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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPalm-Desert-SS4A_narrative-finalSAFE STREETS FOR ALL Advancing Palm Desert’s Vision Zero Strategy B Table of Contents SECTION 1: OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................................................1 Commitment to Vision Zero .................................................................................................................1 SECTION 2: LOCATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 SECTION 3: RESPONSE TO SELECTION CRITERIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Criterion 1: Safety Need .......................................................................................................................3 Criterion 2: Safety Impact ....................................................................................................................4 Criterion 3: Engagement and Collaboration ........................................................................................9 CRITERION 4: SUPPLEMENTAL PLANNING AND DEMONSTRATION ACTIVITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 The Safety Problem and Impact .........................................................................................................11 Evaluating the Projects .......................................................................................................................12 Project Schedule .................................................................................................................................12 ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION: PROJECT READINESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 ADVANCING PALM DESERT’S VISION ZERO STRATEGY 1 Section 1: Overview Introduction With year-round sunshine and a growing commitment to improving mobility and safety for all users, Palm Desert is well-positioned to enhance transportation options that serve resi- dents, families, children, and visitors alike. Many streets in Palm Desert consist of wide arterials with high posted speed limits, heavy traffic volumes, and few pedestrian and bicy- clist crossings. Palm Desert’s leadership is working to improve their multimodal system to address the safety needs of the most vulnerable road users, particularly in areas with the highest proportion of collisions resulting in a fatality or serious injury, while maintaining an efficient roadway network for motor vehicles and transit services. The projects selected for this application address areas of historically higher collision rates and provide improvements for under- served communities in Palm Desert, with a focus on projects that benefit school-age chil- dren and older adults. Palm Desert community members provide feedback on Vision Zero strategies. Commitment to Vision Zero The City of Palm Desert has taken an active approach toward planning and designing road- ways that consider all transportation options. In 2021, the City completed a Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP) to identify emphasis areas to inform and guide further safety evaluation of the city’s transportation network. The analysis of crash history in the city allows for oppor- tunities to identify factors inhibiting safety for roadway users, improve safety at specific locations, and develop safety measures to encourage safer driver behavior. In June 2025, the City adopted a Vision Zero Strategy, which included a Safe Routes to School and Safe Routes for Older Adults component to guide future investments and programmatic activities related to improving safe, active travel for school-age children, older adults, and the community at large. The Vision Zero Strategy was funded by an FY22 SS4A Action Plan Grant. Palm Desert has a significantly older popula- tion (median age of 55) than Riverside County (median age of 37) and California (median age of 38). Older adults may choose to drive less frequently due to physical or cognitive changes, making access to safe, reliable transportation alternatives essential for maintaining their health, independence, and overall well-being. When walking or biking, they may move more slowly and face greater physical vulnerability in the event of a collision, underscoring the importance of designing streets that support safe mobility for all ages. Safe Routes to School is also a critical compo- nent in building healthier and safer commu- nities by educating school-age children and their parents about the benefits of walking and biking to school. More than half of the crashes on Palm Desert roads between 2013 and 2022 (per the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System [SWITRS]) involved either a K–12 school-age child or an older adult (55+). One California study found that implementing Safe ADVANCING PALM DESERT’S VISION ZERO STRATEGY 2 Routes to School infrastructure can reduce collisions involving people walking and biking up 75%. Protecting these vulnerable road user populations will make Palm Desert streets safer for everyone. The Vision Zero Strategy included develop- ment of a Systematic Safety Analysis and Safety Data Dashboard, which will be main- tained and updated as the City moves toward its traffic safety goals. The High Injury Network (HIN) and proposed implementation activities in this application originated from the Vision Zero Strategy. Furthermore, the City has adopted a Vision Zero Resolution (as shown on page 295 of the Safe Routes to School Plan) in which the City committed to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries by the year 2040 through infra- structure improvements, education, enforce- ment, and system-wide coordination. Section 2: Location Palm Desert is in the center of the Coachella Valley in Riverside County, California. Palm Desert has a population of approximately 52,000 permanent residents and 32,000 seasonal residents. With its desert climate, Palm Desert experiences warm temperatures year-round and intense heat during the summer months. The mean daily maximum during the summer months is over 100 °F (National Centers for Environmental Information), which can create conditions for heat-related illnesses. The median household income in Palm Desert is $64,295, and 12.9% of the population lives below the federal poverty line, which is above the national poverty rate of 11.5% (Census, 2022). The projects in this application touch or connect with the City’s HIN and an Area of Persistent Poverty (APP), indicating that the census tract has a poverty rate of at least 20% as measured by the 2014–2018 5-year American Community Survey. There are five project areas in this application. Four project areas include schools (Abraham Lincoln Elementary/Palm Desert Charter School, George Washington Charter School, James Earl Carter Elementary, and Palm Desert High) at which over 50% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals from the National School Lunch Program, an indicator of socio- economic vulnerability, highlighting areas where families may face financial challenges that affect access to transportation. The fifth project area at Fred Waring/Town Center is a commercial area near an older adult affordable housing community and was identified in the Vision Zero Strategy as a priority area for older adults. The project area radius is approximately one-half mile around each school mentioned above and one-half mile around the older adult housing community on Fred Waring Drive. Projects selected for implementation were chosen for their potential to address colli- sions, especially for vulnerable road users, including pedestrians and bicyclists. Projects were finalized by the City Council’s Active Transportation Program (ATP) Subcommittee. In addition to the infrastructure projects recommended in the five project areas, this application also recommends the continuation of the Very Important Pedestrian (VIP) educa- tional campaign to foster and support a culture of roadway safety in Palm Desert. The VIP Figure 1. All application projects are touching or connect with the Palm Desert HIN. 83% of serious collisions for all modes occurred on 8% of Palm Desert roads. ADVANCING PALM DESERT’S VISION ZERO STRATEGY 3 campaign was an initiative of the Vision Zero Strategy document, which was funded by an FY22 SS4A Action Plan Grant. Section 3: Response to Selection Criteria Criterion 1: Safety Need The Safety Problem The Palm Desert LRSP studied 2015–2018 collision data from local law enforcement via Crossroads Software analytics. The LRSP compared Palm Desert collision data with California data and determined that Palm Desert has a higher percentage (43.5%) of aggressive driving collisions (following too closely or traveling at unsafe speed) compared to the percentage of aggressive driving colli- sions statewide (33%). In part due to the city’s demographics, Palm Desert also has a higher percentage of people aged 65 years and older as the “party at fault” (50%) compared to state- wide data (13%). Palm Desert residents and visitors may benefit from the existing 63-mile network of bike lanes and off-street paths as well as sidewalks within the Coachella Valley and Palm Desert. Unfortunately, according to the crash analysis, 96% of crashes involving pedestrians within the city resulted in some form of injury or pain during the LRSP study years. Almost half of these pedestrian collisions occurred at night and half occurred while the pedestrian was crossing in the crosswalk. Additionally, the percentage of bicycle collisions compared to the total of all collisions is almost 4% higher in Palm Desert than statewide. Lighting improve- ments have the potential to reduce crash types throughout Palm Desert. While the city adheres to a dark-sky ordinance, community members have identified insufficient lighting as a barrier to walking and biking after dark (as shown on page 49 of the Safe Routes for Older Adults Plan). There are opportunities to enhance street lighting and roadway visibility for all road users in ways that improve safety while remaining compliant with the ordinance. There are also community concerns about Palm Desert’s roadways. When parents/caregivers were asked about the top concerns that prevent them from letting their student walk or bike to school, 70% of respondents stated speeding along the route was their top concern (as shown on page 229 of the Safe Routes to School Plan). When Palm Desert residents were asked about their top three concerns when walking or biking in Palm Desert, 63% of participants said they were concerned about traffic safety (e.g., speed). Missing or inadequate shade and sdiewalks were second and third concerns but were a much lower percentage (22% and 20%, respectively) (as shown on page 163 of the Safe Routes for Older Adults Plan). Crash History In addition to school-age children and older adults, vulnerable users in the city include those living in an APP, physically disabled people, and people using active transportation. Based on collision data between 2013 and 2022 (per SWITRS) used in the Vision Zero Strategy documents, the following collisions have occurred in Palm Desert: ●School-age children (age 5 to 18) and older adults (age 55+) were involved in 52% of all collisions citywide. ●35% of all collisions occurred within the SS4A application project areas. Of all collisions in the project areas, 16% involved a person walking or biking. ●26% of all killed or serious injury (KSI) collisions in the project areas involved a person walking or biking, despite being involved in only 16% of all total crashes. ●Of the pedestrian collisions within the project areas, 88% occurred while the pedestrian was crossing the street. ADVANCING PALM DESERT’S VISION ZERO STRATEGY 4 High Injury Network The Palm Desert HIN as developed for the Vision Zero Strategy documents accounts for 83% of injury and fatal collisions for all travel modes and 8% of roadway centerline miles in the city between 2013 and 2022 (SWITRS). The projects included in this application’s implementation activities are entirely along or near the HIN. Safety Risk Summary During the Vision Zero Strategy planning process, walk audits were completed in each priority area to understand where there are community concerns, especially among those walking or biking. Walk audits were completed by multidisciplinary transportation profes- sionals alongside local community members. Walk audits help to fill in data gaps and provide anecdotal evidence for areas that feel unsafe due to near misses, high speeds, or aggressive drivers. Walk audits also were used to identify opportunities to eliminate or mitigate these safety concerns. Summaries of walk audits are described in Criterion 2: Safety Impact for each project priority area. Criterion 2: Safety Impact Addressing the Safety Problem As described in the Safety Need criteria, certain groups are particularly vulnerable to colli- sions in Palm Desert, including older adults, school-age children, and active transportation users. Project Descriptions This grant request focuses on five project areas and the continuation of an educational roadway safety campaign. The project areas span a wide geographic area across the city, focused on underserved communities and the HIN. The projects have been designed to: ●Align with countermeasures recommended to address HIN findings in the Vision Zero Strategy and countermeasures included in the LRSP Emphasis Areas and case study locations. ●Employ low-cost, high-impact strat- egies and use the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) Proven Safety Countermeasures and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA’s) Countermeasures That Work. ●Follow the FHWA’s Safe System Approach elements of Safer People, Safer Roads, and Safer Speeds. ●Involve an engineering and educational approach in line with the “4 Es” strategy in the FHWA Roadway Safety Data Program. ●Align with the California Safe Roads Vulnerable Road Users (VRU) Safety Assessment. During walk audits community members identified challenging areas for those walking and biking. ADVANCING PALM DESERT’S VISION ZERO STRATEGY 5 The projects include: ●Implementing intersection crossing improve-ments and pathway lighting improvements to make pedestrians and bicyclists more visible and to address collisions that occur at night. ●Installing speed feedback signs and traffic calming to address aggressive driving. ●Improving active transportation infrastruc- ture near schools and older adult project areas to deploy life-saving countermeasures. ●Engaging and educating community members through the VIP campaign, promoting a culture of roadway safety in Palm Desert. ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND PALM DESERT CHARTER Lincoln Elementary School and Palm Desert Charter School are located between two APPs and serve many of the families that live in these underserved communities. Lincoln Elementary has the highest percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals in the city (79.5% eligible based on data from 2022 to 2023). During school walk audits parents stated they avoid walking on Portola Avenue due to its high motor vehicle speeds, and instead walk in the neighborhood, which lacks sidewalks and pedestrian lighting in some areas near the schools. Portola Avenue is on the HIN. The recommended improvements will provide a new sidewalk on Desert Star Boulevard as well as pedestrian-scale lighting on Magnesia Falls Drive and Rutledge Way. Some crosswalks near the schools are not high-visibility and lack accessibility infra- structure. Participants noted it feels stressful using some of these crossings to get to school. Adding high-visibility crosswalks to neighbor- hood intersections is an FHWA Proven Safety Countermeasure, and adding Americans with Disability Act (ADA) curb ramps to these intersections will provide accessibility for all community members, including families walking to school. GEORGE WASHINGTON CHARTER George Washington Charter School is in an APP and on Portola Avenue, which is on the HIN. Portola Avenue lacks sidewalks on the west side of the street and lacks street lighting approaching the school. Crosswalks in the school area are not cohesively high-visibility, though the City has begun to restripe cross- walks along Portola Avenue. Within just 1,000 feet of the school campus, there have been two pedestrian collisions (including one fatality) and two bicyclist colli- sions (between 2013 and 2022, per SWITRS). Due to the lack of sidewalk on Portola Avenue, walk audit participants feel uncomfortable walking here, especially due to the high vehic- ular speeds. Crosswalks at Rutledge Way and Santolina Drive are missing ADA curb ramps. ADVANCING PALM DESERT’S VISION ZERO STRATEGY 6 Providing sidewalks is a FHWA Proven Safety Countermeasure that will provide pedestrian access for residents on the west side of Portola Avenue. Pedestrian lighting, another Proven Safety Countermeasure, will also enhance the pedestrian environment on Portola Avenue. A new high-visibility crosswalk at Larrea Street will expand the City’s existing crosswalk restriping program along Portola Avenue. PALM DESERT HIGH SCHOOL Palm Desert High School is located on Cook Street, which is on the HIN and connects to an APP to the north. The campus also connects with an existing segment of CV Link, an off-street path that is a part of a regional vision for a 40-mile pathway for pedestrians and bicyclists. The City has recently completed the installation of a set of high-visibility crosswalks around the school campus, including at the campus entrance on Aztec Road. Though there has only been one active trans- portation collision along the Cook Street project area, the FHWA’s Safe System Approach calls for proactive tools to address safety issues, rather than waiting for collisions to occur. Walk audit participants observed drivers speeding on Cook Street, and crash data cannot account for the potential of near misses in the past. Improving pedestrian infrastructure now can prevent collisions in the future. Of the collisions on Cook Street within 1,000 feet of the school campus, 66% were a result of unsafe driver behavior such as driving under the influence, unsafe speed, following too closely, unsafe lane changes, and improper turning—one such of these collisions resulted in a fatality. The sidewalk on the school side of Cook Street is narrow (approximately six feet wide) and places pedestrians directly next to traffic on a 50-mph posted speed street. A transit shelter on the sidewalk also blocks access, narrowing the pathway further. Sidewalks are a FHWA Proven Safety Countermeasure in reducing crashes involving pedestrians. Widening the side- walk on Cook Street will provide more buffer between pedestrians and high-speed motor vehicles and will provide a more accessible route to the existing transit stop. Crosswalks on side streets approaching the high school are not high-visibility, and some inter- sections lack appropriate ADA curbs. Installing high-visibility crosswalks at Fred Smith Way and San Simeon Drive is a low-cost Proven Safety Countermeasure to make pedestrians more visible to drivers. Speeding is a concern along Cook Street near the entrance to Palm Desert High School. Sidewalk gaps on Portola Avenue prevent accessible pedestrian access to George Washington Charter from the west side of the street. ADVANCING PALM DESERT’S VISION ZERO STRATEGY 7 JAMES EARL CARTER James Earl Carter Elementary is in an APP and along the HIN on Hovley Lane. Hovley Lane lacks pedestrian lighting, and there are gaps in the crosswalk network at the nearby intersection of Hovley Lane and Jasmine Court. The City has recently restriped the crosswalk at Portola Avenue and Hovley Lane to be high-visibility. On Hovley Lane close to the school, there has been one pedestrian collision and one bicy- clist collision (2013 and 2022 SWITRS). The bicyclist collision occurred in the dark and resulted in a fatality. Implementing a high-visibility crosswalk with ADA curb ramps at Jasmine Court will provide a continuous accessible route for pedestrians walking on the north side of Hovley Lane. Installing pedestrian lighting will further enhance the walking environ- ment and is a countermeasure for reducing collisions between vehicles and pedestrians, especially at intersections. FRED WARING DRIVE/ TOWN CENTER DRIVE The Fred Waring Drive and Town Center Way project area is a commercial area in an APP. Both streets are on the HIN, and the area was identified as a priority for older adults in the Vision Zero Strategy’s Safe Routes for Older Adults Plan (as shown on page 18). The inter- section of Fred Waring Drive and Acacia Drive is also identified as a case study location in the LRSP based on the intersection’s collision history and crash patterns. Walk audit participants noted high speeds and heavy vehicular traffic, especially on Fred Waring Drive. Drivers were observed turning in front of pedestrians in the crosswalk, and pedestrians were observed crossing outside designated crossing locations. Of all the collisions within the project areas identified in this application, approximately 19% occurred on Fred Waring Drive (according to 2013 to 2022 SWITRS data). Of the colli- sions on Fred Waring Drive within the project area, approximately 20% were due to unsafe speeds. Implementing a speed feedback sign on Fred Waring Drive is strategic in alerting drivers that they may be traveling at an unsafe speed. The FHWA Safe Systems approach includes a redundancy principle to strengthen the transportation system. Speed feedback signs can help in creating speed limit redundancy and reducing collisions due to unsafe speed. According to the NHTSA’s Countermeasures That Work (page 4–36), speed feedback signs are highly effective and low cost in managing behavior change. Drivers turn in front of a pedestrian that has the right-of- way at an intersection along Fred Waring Drive. The City is updating transverse crosswalks—like the one at the intersection of Portola Avenue and Hovley Lane— to be high-visibility. Additional improvements at James Earl Carter will complement these crosswalk upgrades. ADVANCING PALM DESERT’S VISION ZERO STRATEGY 8 VERY IMPORTANT PEDESTRIAN CAMPAIGN The VIP campaign launched in February 2025 and will run through June 2025. The campaign included messaging on broadcast radio and television, digital audio, social, connected TV (streaming), transit, and digital out-of-home. To date, the campaign has garnered over 3.3 million impressions, reaching over 1 million people. The extension of this campaign for an additional two years will position the City for a long-term cultural shift rooted in the Vision Zero Strategy. A continuation of the traffic safety educational campaign will align with the Safer People objective in the FHWA’s Safe System Approach to remind all drivers of the importance of slowing down, refraining from driving while impaired, and watching out for vulnerable road users, including school-age children. The campaign will use established and proven paid media channels and the current engaging campaign materials. The program will leverage a mix of educational and grassroots elements that align with the campaign goals, while also giving the City tools to continue the effort sustainably over time. Campaign ambassadors will work with neighborhood partners and orga- nizations to raise campaign awareness. Continuing the VIP campaign will reinforce the importance of sharing the road and yielding to pedestrians. During the five-month campaign phase in 2025, pre- and post-campaign surveys showed promising results: the percentage of respondents who reported that they “always” yield to pedestrians at crosswalks increased by 5% after the campaign. This positive shift highlights the campaign’s effectiveness in promoting safer driving behaviors and under- scores the value of ongoing public education efforts. Other studies have shown that roadway safety campaigns can yield a 9% reduction in all crashes. To evaluate the benefits of the campaign, ongoing surveys will monitor changes in pedestrian and driver behaviors over time. The campaign will assess media performance using metrics such as digital impressions, reach, and engagement. The campaign’s success will also be measured by the number of active ambas- sadors, partners, and participating schools and businesses. Additionally, the City’s adoption of campaign materials and toolkits will serve as an indicator of tool utilization and long-term impact. Table of Proposed Countermeasures The following countermeasures were identified in the FHWA Proven Safety Countermeasures and the FHWA Crash Modification Factors Clearinghouse. The Crash Modification Factor (CMF) and Crash Reduction Factor (CRF) identified here does not consider that the overlapping of these countermeasures will likely increase their effectiveness in reducing and eliminating collisions. In addition to the table below, this application recommends the installation of curb extensions, which do not yet have a CMF identified by the FHWA, as well as ADA curb ramps, which are important for improving pedestrian accessibility. CMF CRF Category Countermeasure .60 40%Vehicle/Ped Sidewalk .63 37%All Pedestrian Lighting .81 19% Angle, Head on, Left turn, Rear end, Rear to rear, Right turn, Sideswipe High Visibility Crosswalk ADVANCING PALM DESERT’S VISION ZERO STRATEGY 9 Implementation Costs The implementation costs provided in the Implementation Grant Supplemental Estimated Budget were developed to consider all probable design and construction costs, including the potential for right-of-way acquisition, environ- mental, and administration. These costs were conservatively estimated to ensure any received funding can cover the required expenses for implementation. Many of the identified recommendations in this application are listed in the FHWA Low-Cost Pedestrian Safety Zone Countermeasure Selection Resource, including high- visibility crosswalks, lighting, and speed feedback signs. Safety campaigns and messaging are also listed as low-cost countermeasures and are identified as an appropriate behavioral program to accom- pany any of the engineering countermeasures. When considering the projects that include CMFs in the CMF Clearinghouse, the imple- mentation projects are expected to lead to $7.8 million dollars in safety benefits over 30 years. This figure is estimated by analyzing collisions within 200 feet of each infrastruc- ture recommendation. These benefits do not measure proactive safety benefit or consider the economic benefit of project and crash type combinations without standard CMFs. They also do not account for any multiplier effect that may be expected by applying multiple improvements along an intersection or corridor. Still, the proposed improvements provide a positive benefit-cost ratio. There are also costs that may be saved indi- rectly related to the improvement of active transportation infrastructure and a healthy, more active community that requires lower medical costs and lower transportation costs for families. The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) estimates $5.20 in value added to the region for every dollar spent on active transportation (as shown on page 8 in Investing in Walking, Biking, and Safe Routes to School.) Based on the implementation and demonstration projects in this application, that could be nearly $37 million back in the pockets of the City government and its residents. Criterion 3: Engagement and Collaboration Engagement in Palm Desert The projects in this application are rooted in APPs—communities that face socioeconomic challenges and where engagement is critical to ensuring meaningful, lasting impact. The projects also touch or connect with the City’s HIN. This overlap in the HIN and APPs means the projects will provide safety benefits in preventing roadway fatalities and serious inju- ries for underserved communities. During the planning phase of both Vision Zero Strategy documents all recommended projects, including those in this application, underwent thorough community review as part of the engagement process. This included walk audits at eight schools and three priority areas for older adults, conducted with parents, school staff, and residents. Additional outreach efforts involved school student travel tallies, community surveys, and a series of in-person and virtual workshops, as well as pop-up events throughout the community. ADVANCING PALM DESERT’S VISION ZERO STRATEGY 10 The Palm Desert VIP Vision Zero program launched in tandem with the Vision Zero Strategy document and included messaging about sharing the road as a driver with pedes- trians. Through radio, television, social media, and transit campaigns, VIP has garnered over 3.3 million impressions. IN A POST-VIP CAMPAIGN SURVEY, 63% OF RESPONDENTS CLAIMED THE CAMPAIGN INCREASED THEIR AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF PEDESTRIAN SAFETY . An Advisory Committee was also created during the Vision Zero Strategy process to represent neighboring city jurisdictions, the City Recreation District, the Coachella Valley Association of Government (the regional Metropolitan Planning Organization), and community centers. This Advisory Committee provided different perspectives from the community and discussed the feasibility of planned improvements. The City will continue working with members from this Advisory Committee, as well as partners from the Desert Sands Unified School District, the El Paseo Parking and Business Improvement District Board, and other governmental and commu- nity organizations through the development and implementation of the recommended improvements. The City Council’s ATP Subcommittee and Vision Zero Strategy project team in Palm Desert will be responsible for the continuation of engagement efforts in the design and imple- mentation of the recommended infrastructure projects. Continuing to Educate The VIP educational campaign is rooted in the “4 Es” educational strategy in the FHWA Roadway Safety Data Program. The goal of continuing the program is to create a lasting cultural shift that promotes safety as a shared community value. In addition to the extension of the VIP media campaign, the campaign will include developing a toolkit of materials like banners, templates, and key talking points that will be usable and editable beyond the campaign timeline, providing safety benefits that persist over time. Nearly half (49%) of post-campaign survey respondents said they had seen or heard messages about pedestrian safety during the campaign period. GIVE EVERY CROSSWALK THE VIP TREATMENT ADVANCING PALM DESERT’S VISION ZERO STRATEGY 11 Criterion 4: Supplemental Planning and Demonstration Activities The Safety Problem and Impact Palm Desert is committed to the rapid instal- lation of proven safety countermeasures to address safety issues reflected in historical crash data and community feedback. The demonstrations activities, including a quick build median and curb extension will provide traffic calming to roadways near Abraham Lincoln Elementary School and Palm Desert Charter and will act as pilot projects for similar improvements in the city. These quick build projects are located on or adjacent to the HIN and connect to an APP. Additionally, the City will assess opportuni- ties for speed reduction in accordance with California’s AB 43 legislation. The activity will evaluate all roadways on the City’s HIN, which represents approximately 8% of the city’s streets. Abraham Lincoln and Palm Desert Charter Walk audit participants noted that drivers speed on wide neighborhood streets (Rutledge Way and Desert Star Boulevard) near Abraham Lincoln Elementary and Palm Desert Charter (as shown on page 64 of the Safe Routes to School Plan). Installing a curb extension with delineators at Portola Avenue/Desert Star Boulevard is a low-cost solution to slow down turning motor vehicle speeds, shorten the crossing distance for pedestrians, and improve pedestrian visibility by positioning them closer to the intersection. After moni- toring its effectiveness, the City may choose to install these curb extensions at other loca- tions in the community. The California Safe Roads Vulnerable Road Users (VRU) Safety Assessment (page 48) and the FHWA Low-Cost Pedestrian Safety Zones: Countermeasure Selection Resource (page 6) list curb extensions as an effective countermeasure to reduce speeds and increase attentiveness. Raised medians are typically higher-cost strategies in potentially increasing driver attentiveness, reducing speeds, and reducing impact forces (FHWA Low-Cost Pedestrian Safety Zones: Countermeasure Selection Resource [page 53]). According to the CMF Clearinghouse, converting two-way left turn lanes (TWLTL) to a raised median has a crash reduction factor of up to 23% for most colli- sion types, and up to 47% for head on colli- sions. While this demonstration project cannot provide the same level of physical protection as a concrete median, it will use flex posts and striping to visually narrow the roadway and provide meaningful traffic calming bene- fits such as reducing vehicle speeds, reducing U-turns, and increasing driver awareness. This is particularly important for pick-up and drop-off periods at Abraham Lincoln Elementary School, where families with school-age children will be walking, biking, and driving in the area. After the completion and evaluation of the demonstration project, the City may consider installing a permanent raised median at the demonstration location and in other locations in the city. Speed Limit Review California Assembly Bill 43 provides jurisdic- tions with more flexibility in reducing speed limits such as in business districts, in areas with high pedestrian and bicyclist activity, and on roadways designated as a HIN. By conducting an Engineering and Traffic Survey, Palm Desert staff can determine if there are opportunities to lower the speed limits on its HIN arterials and collectors. Additionally, this study can consider setting a prima facie speed limit reduction for the business activity district near the El Paseo Shopping District. Reducing speeds via AB 43 is in line with the Vision Zero Strategy plans (as shown on page 46 of the Safe Routes to School Plan). ADVANCING PALM DESERT’S VISION ZERO STRATEGY 12 According to the NHTSA’s Countermeasures That Work (page 4–11), lowering speed limits is a highly effective and low-cost strategy in reducing speeds, crashes, and injuries, espe- cially fatalities and serious injuries. Through an analysis of all non-propery damage collisions along the HIN, it is estimated that a reduction in speed limits along the HIN could prevent over 200 crashes over a 10-year period, saving approximately $114.7 million in economic costs. Evaluating the Projects Surveys and analysis before and after demon- stration projects and speed limit lowering will compare user behavior and crash reduc- tions. A speed study will be conducted prior to the implementation of the curb extension and median projects and prior to speed limit reductions to identify baseline roadway user behaviors and hazards. Public outreach surveys will also be marketed and available for neigh- bors, school families and school staff, crossing guards, business owners, and other residents near affected corridors to provide their input about transportation challenges they face and their initial feelings about the proposed changes. Law enforcement will also be surveyed before and after the installation of the demonstration projects to assess the effective- ness in improved driver behavior. Following the implementation of the demon-stration projects and reduced speed limits, targeted speed and field surveys will be conducted to assess the effectiveness of these roadway changes in reducing vehicle speeds and curbing hazardous driving behaviors. These evaluations may take place along selected corridors to analyze the impact of speed limit adjustments on the HIN. Public surveys will ask participants about how the improvements have changed the ways in which they navi- gate their city, and if they feel safer driving, walking, and biking. Project Schedule The project components described in this plan- ning and demonstration section were drafted to ensure they will be implemented and eval- uated within 18 months of executing the grant agreement. 10 months planning / design / procurement 2 months site prep 2 months post-demo evaluation 4 months implementation CMF CRF Category Countermeasure .53 47%All Convert TWLTL to a raised median .86 14%All Lower posted speed limit ADVANCING PALM DESERT’S VISION ZERO STRATEGY 13 Additional Consideration: Project Readiness The City of Palm Desert has experience working with state and federally funded projects totaling $14,156,000 between the years 2020 and 2025. This includes projects with timeline requirements and federal compliance requirements. The City is prepared to implement the recommended projects in this application within five years of grant agreement execution. The schedule below outlines how the City will execute and complete the full scope of work in the Implementation Grant application. ‘25 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 ‘31 Activity Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Notice of SS4A Award Grant Agreement Consultant Procurement (as necessary) Abraham Lincoln/ Palm Desert Charter Public Involvement Quick Build Demonstration Design Quick Build Demonstration Construction Quick Build Demonstration Evaluation NEPA Documentation Design + Engineering Permitting Bidding/Construction James Earl Carter Elementary Public Involvement NEPA Documentation Design + Engineering Permitting Bidding/Construction George Washington Charter Public Involvement NEPA Documentation Design + Engineering Permitting ROW Bidding/Construction ADVANCING PALM DESERT’S VISION ZERO STRATEGY 14 ‘25 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 ‘31 Activity Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Palm Desert High School Public Involvement NEPA Documentation Design + Engineering Permitting ROW Bidding/Construction Fred Waring Drive/ Town Center Way Public Involvement NEPA Documentation Design + Engineering Permitting Bidding/Construction High Injury Network Speed Limit Review Engineering and Traffic Study Analysis of Contextual Data Revise Speed Limits Program Overall Program Evaluation 5 Year Deadline from Grant Award ADVANCING PALM DESERT’S VISION ZERO STRATEGY