The Safe System Approach is a national road safety leadership initiative that aims to develop a coordinated approach to reaching zero deaths in the transportation system within the next 30 years. The Safe System Approach is related to Vision Zero policies and practices and complements other relevant efforts by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

Alameda CTC staff organized a mini-training and information exchange for the May 2021 ACTAC meeting on the Safe System Approach:

• Safe System Approach staff report
• Safe System Approach presentation and notes, assembled by Fehr & Peers for ACTAC
• May 2021 Video presentation of the Safe System Approach and information exchange/discussion (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)

Vision Zero Network (VZN): the Vision Zero Network is a collaborative campaign helping communities reach their goals of Vision Zero -- eliminating all traffic fatalities and severe injuries -- while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all. As a nonprofit project, the Vision Zero Network is committed to defining, building momentum, and advancing Vision Zero in communities across the U.S.

Institute of Transportation Engineers-Vision Zero: ITE has a Vision Zero Committee which includes many resources that help local agencies implement Vision Zero programs nationwide. Launched in 2020, the ITE Vision Zero Standing Committee was created to advance the goals of the Vision Zero and Towards Zero Deaths movements. This Standing Committee involves partners from a variety of public, private, and other non-profit organizations, as well as passionate volunteers from ITE’s own membership.

Institute of Transportation Engineers – Speed Management: The ITE Speed Management for Safety Resource Hub is an up-to-date collection of industry-wide guidance available nationally on speed management. It pulls together resources from FHWA as well as leading non-profit organizations advancing practices in four categories: Speed as a Safety Problem, Setting Speed Limits, Measures for Managing Speed, and Creating a Speed Management Program. Each resource includes detailed annotation on relevancy to speed management in the U.S and its relation to using speed management to increase transportation safety.

Bike Facility Planning and Multimodal Design Guides

• Bikeway Selection Guide, Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, February 2019
• NACTO Urban Design Guide
• NACTO Transit Urban Design Guide
• Multimodal Corridor Guidelines, AC Transit, April 2018

School Safety

• Safe Routes Partnership and National Center for Safe Routes to School

In Alameda County, the Cities of Fremont and Berkeley have implemented Vision Zero policies. See below for links to their websites.

Vision Zero in Alameda County

• City of Berkeley Vision Zero Program
• City of Fremont Vision Zero Program
• City of Fremont Vision Zero Action Plan (May 2021)

Other Efforts in Alameda County

The City of Oakland has developed a Safe Oakland Streets (SOS) Initiative, with the purpose of preventing serious and fatal traffic crashes and eliminate crash inequities in the City. This site has many resources that provide crash data for Oakland and crash prevention design elements.

• Safe Oakland Streets initiative
  • Informational Report (Staff Report to City Council)
  • Informational Report Appendix
  • Efficacy and Equity Assessment
  • March 2021 City Council presentation
• High Injury Network
• Geographic Equity Toolbox (includes an overlay with the HIN in the “safety map”)
• Citywide Crash Analysis
• Crash Prevention Street Design Toolkit
• School Traffic Safety
• Submit traffic safety request

Local Examples of Safety Projects

• City of Alameda
  • Otis Drive Complete Street Project
    • Project Webpage
    • Project Video
  • Central Avenue Safety Project
• City of Fremont
  • Safer Streets – Vision Zero Capital Projects
  • Public Works Projects
• Alameda County
  • Safe Routes to Schools
• Alameda County Transportation Commission
  • I-80/Gilman Interchange Roundabout Project

In response to discussion with ACTAC in May 2021, educational or “how to” videos and resources are compiled here on specific treatments related to Safe System implementation such as roundabouts and pedestrian beacons (HAWK signals), and other safety countermeasures. The videos can be used to help users of all modes navigate what may be new design treatments for a particular community.

How to use Roundabouts

• How to use a Roundabout, City of Burlingame, CA
• Modern Roundabouts, FHWA
• I-80/Gilman Interchange Roundabout Video Simulation, Alameda CTC

More information on roundabouts can be found on the City of Alameda Central Avenue project page under the “Details” section.

How to use Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons/HAWK Signals

Videos:

• Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon/HAWK, City of Fremont, CA
• Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon/HAWK, Northeast Florida Department of Transportation
• Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon/HAWK, City of San Luis Obispo, CA

How to use Protected Intersections

Videos:

• Walnut Avenue Bikeway and Protected Intersection, City of Fremont, CA
• Protected Intersection, The Angry Architect

How to use Different Bicycle Facilities

Videos:

• Bicycle Safety Videos, City of Sacramento, CA
• Green Bike Lanes, City of Fremont, CA
• Sharrows, City of Fremont, CA