STEPS_TOWARDS_SAFE_STREETS_A_PHOENIX_CORRIDOR_ANALYSIS_APPROACH.pdf

Funding Opportunity Number: DOT-SS4A-FY24-01

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Key Scope Elements

Project Introduction

Steps Towards Safe Streets: A Phoenix Corridor Analysis Approach

The Steps Towards Safe Streets: A Phoenix Corridor Analysis project seeks SS4A Supplemental Planning Grant funding to analyze three major arterial corridors located on the Phoenix High Injury Network (HIN). These comprehensive corridor analyses will include conducting an enhanced road safety assessment (RSA), developing planning-level corridor concepts, and conducting a feasibility analysis to provide an assessment of comprehensive safety corridor needs to identify actionable safety countermeasures. Each assessment additionally will include advanced data collection, deploy innovative safety analytics, and conduct a robust, localized public engagement opportunity to coalesce public support for the planning and development process. The three corridor assessments addressesing 12 HIN and all within disadvantaged communities will be conducted along 19th Avenue, Northern Avenue and Broadway Road as shown on Figure 1.

Advanced Data Collection: Capitalize advanced video data collection at up to 50 corridor intersections and leverage artificial intelligence and safety data analytics to augment safety analysis.

Public Engagement: Engage Phoenix residents in the planning process and developing a coalition of support for prioritizing long-term safety improvement prioritization.

Safety Analysis: Pairing a traditional RSA with advanced planning and scoping components will enhance outcomes for future design and implementation of safer transportation facilities.

Visualization: Develop streamlined visuals/renders to best visualize complex corridor concepts to benefit stakeholder and public engagement.

Figure 1

Conducting each comprehensive planning assessment will identify specific implementable corridor concepts at these locations and will be used as a template to implement commonly needed strategies across other high-need locations across the city.

Phoenix has escalated its efforts in road safety by continuously looking to adapt to rapidly growing population and transportation demands. Phoenix adopted a comprehensive Vision Zero Road Safety Action Plan in 2022, taking a critical step to move to zero deaths and serious injuries by 2050. As a part of this plan, a HIN was identified through the mapping of corridors and intersections with the highest concentrations of severe injury and fatality crashes and used as a tool to target high need safety strategies. The HIN is updated biennially to best reflect current condi-tions and adapt to safety countermeasures implemented and changing conditions.

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/ab61192afaa84dc3bf0f35a6120f6083 https://www.phoenix.gov/streetssite/Documents/Vision_Zero_Road_Safety_Action_Plan.pdf

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Safety Impact Phoenix is ranked the third highest in the nation for overall traffic fatalities by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with an annual average fatality count of 1,148, and an overall fatality rate of 12.08 (Fatality and Injury Reporting System Tool, 2017-2020). In alignment with its dedication to the Vision Zero Road Safety Plan, the City of Phoenix has set aside $10 million from its annual funds to bolster citywide road safety initiatives. Notably, 57% of all Killed & Serious Injury (KSI) incidents occur on roadway segments. The combined fatality count for the three project corridors is 47 and the overall fatality rate is 5.15. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to study, assess, and understand corridor-related safety in more detail.

Selection Criteria

• A 3.02-mile-long major arterial street in North Mountain Village.

• Three HIN segments and one HIN intersection.

• Increased pedestrian safety needs due to its proximity to the recently opened North-west Extension Ligh Rail Extension.

• A 1.98 mile-long arterial street that connects North Mountain Village and Alhambra Village.

• Two HIN intersections.

• Connection between major freeways and single- and multi-family residential areas.

• A 7.98-mile-long, six-lane arterial street connecting Laveen Village and South Mountain Village.

• One HIN segment and five HIN intersections.

• Connection between commercial, industrial, residential areas and the South-Central Light Rail Extension.

Steps Towards Safe Streets: A Phoenix Corridor Analysis Approach

Figure 2 https://cdan.dot.gov/query John Dickson Line

John Dickson Text Box I-17

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Additional Safety Context The Project scope includes detailed safety data analysis, community outreach, and planning-level concept development in addition to the Standard RSA. The performance of a RSA involves a formal road safety evaluation of planned roadways, conducted by an independent, multidisciplinary RSA Team. The RSA Team looks for potential safety hazards that may affect any type of road user and recommends measures to mitigate those safety issues.

The Project will leverage AI tools to analyze and process video data collection to identify near-miss unreported occurrences of crashes, high-risk road geometry & roadway elements, elevated levels of red-light running, speeding, and dangerous maneuvers by way of a data-supported approach.

Equity An equity analysis was conducted as a part of the HIN identification in the Safety Action Planning process which demonstrates Phoenix’s commitment to considering equity in their early planning phase. The strong correlation observed between HIN and equity areas has identified a need for supplemental planning to better resolve the safety concerns associated with the communities in need (The City of Phoenix High Injury Network, 2021). The equity rating for the percentage of the population in underserved communities is 33% for the entire City of Phoenix. The project aims to bring safety benefits to 87,590 disadvantaged community members which comprise 52% of the total population in the project area.

In 2021, Phoenix created the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) to develop and implement the City’s diversity initiatives and strategies. In the Climate Action Plan, the Phoenix has recognized Equity as one of its five pillars in addressing safety. The proposed analysis will continue to ensure equity is integrated into community engagement to understand the diversity of residents, consider alternative outreach methods, and provide opportunities for all City residents involved.

Additional Considerations:

Budget Costs and High Fatality

The project's cost elements encompass RSA, Additional Field Review & Analysis, Community Engagement, and Planning-Level Concept Development with Visualization across all three corridors. By integrating these aspects, Phoenix aims to leverage its limited resources for the safety of corridors with high fatality rates, fostering region-wide solutions that can be replicated in similar safety-challenged areas. This investment strategy will serve as a blueprint for guiding comprehensive planning and tailoring sustainable solutions within Phoenix's resource constraints in the future for accomplishing Vision Zero goals.

Total Project Cost $1,365,625.00 Local Funds $273,125.00 (20%)

SS4A Grant Request $1,092,500.00 (80%)

An important aspect of this project is community engagement, which includes identifying the concerns of the daily users of the corridor, eliminating barriers, communicating safe practices, and collaborating with the local partners for the implementation. Beyond the immediate focus on these three corridors, the project aspires to serve as a cost efficient model corridor, providing insights that will shape future safety initiatives across the entirety of the HIN. By leveraging the knowledge gained from these initiatives, Phoenix will explore a way for a safer, more resilient future for all of Phoenix's streets and users.

The proposed supplemental planning project will focus on pilot corridor studies for a better understanding of safety issues, and propose solutions by exploring the equitable solution that can be implemented beyond the three study corridors.

Steps Towards Safe Streets: A Phoenix Corridor Analysis Approach https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/ab61192afaa84dc3bf0f35a6120f6083