• City of Corvallis Safe Streets for All (SS4A)

    City of Corvallis Safe Streets for All (SS4A)

    Online Open House #2

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  • Welcome!

  • Welcome to the second online open house for the City of Corvallis Safe Streets for All (SS4A) project.

    We’re developing a Transportation Safety Action Plan (TSAP) to improve street safety for everyone—whether you walk, bike, roll, take transit, or drive.

    In this open house, you’ll see how crash data and community feedback from the spring helped shape a set of transportation projects and potential strategies to reduce serious and fatal crashes. You’ll also have the chance to share your thoughts on the recommended projects and proposed solutions.

    We will collect feedback through this online open house through November 25.

  • This online open house includes the following sections:

    1. Project Overview
    2. Safe System Approach
    3. The Process
    4. High Priority Projects
    5. Citywide Safety Strategies
    6. Walnut Boulevard Lane Reconfiguration Study
    7. Next Steps

  • Cars traveling toward a stoplight, and a cyclist is traveling in a bike lane. A sign reads: Speed Limit 30.

  • Go directly to a station by using the navigation buttons at the top of each page or click or tap "Next" to move through the stations in order. Be sure to click or tap “Submit” at the end, to record your responses.

  • Project Overview 

  • The Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) project is a federally funded effort to reduce crashes that result in fatalities or serious injuries. A key part of this project is the Transportation Safety Action Plan (TSAP).

  • What the TSAP will do:

    • Identify problem areas by studying crash data.
    • Focus on the highest-risk locations for improvements.
    • Develop a list of highest safety priority projects.
    • Recommend actions like policy changes and education strategies.

  • Other safety planning efforts under the SS4A project:

    • Conduct road safety audits on Walnut Boulevard, Circle Boulevard, and 9th Street.
    • Explore feasibility to change the lane layout on Walnut Boulevard.
    • Assess the City’s Neighborhood Traffic Management program.
    • Develop a clear process to determine when speed limits should be studied.
    • Update design guidelines for safer pedestrian crossings.

  • A cyclist traveling next to cars. Utility poles, buildings, and tall green trees are in the background.

  • Safe System Approach 

  • The development of the TSAP will follow the US Department of Transportation’s Safe System Approach icon this link opens in a new tab

    The Safe System Approach works by building and reinforcing multiple layers of protection to both prevent crashes from happening in the first place and minimize the harm caused to those involved when crashes do occur. This is a shift from a conventional safety approach because it focuses on both human mistakes AND human vulnerability to design a system with many redundancies in place to protect everyone.

  • A diagram of the Department of Transportation Safe System Approach

    (Click the image to enlarge in a new tab.)

  • The Process

  • The locations for targeted safety improvements and citywide strategies were identified through a multi-step process. This started by reviewing crash data to identify patterns and trends, then incorporated community feedback gathered last spring, risk factors, and demographic information.

  • Finally, our project Task Force ranked the locations and trends based on the potential to have the biggest impact on eliminating crashes that result in serious injuries and fatalities with limited resources.

    The feedback we received last spring along with the crash data helped confirm where the highest priority areas should be. We also received additional feedback for other locations and concerns that the City will consider in future project planning efforts.

  • Project staff members talk with members of the public during an open house event.


  • Screenshot of the interactive safety comment map from the spring.

  • High Priority Projects

  • These projects focus on the streets and intersections in Corvallis where serious and fatal crashes happen most often. The recommendations include a mix of lower-cost improvements—like clearer signs, updated pavement markings, and improved lighting—and larger-scale projects such as adding bike lanes, upgrading intersections, and enhancing crossings for people walking and biking.

    While these projects are not yet funded, completing the Transportation Safety Action Plan (TSAP) positions the City to apply for future federal safety grants and other funding opportunities to bring these improvements to life over time.

    1. 9th Street (Sequoia Avenue to Buchanan Avenue)
    2. 9th Street (Sequoia Avenue to Buchanan Avenue) – Intersection Improvements
    3. 9th Street and Garfield Avenue Intersection
    4. 9th Street from Van Buren Avenue to Harrison Boulevard
    5. Systemic Safety Improvements at Signalized Intersections
      • 9th Street & Van Buren Avenue
      • 9th Street & Harrison Boulevard
      • Harrison Boulevard & 29th Street
      • Kings Boulevard and Circle Boulevard
      • 35th Street & Western Boulevard
    6. Garfield Avenue & Highland Drive Intersection
    7. Circle Boulevard (Highland Drive to Four Acre Place)
    8. Circle Boulevard (9th Street to OR 99W)
    9. Kings Boulevard (Circle Boulevard to Elmwood Drive)
      and Circle Boulevard (Kings Boulevard to 17th Street)
    10. 11th Street and Grant Avenue
    11. 10th Street (Beca Avenue to Buchanan Avenue)
    12. 35th Street & Jackson Avenue
    13. Conifer Boulevard (OR 99W to Cambridge Circle)

  • 1. 9th Street – Sequoia Avenue to Buchanan Avenue

    9th Street is a key commercial and mixed-use corridor in north Corvallis with five lanes and high traffic volumes. It has bike lanes on both sides but limited safe pedestrian crossings and frequent turning conflicts.

    Key crash trends (2018–2022):

    • 152 crashes
    • 6 serious injury crashes, mostly involving turning vehicles or pedestrians
    • Most common crash types: turning and rear-end

    Proposed improvements:

    • Install strategic concrete barriers along left-turn lanes at signalized intersections to reduce turning conflicts
    • Install concrete barriers near (within 100 feet) pedestrian crossing islands to enhance safety for people walking
    An empty five-lane road lined with utility poles, trees, business signs, and businesses driveways.

  • 2. 9th Street – Intersection Improvements
    (Sequoia Avenue to Buchanan Avenue)

    This section includes several signalized intersections where people walking and biking experience conflicts with turning traffic.

    Key crash trends (2018–2022):

    • 57 crashes
    • 1 serious injury crash involving a pedestrian
    • Most common crash types: rear-end and turning

    Proposed improvements:

    • Adjust signal timing at 9th Street and Grant Avenue to give pedestrians a protected head start when crossing
    • Install curb extensions at Hayes Avenue and Sycamore Avenue to shorten crossing distances and slow turning vehicles
    • Adjust signage and pavement markings at Circle Boulevard to improve visibility and clarify yield locations for turning drivers
    • Add green bike lane markings at conflict points on Circle Boulevard to improve driver awareness of people biking
    An empty five-lane road lined with utility poles, trees, business signs, and businesses driveways.

  • 3. 9th Street & Garfield Avenue

    This signalized intersection connects to a nearby commercial complex and has visibility and turning-movement issues.

    Key crash trends (2018–2022):

    • 7 crashes
    • 1 serious injury crash involving a pedestrian

    Proposed improvements:

    • Raise the “Signal Ahead” warning sign to improve visibility
    • Prohibit right-turn-on-red movements to reduce pedestrian and bicycle conflicts
    • Add dedicated left-turn lanes and signals that give drivers a protected time to turn
    • Install green bike lane markings at conflict points to improve driver awareness of people biking
    An empty five-lane road lined with utility poles, trees, business signs, and businesses driveways.

  • 4. 9th Street – Van Buren Avenue to Harrison Boulevard

    This couplet connects two major downtown one-way streets with frequent turning and angle crashes. There are bike facilities along these two streets, but not along 9th Street.

    Key crash trends (2018–2022):

    • 53 crashes total
    • 3 serious injury crashes
    • Most common crash types: turning and angle

    Proposed improvements:

    • Reconfigure the corridor from four lanes to three lanes (one lane in each direction with a center two-way left-turn lane)*
    • Add buffered bike lanes
    • Add left-turn lanes at intersections

    *Note: Further analysis is needed to make sure this design would work effectively.

    An intersection with all four crosswalks striped and cars driving through on a clear sky day.

  • 5. Systemic Safety Improvements at Signalized Intersections –
    (5.1) 9th St & Van Buren Ave / (5.2) 9th St & Harrison Blvd

    These two signalized intersections operate as a downtown couplet and experience frequent left-turn and angle crashes and lack bicycle protection.

    Key crash trends (2018–2022):

    • 51 crashes total
    • 3 serious injury crashes
    • Most common crash types: turning and angle

    Proposed improvements:

    • Upgrade the traffic signals with brighter lights and reflective backplates, and adjust signal timing to improve safety
    • Add “Signal Ahead” warning signs to alert drivers to the approaching light
    • Add an extra signal light for the right-turn lane on Harrison Boulevard to make turning movements safer
    An intersection with all four crosswalks striped and cars driving through on a clear sky day.

  • 5.3 Harrison Boulevard & 29th Street

    This signalized intersection has a skewed layout that creates visibility and turning challenges for drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians.

    Key crash trends (2018–2022):

    • 7 crashes total
    • 1 serious injury crash
    • Most crashes involved turning movements

    Proposed improvements:

    • Upgrade the traffic signals with brighter lights and reflective backplates, and adjust signal timing to improve safety
    • Modify left-turn signals to give drivers a protected time to turn safely
    • Tighten the corners or use traffic calming devices to help slow turning speeds and shorten pedestrian crossings
    An intersection with cars waiting behind the crosswalk or driving through the intersection.

  • 5.4 Kings Boulevard & Circle Boulevard

    This intersection connects two main streets with moderate to high speeds and several nearby driveways.

    Key crash trends (2018–2022):

    • 8 crashes total
    • 1 serious injury crash

    Proposed improvements:

    • Upgrade the traffic signals with brighter lights and reflective backplates, and adjust signal timing to improve safety
    A three-lane road with a red car approaching. On the right, Houses with cars parked in the driveways.

  • 5.5 35th Street & Western Boulevard

    This intersection connects two busy streets with bike lanes near Oregon State University and has seen crashes involving people biking and driving.

    Key crash trends (2018–2022):

    • 13 crashes total
    • 3 serious injury crashes, including 2 involving people biking
    • Most common crash types: turning and angle

    Proposed improvements:

    • Upgrade the traffic signals with brighter lights and reflective backplates, and adjust signal timing to improve safety
    • Add “Signal Ahead” warning signs to alert drivers to the approaching light
    • Add bike signals to remove conflicts between people driving and biking*

    *Note: Further analysis is needed to make sure this design would work effectively.

    An intersection with traffic stopped at a red light. Utility poles and dense green trees are visible

  • 6. Garfield Avenue & Highland Drive

    This neighborhood intersection has visibility challenges, especially at night.

    Key crash trends (2018–2022):

    • 5 crashes
    • 1 serious injury crash involving a pedestrian
    • Most crashes were turning or angle types

    Proposed improvements:

    • Add “Stop Ahead” warning signs to alert drivers
    An empty intersection on a cloudy day. Utility poles, tall trees, parked cars, and a stop sign are in the distance.

  • 7. Circle Boulevard – Highland Drive to Four Acre Place

    Circle Boulevard is a major road with five lanes, bike lanes, and several driveways and crossings that create conflicts for people walking and biking.

    Key crash trends (2018–2022):

    • 100 crashes
    • 3 serious injury crashes, including one fatal injury
    • Most common crash types: rear-end and turning

    Proposed improvements:

    • Evaluate reducing the posted speed limit from 35 mph to 30 mph between Kings Boulevard and Four Acre Place
    • Add or upgrade pedestrian crossings with RRFBs, improved striping, and better signage
    • Relocate nearby bus stops and driveways where possible to reduce conflicts with crossings
    • Add a grade-crossing warning sign east of 9th Street for eastbound travel
    • At the OR 99W intersection, improve corners to enhance pedestrian visibility, update pedestrian signals with countdown timers, and improve lighting
    A four-lane street leading to an intersection with overhead traffic lights on a sunny day.

  • 8. Circle Boulevard – 9th Street to OR 99W

    This short segment has complex lane shifts and turning movements that cause confusion.

    Key crash trends (2018–2022):

    • 56 crashes
    • Several involved people walking or biking in wet or dark conditions
    • Most common crash types: rear-end and turning

    Proposed improvements:

    • Straighten lanes and add a concrete median to reduce conflicts
    • Restrict driveways to right-in/right-out movements
    • Extend left-turn storage lanes to reduce queueing and rear-end crashes
    • Add buffered bike and pedestrian facilities
    A wide six-lane street on an overcast day, with a red SUV driving next to a green-striped bike lane.

  • 9. Kings Blvd (Circle Blvd to Elmwood Dr) &
    Circle Blvd (Kings Blvd to 17th St)

    This project focuses on safety and access management near the Kings Boulevard and Circle Boulevard intersection.

    Key crash trends (2018–2022):

    • 15 crashes total
    • 3 serious injury crashes, including one pedestrian crash
    • Most common crash types: turning, rear-end, and angle

    Proposed improvements:

    • Evaluate lowering the posted speed limit on Kings Boulevard from 35 mph to 30 mph
    • Add raised center barriers near the Circle and Kings intersection to limit driveways to right turns only and reduce turning conflicts close to the signal
    A straight, three-lane road on a sunny day extends into the distance.

  • 10. 11th Street & Grant Avenue

    This two-way stop intersection is part of a neighborhood bikeway and has conflicts between drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.

    Key crash trends (2018–2022):

    • 3 crashes
    • 1 serious injury crash
    • All were angle crashes

    Proposed improvements:

    • Enhance the pedestrian crossing on Grant Avenue with signs installed on small raised concrete islands to help slow traffic and make the crossing more visible
    • Improve lighting to increase visibility
    • Add green bike lane markings along Grant Avenue
    A neighborhood street intersection with a dashed, white-striped crosswalk and a caution sign on the right.

  • 11. 10th Street – Beca Avenue to Buchanan Avenue

    This corridor is a neighborhood collector with bike lanes on both sides and a mix of local and through traffic.

    Key crash trends (2018–2022):

    • 17 crashes total
    • 1 serious injury crash
    • Most crashes were angle types involving drivers failing to yield

    Proposed improvements:

    • Enhance the pedestrian crossing on Buchanan Avenue with signs installed on small raised concrete islands to help slow traffic and make the crossing more visible
    A neighborhood street intersection with a dashed, white-striped crosswalk and a caution sign on the right.

  • 12. 35th Street & Jackson Avenue

    This unsignalized intersection serves a residential area with moderate traffic.

    Key crash trends (2018–2022):

    • 4 crashes
    • 1 serious injury and 1 pedestrian crash
    • Most common crash type: turning

    Proposed improvements:

    • Enhance the pedestrian crossing on 35th Street with signs installed on small raised concrete islands to help slow traffic and make the crossing more visible
    • Install stop bars on side-street approaches
    A three-lane street on a sunny day, with a white van driving on the left.

  • 13. Conifer Boulevard – OR 99W to Cambridge Circle

    A two-lane street with bike lanes and a curve where visibility is limited.

    Key crash trends (2018–2022):

    • 6 crashes total
    • 2 serious injury crashes
    • Most common crash types: fixed-object and turning

    Proposed improvements:

    • Evaluate the ability to restrict parking near driveways through the curve to improve sight distance
    A three-lane street, with a car traveling past a driveway and tree canopy.

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  • Let us know what you think!

  • Be sure to click "Submit" at the end of the Open House to share your comments.

  • Citywide Safety Strategies

  • The City of Corvallis has identified five emphasis areas for strategy development:

    • Intersections – where many of the most severe crashes occur
    • People Walking – who are especially vulnerable, particularly at night and near intersections
    • People Biking – who face risks at crossings and on high-traffic streets
    • Risky Behaviors – including distracted driving, speeding, and impaired driving
    • Young Drivers – who are more likely to be involved in crashes related to inexperience or distraction

  • Together, these strategies ensure the TSAP is not just a list of projects, but a comprehensive safety plan that addresses safety from all angles to make Corvallis’ streets safer for everyone.

  • Intersections

    More than 6 in 10 crashes happen at intersections.

    A close-up of a red traffic light, a SE Division sign, and a No turns on red sign.

    No turn on red sign.

    Proposed strategies:

    • Upgrade signal visibility and timing
    • Apply treatments to slow down left turns
    • Restrict right turns on red where visibility is limited
    • Improve signage and sightlines
    • Coordinate or adjust signal timing to keep traffic flowing smoothly

    People Walking

    Crashes involving people walking make up 18% of fatal and serious injury crashes.

    A street view of a car traveling next to a raised concrete median and yellow and black striped warning signs.

    Pedestrian signal with countdown timer.

    A close-up of a pedestrian countdown timer.

    In-road sign pedestrian crossing.

    A street curb extension with landscaping at an intersection.

    Example of a curb extension.

    Proposed strategies:

    • Add pedestrian countdown timers and better lighting
    • Install flashing beacons or pedestrian warning signs
    • Extend curbs to shorten crossing distance
    • Add refuge islands on wider streets
    • Support walking school buses and pedestrian education
    • Implement Pedestrian Safety Zones

    Young Drivers

    Drivers ages 15–21 are involved in 14% of crashes and 25% of serious crashes.

    Proposed strategies:

    • Create educational campaigns specifically for teen drivers
    • Partner with schools on driver safety education
    • Promote parent/guardian monitoring tools
    • Support peer-led safety ambassador programs

    People Biking

    Bike crashes account for 5% of all crashes and 11% of severe ones.

    A street view of a striped bike lane with a white bicycle symbol. Two signs: Speed 25 speed limit and No Parking.

    Buffered bike lane.

    A cyclist bikes across an intersection with a traffic signal showing a green bicycle symbol.

    Example of a bike signal.

    Proposed strategies:

    • Add green or buffered bike lanes
    • Install bicycle signals
    • Host bike skills events and safety campaigns
    • Prioritize collision avoidance technology in City fleet vehicles

    Risky Behaviors

    Speeding, distraction, and impaired driving contribute to 11% of all crashes and 24% of severe ones.

    A street with a radar speed sign: 23 in orange, and Speed limit 30 sign.

    Speed feedback sign.

    Under a solar panel, a digital road sign displaying an orange arrow inside a diamond, with text: Slow down.

    Dynamic speed feedback sign.

    Proposed strategies:

    • Install speed feedback and variable speed signs
    • Adjust posted speeds to match road conditions
    • Create public education campaigns on risky driving behaviors
    • Promote alternative transportation options after events
    • Partner with law enforcement for high-visibility patrols

  • Let us know what you think!

  • Be sure to click "Submit" at the end of the Open House to share your comments.

  • Walnut Boulevard Lane Reconfiguration Study 

  • Exploring the Feasibility of Lane Changes on Walnut Boulevard

    Purpose of the Study

    As a potential measure to improve safety on Walnut Boulevard, the City wanted to know if it was feasible to convert Walnut Boulevard from two lanes in each direction to one lane each way with a center turn lane and the impacts it would have on the transportation system.

    The study is an exploratory exercise only—no changes are currently planned. The study assessed potential trade-offs between safety, comfort, and traffic flow to understand if this concept could work in the future.

    A map of the NW Walnut Boulevard in Corvallis, showing the road segmented into four lanes and five lanes.
    Click the image to enlarge in a new tab.

    What We Evaluated

    • Current layout (four to five lanes)
    • Three-lane configuration – one lane each way with a center turn lane
    • Three-lane with turn lanes (Scenario 1) – adds right-turn lanes at busy intersections
    • Three-lane with turn lanes (Scenario 2) – with current four/five lane layout between OR 99W & 9th Street

    How We Studied It

    The project team used traffic data and safety research from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to determine the estimated crash reduction values.

    Different lane configurations were tested to see how each might affect safety, comfort for people walking and biking, and impacts to traffic flow and travel times, both today and in the future.

  • Why Would Fewer Lanes Be Safer?

    Fewer lanes often means fewer conflict points, or places where crashes can happen:

    • Drivers make fewer lane changes, reducing sideswipe and rear-end crashes.
    • Left turns use the center turn lane instead of blocking through traffic.
    • People walking cross fewer lanes, so they're exposed to traffic for less time.
    • Speeds are more consistent, which makes crashes less likely and less severe.

  • A graphic shows two cars labeled Car A and Car B approaching a crosswalk with a person.

  • What We Learned

    If a three-lane design were considered in the future, studies suggest it could have potential safety benefits:

    • Up to 29% fewer total crashes on average after conversion from four lanes
    • 47% fewer bike-related crashes when buffered bike lanes are included
    • 8% fewer crashes where right-turn lanes are added
    • 39% fewer bike-related crashes with green-painted bike conflict zones

    A reconfiguration could also create space for wider, more comfortable biking facilities while staying within the existing curb lines.

    How Would It Affect Traffic Flow?

    • Most intersections could operate well with three lanes, but the intersection with Highland Drive would become congested, even with the addition of right turn lanes.
    • Travel times could increase slightly by about 30–45 seconds in total from Jack London Street to Witham Hill Drive (2 ¾-miles)
    • Diversion away from Walnut Boulevard to other streets in an attempt to avoid congestion would be limited, given the lack of good alternate routes.

    What’s Next

    This study was intended to inform future conversations about how Walnut Boulevard could evolve to better balance safety and mobility for everyone.

    No decisions have been made, and further community discussion would be needed before any design changes are considered.

  • Next Steps

  • Thank you for participating in our second online open house!

  • Your feedback will help shape the final Transportation Safety Action Plan (TSAP). After this round of engagement, the project team will finalize the plan and present it to the Corvallis City Council for review and approval in early 2026. With an approved plan, the City will then be eligible to apply for federal safety grants and other funding to move these proposed projects and strategies forward.

  • Bicycles parked at a bike rack. A woman stands near the bikes and tall green trees behind her.

  • Benton County is also developing a Transportation Safety Action Plan (TSAP). The City of Corvallis is working closely with Benton County as they each develop their plans to ensure a unified regional approach to road safety. To learn more about the Benton County TSAP, visit bentoncountyor.gov/TSAP icon this link opens in a new tab

    For more information on the Corvallis SS4A project, visit corvallisoregon.gov/SS4A icon this link opens in a new tab

    Be sure to click “Submit” below to share your feedback from the previous sections.

  • Demographic Questions (Optional)

  • The following questions are optional and will help us understand who we are hearing from and whether we are reaching a wide range of people in the community. The identity of individuals is kept confidential. The results are reported as totals only and will be used solely to help improve future community engagement.

  • Should be Empty: