The Fullerton City Council is scheduled to consider adopting the city’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Safety Action Plan during its June 2 meeting, a step required to preserve federal grant funding and position the city for future transportation safety improvements.
The proposed resolution would formally approve the Safety Action Plan, a comprehensive document designed to identify traffic safety issues throughout Fullerton and recommend strategies to reduce fatal and serious-injury collisions on city streets.
The plan was funded through a $200,000 federal Safe Streets and Roads for All planning grant, supplemented by $50,000 in local gas tax funds. According to city staff, Fullerton must adopt the plan by June 30, 2026, to comply with federal grant requirements. Failure to do so could result in the loss of federal funding and require the city to absorb the planning costs.
Adoption of the plan would also make Fullerton eligible to pursue future SS4A implementation grants, which provide federal funding for transportation safety projects identified in approved action plans. Any required local matching funds for future projects would be considered through the city’s annual Capital Improvement Program budgeting process.
The federal government established the Safe Streets and Roads for All program to reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries through a combination of planning and infrastructure investments. Communities must first develop and adopt a qualifying safety action plan before applying for implementation funding.
Fullerton applied for a planning grant in September 2022 and was selected as a grant recipient in February 2023.
City staff and transportation consultant KOA, a Lochner Company, began developing the Safety Action Plan in May 2024. The plan draws on a variety of existing transportation and planning documents, including the Fullerton General Plan, Bicycle Master Plan, Local Roadway Safety Plan, Downtown Fullerton on the Go Active Transportation Plan, Orange County Transportation Authority’s Long Range Transportation Plan, and the county’s Active Transportation Report.
The study also analyzed citywide collision data and claims history to identify areas where safety improvements may be needed. According to staff, the Action Plan is intended to provide a framework for implementing low-cost, high-impact safety measures throughout the city, including in disadvantaged communities. Recommended strategies are designed to address documented safety concerns and reduce the likelihood of severe traffic collisions.
Public outreach was a key component of the planning process. City staff conducted community engagement efforts and hosted public meetings to gather feedback from residents and stakeholders regarding transportation safety priorities and potential improvements.
The draft plan received unanimous support from three city advisory bodies earlier this year. The Transportation and Circulation Commission reviewed the document on April 6, followed by the Active Transportation Committee on April 15 and the Infrastructure and Natural Resources Advisory Committee on April 20. All three groups provided positive feedback and unanimously supported the plan’s adoption.
The City Council is expected to consider final adoption of the Safety Action Plan at its June 2 meeting. Unlike many consent-calendar items, the Safety Action Plan appears as a regular business item on the agenda. It is expected to receive a presentation and public discussion before council action.
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Categories: Local Government, Local News
This plan is just okay. It is nowhere near as robust as it needs to be, and I’m disappointed that, after years of study, one of the flagship recommendations from the consultant is a digital speed sign on a major arterial.
There is very little about preventing reckless driving in school zones; almost nothing about protected bike lanes; no raised crossings; no roundabouts.
These are things we know save lives, yet were noticeably lacking in the recommendations.
There was so much more I would have expected to see in 2026, like:
– Roundabouts – I know they confuse people who haven’t taken a driving test in 10+ years, but they’re easy once you get used to them, and they are proven to save lives by preventing T-bone collisions
– Protected bike lanes
– Bike lanes that continue through intersections – intersections are treacherous and one of the biggest deterrents to people who want to bike instead of drive. Intersection treatments make a huge difference
– Protected intersections
– Raised crossings, especially near schools – these act as speed bumps while also making pedestrians more visible
– Road diets – the only road diet recommended was at Commonwealth downtown, and even that was so poorly planned – combining two lanes yields a wide lane conducive to speeding. You need to narrow the lane – perhaps with a bike lane – to reduce speeds and improve safety
There’s much more to say, but bottom line is we NEED safety and this plan does hardly anything. I’m not sure why we paid a consultant to make lukewarm, unimaginative, insufficient recommendations where there was so much more that could have been done instead.