. The purpose of Contra Costa County’s Vision Zero Action Plan is to identify opportunities for safety for all modes through implementation of a Safe System approach. This builds upon the Systemic Safety Analysis Report (SSAR) and the Vision Zero Final Report that summarizes and documents the County’s Vision Zero Action Plan.
While the priority projects focus on infrastructure improvements, the Final Report also discussed the Safe Systems Approach that includes road users, safe speeds, post-crash care, equity considerations, and emerging technologies. The basic tenant of the Safe System Approach is that humans make mistakes and are vulnerable, but the responsibility is shared, safety is proactive, and redundancy is crucial. The Vision Zero Action Plan aims to support a safety culture that includes education and engagement, cross-sector partnerships, emergency response and post-crash care, emerging technology implementation, and data collection and management.
The overarching aim of Vision Zero is to reduce fatalities and severe injuries on the County’s road network to zero by enhancing existing efforts and programs and by implementing additional recommendations.
The Vision Zero Report and Action Plan served as the County’s Local Road Safety Plan that the State of California required for all public agencies in the State in order to receive Highway Safety Improvement Program Funds.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Failure to adopt the Vision Zero Final Report will miss an opportunity to affirm its support for the aim of Vision Zero, which is to reduce serious injuries and fatalities on the unincorporated county roads to zero.
cc: B. Balbas, Director, S. Kowalewski, Chief Deputy Director, J. Fahy, TE, J. Valeros, TE, C. Standafer, TE