City needing public’s input to make ‘safe streets’ in Dublin

The city of Dublin is looking for the public’s input on safety issues on the streets.

The city’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Comprehensive Safety Action Plan (CSAP) wants to provide safe transportation for those living and driving through town. The CSAP will help the city move toward Vision Zero, which plans to eliminate traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries. The city has set a goal of reaching Vision Zero by 2050.

Claire Jaffe, transportation planner for the Foresite Group, and other officials were camped out in front of the Jackson Street Plaza around noon last Wednesday and were available to meet with the public that evening at Dublin City Hall. In late February, the group held a meeting to receive information from the public.

“Some of the biggest issues that we have found out were that the majority of the issues are in intersections,” Jaffe said. “That is where 60 percent of the fatal and serious crashes are happening. We are really focuses on those since our goal is to get it to zero. A lot of the effort is going to be put into intersection improvements.”

In the past five years of data between 2020-2024, there were 3,542 crashes, with 89 of them resulting in death or serious injury. According to the data, 54 percent of severe accidents were angle crashes. Of the severe crashes, 36 percent involved young drivers between 15 to 24.

Twenty-five percent of severe crashes involved pedestrians, 16 percent happened because of distracted driving and 11 percent were caused by speeding or aggressive driving.

“We have heard a lot from residents about distracted driving and speeding,” Jaffe said.

Since the safety analysis, the group has completed a policy review, looking over at ordinances and existing policies.

“The goal is to create a culture of safety,” Jaffe said. “We looked at policies and see what improvements can be made. We have made recommendations both for policies, programs and also physical recommendations.” 

That has included lower speed limits on residential roads and putting in protective turn lights, turn lane markings, traffic calming and more roundabouts. Jaffe understands that some people do not care for roundabouts.

“They are new, and change is tough,” she said. “Speed is one of the biggest factors in how serious a crash is. The faster you are going has a direct correlation to how serious a crash is. Lowering speeds is one of the best things you can do. Roundabouts have a really high percentage of crash reductions. In some cases they can reduce crashes up to 80 percent because you are reducing those angle crashes.”

The main purpose for Wednesday’s meeting was to hear from the public about the recommendations. For those who were unable to leave a comment can do so by going to safestreetsdublin.com.

“The survey will be open for another week,” Jaffe said.