Item 17 - Revised Grant Agreement with State of California Office of Traffic Safety

Home Browse Search

9/10/2024 7:55:22 AM Page 3 of 19 State of California – Office of Traffic Safety GRANT AGREEMENT Schedule A GRANT NUMBER PT25066 1. PROBLEM STATEMENT Located in the heart of California's Orange County, the City of Santa Ana is home to over 300,000 residents and over 550 miles of roadways throughout. Due to the dense population, Santa Ana faces significant challenges related to traffic safety. The current state of traffic infrastructure, coupled with population growth, demands urgent attention to mitigate the rising number of crashes and improve overall road safety. The city serves as a major employment hub, attracting a substantial number of workers from neighboring areas. On a daily basis, a significant influx of people commutes into Santa Ana for work, further intensifying traffic congestion during peak hours. This phenomenon underscores the critical need for enhanced enforcement and education. The city is home to numerous essential destinations, including schools, business districts, healthcare facilities, and recreational areas. However, inadequate traffic management has led to identified hotspots with high rates of crashes and congestion. The Downtown Santa Ana area attracts thousands of patrons to bars, clubs, restaurants, and local businesses each week. New businesses, apartments, and restaurants are opening at a consistent rate, causing more traffic to come into the city. This influx of patrons has greatly increased the number of drivers in the downtown area during evening hours, many of whom have been consuming alcoholic beverages. An additional challenge contributing to traffic safety concerns in Santa Ana is the prevalence of unlicensed drivers. The city has observed a notable number of individuals operating vehicles without a valid driver's license, posing a heightened risk of crashes. Addressing this issue is crucial for improving overall road safety and reducing the likelihood of preventable crashes. With a diverse population, including a significant number of pedestrians and cyclists, ensuring their safety on city roads is paramount. Santa Ana has made great strides to increase the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists through traffic engineering and roadway changes; however, there is still opportunity to enhance the awareness of both the pedestrians and drivers. During 2023, we had 1 bicyclist involved in a fatal traffic crash and a total of 133 bicyclists injured in traffic crashes. In comparison to 2022, the fatal crashes declined; however, the total number of injured bicyclists rose by 17. In FY2025, we hope to reduce bicycle safety threats in the city by doing the following:  Issue and properly fitted helmets, distribute bicycle safety lights and reflective arm bands. These actions will reduce the number of bicyclists riding in the community without proper equipment, as well as make them more visible for drivers around them.  Distribution of the equipment occurs at schools, Teen Centers, City Parks, Apartment Complexes, Mobile Home Parks, Community Centers, as well as the Police Department.  Each year, the Santa Ana Police Department hosts city-wide special events where free bicycle parking is provided. During these events, community engagement personnel are able to contact those riders who may not have properly fit safety equipment and provide them with the resources they need.School Resource Officers and/or Probation Officers assist by distributing safety equipment to students and others. Bicycle Safety Efforts have yielded the following thus far:  Events Conducted Q1 of FY2024: 11 / Individuals impacted: 3978  Helmets Distributed: 12  Wristbands Distributed: 438  Bike Lights Distributed: 438 The primary objective is to implement comprehensive measures aimed at enhancing overall traffic safety in the city of Santa Ana. This includes targeted interventions to alleviate congestion, improve infrastructure, implement advanced traffic management systems, address the issue of unlicensed drivers, and prioritize the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. However, another pressing issue the city of Santa Ana faces is the challenge of persisting impaired driving.