City of Menlo Park, CA
05/01/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/30/2024 17:06
Menlo Park partners with UC Berkeley to evaluate road safety
Menlo Park partners with UC Berkeley to evaluate road safety
Published on May 01, 2024
The City of Menlo Park is taking proactive steps to address road safety concerns by partnering with traffic safety experts at the University of California, Berkeley's Safe Transportation Research and Education Center (SafeTREC).
The City was selected by SafeTREC to conduct Complete Streets Safety Assessments for Santa Cruz Avenue and Sand Hill Road. This collaboration aims to improve safety on critical transportation corridors within Menlo Park.
Santa Cruz Avenue and Sand Hill Road play a pivotal role in Menlo Park's transportation network, yet they are also part of the City's High Collision Corridor Network, where a mere 20% of streets account for a staggering 93% of fatal and serious injury collisions. Several intersections on these two streets were also identified as high priority for short-term improvements by the Vision Zero Action Plan (VZAP). Developed with the goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries while promoting safe mobility, VZAP underscores the City's commitment to prioritizing road safety.
In late April 2024, SafeTREC and the City of Menlo Park hosted a three-part traffic safety field visit on Santa Cruz Avenue and Sand Hill Road. The visit, led by a traffic safety expert, provided an opportunity to assess existing conditions, identify potential hazards, and explore tailored solutions to enhance road safety. Specific attention was given to observing children going to and from school along Santa Cruz Avenue to gain insights into the unique challenges and opportunities associated with ensuring safe routes for students.
Together with input from community stakeholders, information collected from this site visit will inform SafeTREC's findings and safety recommendations. These recommendations will subsequently help guide the City's VZAP implementation efforts along these two important corridors.