Agenda Date: 10/15/2024
Subject:
Title
Safer Streets Littleton Update
Body
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From: |
James L. Becklenberg, City Manager |
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Prepared by: |
Kathleen Osher, Assistant City Manager |
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Presentations: |
Brent Soderlin, Public Works Director |
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Doug Stephens, Chief of Police |
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David Gilbert, Senior Media Strategist |
PURPOSE:
This overview of Safer Streets Littleton will provide a year in review with emphasis on the communications campaign, educational efforts, and ongoing enforcement.
LONG-TERM OUTCOME(S) SERVED:
Safe Community
DISCUSSION:
Safer Streets Littleton is an ambitious effort by the City of Littleton to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety through an accelerated pace of infrastructure upgrades, increased traffic enforcement, and public education. The purpose of this agenda item is to provide an update on work authorized and completed this year and to discuss next steps.
BACKGROUND:
In November 2023, city council articulated a new and bolder vision for a much higher standard of bicycle and pedestrian safety on Littleton's streets. Council reaffirmed this commitment in February 2024, giving approval to a plan by Littleton's traffic and safety engineers to speed up implementation of numerous safety measures and traffic calming methods.
The city has a strong tradition of bicycle and pedestrian safety infrastructure projects, city officials agree urgency is needed to protect those who travel on foot or by bike. Safer Streets Littleton is a multi-pronged effort to proactively address the issue, building on years of citywide safety improvements.
Council has directed the Public Works Department to prioritize and accelerate related projects. City officials are coordinating with Littleton Public Schools to ensure effective implementation of traffic safety measures.
More than $8 million in projects, with $5 million coming from grants focused on pedestrian and bicycle safety, were already earmarked for 2024. These include several intersection improvement projects, fiber optic upgrades to traffic signals allowing better timing for pedestrians and future bicycle signals, pedestrian safety improvements on Mineral Avenue on either side of Santa Fe Drive, and new shared-use paths and off-street bike lanes.
Littleton has made strides in recent years to address pedestrian and bicyclist safety in high-traffic areas:
• 2020: Added bike lanes and widened sidewalks along Windermere Street from Littleton Boulevard to Belleview Avenue and added safety improvements at the intersection of Federal Boulevard and Bowles Avenue.
• 2021: Constructed pedestrian signal and signage at Federal Boulevard and Berry Avenue and installed a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon and additional signage on Mineral Avenue at Polo Ridge increasing visibility for pedestrians.
• 2022: Rebuilt intersections on Platte Canyon Road at Mineral Avenue and Bowles Avenue creating channelized islands for pedestrian safety.
• 2023: Replaced aging traffic signals at eight intersections and added three new raised pedestrian crossings in Downtown Littleton.
The Littleton Police Department (LPD) has increased traffic enforcement around schools, with added patrol officers during commuting times focused on speeding, obeying traffic signals; and careless, reckless, or distracted driving.
Prior Actions or Discussions
• Council adopted the TMP in 2019 and Public Works updated Council on just Pedestrian and Bicycle plans November 28th, 2023.
• Staff provided a presentation regarding Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning Update and Timeline Alternative Considerations on February 6, 2024.
• As a result of the February 6, 2024, study session, staff was directed to move forward with the recommended accelerated alternatives to include several bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements.
• Ordinance 05-2024 was approved on March 19, 2024, amending the 2024 Annual Budget to appropriate $2,300,000 from the 3A Sales Tax Capital Fund to fund the accelerated projects for 2024.
• The joint Council meeting with the Transportation Mobility Board on August 13, 2023 focused on vision zero mobility policies.
• On September 17, 2023, staff shared the draft school zone recommendations.
FISCAL IMPACTS:
There are no additional fiscal impacts associated with this informational update.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the continuation of the safer streets campaign that includes accelerated infrastructure upgrades, increased traffic enforcement, and public education.
ALTERNATIVES:
There are no alternatives associated with this informational update.