20240327-006_JIC FY24-25 Pedestrian Signaling Budget Recommendation Signed — original pdf

Recommendation

BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Joint Inclusion Committee Recommendation Number: (20240327-006): Pedestrian Signaling WHEREAS, the Joint Inclusion Committee (“JIC”) of the City of Austin (“City”) serves as an advisory body that advocates for and inspires the City Council (“Council”) and City Manager on issues pertaining to equity, diversity, and inclusion to promote close cooperation between Council, City Management, City boards, commissions, committees, and task forces, and individuals, institutions, and agencies to increase and sustain equity, diversity, and inclusion in the city; and WHEREAS, persons aged 65 and older represent the fastest-growing age group in Austin, expanding from 55,695 (7.0% of 2010 population) to 91,733 (9.5% of 2020 population), and growing at a rate of 64.7%; and WHEREAS, the Age-Friendly Austin Community Feedback Survey indicates 23% of respondents were living with disability, including persons with physical issues, persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, and persons with; and persons with psychiatric or mental health issues, etc; and WHEREAS, Leading Pedestrian Interval signals (LPIs) adjust traffic signal timing to allow pedestrians to enter the cross walk five (5) to seven (7) seconds before vehicles get a green signal, allowing drivers in turn lanes to better identify the pedestrians before vehicles are allowed to turn; and WHEREAS, in 2019, the Austin Transportation Department (ATD), through collaboration with ATD Vision Zero staff, traffic signal engineers and public information staff installed LPIs at 110 intersections in Austin’s downtown/Central Business District to improve pedestrian safety in the city’s most active pedestrian zone; and WHEREAS, ATD conducted a survey following implementation to gauge early project feedback on the LPI installations and found that, “87% of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that they felt safer crossing streets because they had a head start due to the LPI and 60% agreed or strongly agreed that they are more likely to use a crosswalk knowing that it has an LPI.” WHEREAS, Audible Pedestrian Signals (APSs), pedestrian hybrid beacons and countdown clocks provide important feedback to pedestrians, making them aware of the remaining duration of a walk light and enabling them to make better determinations on completing a safe crossing; and WHEREAS, City of Austin staff have cited up to a 25% crash reduction at certain intersections that received countdown clocks. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Joint Inclusion Committee recommends that the Austin Transportation Department continue data driven approaches and inter-department collaboration to identify and implement Leading Pedestrian Interval signals at locations outside of downtown that are adjacent to pedestrian attractors for older adults to promote the safe pedestrian travel and healthy aging of older adults; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Joint Inclusion Committee recommends the Austin Transportation Department expand the installation of audible pedestrian signals, pedestrian hybrid beacons and countdown clocks at additional intersections across the city that need pedestrian safety improvements and that are adjacent to pedestrian attractors for older adults and that the Austin Transportation Department continues to use a data driven approach to identifying additional key locations across the city where these signals will be best-utilized. Date of Approval: March 27, 2024 Record of the vote: 9-0, Commissioners Vargas and Gordon absent (ECC) Attest: _____________________________________________ Vice-Chair