Safe Streets for All Comprehensive Safety Action Plan

What is the plan?

The City was awarded a grant from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to complete a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan. The planning  effort lasted seven months and covered all the City’s roads, sidewalks, crossings, and mobility infrastructure. The project team looked at safety data, public input, and future growth to identify strategies to improve safety for all who travel around Castle Pines by car, on foot, by bike, or with an assistive device. Recommended strategies include plan updates, new policies, technology solutions, enforcement, and infrastructure improvements. The City will also use the Plan to seek  grant funding for future projects to help create safer streets.

The Safety Action Plan was adopted by Castle Pines City Council in May, 2024.

 Key findings from the Plan’s development

• A total of 239 crashes were reported during the five-year period between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2022.
• The most common crash types include rear end crashes (31%), broadside (12.6%) and collisions with parked motor vehicle (9.6%).
• Castle Pines has nearly double the percentage (7.5%) of wildlife crashes as those occurring on state roads (4%).
• Fourteen top crash locations and associated (location-specific) improvement recommendations were made.
• Twenty-six systemic recommendations were made, most of which could be applied at multiple locations across the City.
• A total of 551 Castle Pines residents responded to an on-line project survey. In addition, three focus groups were conducted with residents. Key findings from this input include:
  • Mobility (travel) choices are influenced by safety concerns such as speeding by motor vehicles.
  • Arterials (e.g. Castle Pines Parkway and Monarch Boulevard) are primary areas of safety concerns due to higher volumes, higher vehicle speeds and in some instances, lack of separation for bicyclists and pedestrians.
  • School access and student safety are a priority, especially for students who walk or bike to-from school

Castle Pines Commitment through the Action Plan Adoption

• A goal of maintaining zero roadway fatalities and working toward a goal of zero serious injuries by January 1, 2030.
• Reporting progress to the community in relation to these goals and other metrics on an annual basis.

Next Steps

• Identify and allocate local (City) funding sources to implement project recommendations through the annual Capital Improvement Program or other means.
• Identify grant sources to augment local funding in support of project implementation.
• Using the Community Dashboard, City staff will annually report on implementation of the Safety Action Plan including:
  • Maintaining baseline of zero fatalities on the City’s transportation system.
  • Achieving a reduction in the total number of crashes (all types) per 1,000 people over the most recent five-year period that data is available.
  • Achieving a reduction in the total number of serious crashes per 1,000 people over the most recent five-year period that data is available.
  • Achieving a reduction in crashes (all types) at priority locations year over year. Priority locations are identified in the Safety Action Plan.
  • Achieving a reduction in crashes (all types) at priority locations year over year. Priority locations are identified in the Safety Action Plan.
  • Before and after crash data at locations where pilot projects are implemented to measure effectiveness.