Pedestrian Safety to Be Discussed in Santa Ana

Seeking solutions to the city’s grim pedestrian safety record, state and city officials will meet Thursday in Santa Ana to discuss how to make the city’s streets safer for its residents.

Among the items planned for discussion are speed limit reductions and increased state funding for signals and other street improvements, according to the hearing agenda.

Assemblyman Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana) expressed alarm at the city’s high number of pedestrian accidents. The city has the highest pedestrian death rate in Southern California, and a school district study earlier this year found that nearly half the city’s pedestrian accidents involved children walking near schools.

The city launched an accident reduction effort in March, but the program has not significantly reduce pedestrian incidents.

Since the crackdown began, city police--not the district’s officers--have issued more than 4,500 tickets to motorists who failed to yield to pedestrians and more than 2,500 jaywalking citations.

Hearing participants will include representatives from the city’s police and public works departments. School district officials and representatives from a leading pedestrian safety group also are expected to attend.

Mayor Miguel A. Pulido Jr. has been invited to the hearing but has not said whether he will attend.

The hearing will be held at 10 a.m. at the Rancho Santiago Community College District facility, 2323 N. Broadway, Santa Ana.

Correa was one of the authors of a new law that sets aside $20 million to improve youth pedestrian safety across the state.