The UC Berkeley Safe Transportation Research and Education Center (SafeTREC) is offering free Complete Streets Safety Assessments (CSSAs) to California communities, including cities, counties, and school campuses with a population of over 2,500 people. CSSAs are comprehensive transportation safety assessments that focus on pedestrian and bicycle safety. They help local agencies identify and implement traffic safety solutions that lead to improved safety for all users of California’s roadways.
The Complete Streets Safety Assessment (CSSA)
When a local agency applies for a CSSA and is approved for a study, a team of safety experts in the fields of traffic engineering and planning are assigned to conduct the study for the community. The experts conduct a thorough phone interview of local agency staff and then schedule a virtual or in-person site visit to the city or county. They review available safety data such as Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System (SWITRS) and Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) rankings. Based on the available collision data and discussions with local agency staff, a list of intersections and roadway segments with the highest rates of collisions is proposed for the assessment. The experts then visit the city or county to conduct an assessment. The virtual or in-person site visit is conducted at various locations (focus areas), as determined in coordination with local agency staff. The observations made during the site visit are used to suggest policies and physical improvements that could enhance motor vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle safety and accessibility. The experts then prepare a report summarizing their findings and suggestions. The suggestions made in the reports are all customized to each community and their needs.
CSSA site visit in Suisun City, CA.
The CSSAs help agencies in their planning for traffic safety projects. The suggestions could be included into Capital Improvement Projects and Pedestrian/Bicycle Master Plans. One other way the program helps local agencies is by providing a tool for communication among departments within a local agency, as well as with Caltrans and other stakeholders, to discuss opportunities for enhancing safety for all users of public roadways. The CSSAs give agencies a resource or a supporting document for applying for funding. Explore the City of Suisun City Complete Streets Safety Assessment Final Report to learn more about the CSSAs.
Apply now for a CSSA
DEADLINE EXTENDED! Applications are now being accepted for the current fiscal year until February 15*, 2021! To apply for a CSSA in your community, please complete the 2022 Application and email it to the CSSA program lead, Afsaneh Yavari at afsaneh.yavari@berkeley.edu. If you are interested in learning more about the program or have questions, please contact: safetrec@berkeley.edu.
*This news item was updated on January 21, 2022 with the extended application deadline.
The CSSA program is funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Up until 2018, the program was coordinated by the Tech Transfer program at UC Berkeley.