Item 24 - Councilmember Requested Item Regarding Visibility and Safety

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O, SAL CITY ]v1� . 1 1 1 1 v 7 9 S' lrFO� Councilmember-Requested Item Report DATE March 17, 2026 TOPIC Stop Line Placement to Improve Pedestrian Visibility and Safety at Intersections COUNCILMEMBER-REQUESTED ITEM TITLE Discuss and Consider Providing Direction to the City Manager to Direct Staff to Review the City's Standards and Practices for Stop Line Placement Relative to Crosswalks and Evaluate Whether Setback Stop Lines Could Improve Pedestrian Visibility and Safety — Particularly Along the High Injury Network and Near Schools, Parks, and Transit —in Support of the City's Vision Zero Goals and Consistent with the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices DISCUSSION Background Improving pedestrian safety at intersections is a key objective of the City's Vision Zero initiative. The Santa Ana Vision Zero Action Plan identifies numerous infrastructure strategies intended to reduce fatal and severe traffic collisions, including high -visibility crosswalks, pedestrian signal improvements, curb extensions, hardened centerlines, and intersection daylighting. Stop Lines Vision Zero emphasizes improving roadway safety through system design and engineering interventions, rather than relying solely on changes in driver behavior. One intersection design element that may warrant further evaluation is the placement of stop lines (also referred to as limit lines) relative to crosswalks. Stop lines are pavement markings indicating where vehicles must stop at intersections. When vehicles stop too close to crosswalks, or partially block them, pedestrians may become less visible to approaching drivers and may be forced to navigate around stopped vehicles. This issue may be particularly important near schools, senior centers, parks, and transit stops, where pedestrians —including children, older adults, and people using mobility devices —may be more vulnerable to visibility conflicts at intersections. The California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CA MUTCD) establishes statewide standards for traffic control devices and indicates that stop lines are typically placed several feet in advance of crosswalks but may be positioned further back when necessary to improve safety, visibility, or operational conditions. While the Santa Ana Vision Zero Plan includes conceptual intersection improvements that show stop bars CITY ATTORNEY CITY MANAGER CITY CLERK Sonia R. Carvalho Alvaro Nunez Jennifer L. Hall 20 CIVIC CENTER PLAZA - P.O. BOX 1988, M31 - SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92702 TELEPHONE (714) 647-6900 - FAX (714) 647-6954 - www.santa-ana.org