City of Hercules — SS4A & HSIP Cycle 13 Grant Strategy Brief

Safety case & program alignment

-6.9% KSI rate post-COVID — Hercules' severity crisis requires urgent intervention

Hercules’s KSI rate shifted from 12.09% (2015–19) to 11.25% (2021–25) — a -6.9% change. Volume fell but each crash is significantly more likely to kill or severely injure — a severity crisis, not a volume crisis. 9 post-COVID KSI across 11 HIN corridors demand immediate targeted investment.

CCTSAP 2024 countywide action plan — Hercules-specific appendix available for adoption

CCTA adopted the Countywide Comprehensive Transportation Safety Action Plan (CCTSAP 2024) — a USDOT-eligible action plan covering all Contra Costa cities including Hercules. The CCTSAP includes a city-specific appendix for Hercules. Upon local adoption resolution and completion of the USDOT Self-Certification Worksheet, Hercules can apply for a FY2026 SS4A Implementation Grant targeting $5–12M federal.

Fatalities
city streets

HIN corridors
identified

CCTSAP 2024

Countywide
action plan

Project breakdown by category (2021–2025 crash data)

Category	Projects	Cost Est.	Focus locations
HIN Intersections	4	$2.2M	SAN PABLO AV & SYCAMORE A, SYCAMORE AV & REFUGIO VAL — ranked by 2021–25 KSI
Corridor Programs	3	$5.4M	REFUGIO VALLEY RD, SAN PABLO AV, SYCAMORE AV — LPI + lighting + raised median
Citywide Programs	3	$1.6M	LPI+APS rollout, LED intersection lighting, speed feedback

⚡ Two-step path: Adopt CCTSAP appendix + complete Self-Certification Worksheet

Step 1: City Council adopts Hercules-specific CCTSAP appendix (available from CCTA). Step 2: Complete USDOT Self-Certification Worksheet confirming CCTSAP satisfies all required action plan components. If confirmed → submit FY2026 Implementation Grant by May 26, 2026. Contact CCTA for the Hercules appendix and eligibility guidance. Recommend pre-application USDOT review (due April 24, 2026).

Priority SS4A projects — 2021–2025 crash data

Tier 1 — Fatal & high-KSI corridors (2021–2025)

Location	KSI	Fatal	Countermeasures
REFUGIO VALLEY RD COR #1 21 crashes · 5 KSI · 0 fatal · 🔁 Persistent: era B 2 KSI	5	0	Raised median, LPI+APS all signals, LED lighting, HV crosswalks, Ped countdown signals
SAN PABLO AV COR #2 26 crashes · 3 KSI · 1 fatal · 🔁 Persistent: era B 0 KSI	3	1	HAWK beacon, Protected LT, LPI+APS, LED lighting, Ped refuge islands, RRFBs, Speed calming
SYCAMORE AV COR #3 22 crashes · 3 KSI · 1 fatal · 🔁 Persistent: era B 0 KSI	3	1	HAWK beacon, Class IV bike lanes, RRFB crossings, Ped refuge islands, LED lighting, LPI at signals
SYCAMORE AVE COR #4 10 crashes · 3 KSI · 0 fatal · ⚠️ Emerging: era B 3 KSI	3	0	LPI, Bulb-outs, HV crosswalk, APS, Signal upgrade, Speed feedback signs
SAN PABLO AV & SYCAMORE AV INT #1 4 crashes · 1 KSI · 0 fatal	1	0	LPI, Bulb-outs, HV crosswalk, APS, Signal upgrade, Ped countdown
SYCAMORE AV & REFUGIO VALLEY RD INT #2 2 crashes · 1 KSI · 0 fatal	1	0	LPI, Bulb-outs, HV crosswalk, APS, Signal upgrade, Ped countdown

Citywide programs

Program	Type	Justification (2021–2025)
LPI + APS Rollout (~11 HIN intersections)	SYS	73 signal/ROW crashes (9 post-COVID KSI); LPI CMF=0.13–0.30 ped fatality reduction
LED Intersection Lighting (49 dark crashes, 10 KSI)	LIGHT	Dark KSI rate 21.4%→19.0%; 21.2% of ped KSI in dark; CMF=0.72 for dark crashes
Speed Feedback Signs + Road Diet Eval	SPEED	Unsafe Speed = #1 PCF with 47 crashes; KSI rate 11.8%→16.7%; 25 radar signs on HIN corridors

What we bring & recommended ask

CCTSAP 2024 provides the action plan foundation — Hercules-specific appendix available. CCTA's adopted countywide CCTSAP covers all CC cities. Hercules should adopt the city-specific appendix by Council resolution and complete the USDOT Self-Certification Worksheet to confirm implementation grant eligibility by May 26, 2026.
-6.9% KSI rate shift — compelling post-COVID safety narrative. Hercules’s severity shift (12.09%→11.25%) over equal 5-year windows demonstrates the precise data-backed deterioration SS4A reviewers prioritize. SWITRS analysis is complete across all 171 city-street collisions (2015–2025).
FHWA Safe System HIN analysis complete. FHWA-weighted Safe System scoring across all 11 HIN corridors and 9 intersections. REFUGIO VALLEY RD (5 KSI) and SAN PABLO AV (3 KSI) are the top-tier anchors for the application narrative and project location workbook.
171 crashes analyzed with full multivariate breakdown. Pre/post-COVID KSI trends, 2 fatalities documented, ped/bike/alcohol/dark-condition patterns quantified. 33 ped (7 KSI), 49 dark (10 KSI), 22 alcohol (2 KSI) pools are pre-validated for grant narratives.
HIN-to-countermeasure mapping complete — project identification is done. Every HIN corridor matched to FHWA-eligible countermeasures with cost ranges. Remaining work: formal application narrative, project workbook, and self-certification documentation.

Analysis basis: SWITRS/TIMS 2015–2025 (excl. 2020) · FHWA Safe System HIN methodology · SS4A NOFO FY2026 · CCTSAP 2024 (CCTA) · Deadline: May 26, 2026

SS4A FY2026 — Recommended Implementation Grant

Multi-Corridor HIN Implementation Package

$4.6M – $13.8M federal · 80% federal / 20% local

4 HIN intersections + 3 corridor programs + 3 citywide programs. Balanced portfolio: infrastructure (LPI, LED lighting, raised median, RRFB), speed management, and behavioral programs. REFUGIO VALLEY RD + SAN PABLO AV anchor projects with 8 combined KSI provide the core safety case.

CCTSAP 2024 Countywide City adoption recommended ⚡ Due May 26, 2026 SWITRS 2015–2025 -7% KSI rate

Why this application portfolio can win

C12 track record: 1 project, $0.35M funded — proven delivery

Hercules won 1 HSIP project in C12 ($0.35M) — H12-04-161. Returning applicants with delivery history score higher. Each prior award provides a direct C13 scale-up template.

Collision profile maps precisely to highest-scoring C13 categories

Dark crashes: 49 (10 KSI) → BCR Lighting (avg C12 grant $1.84M)
Speed #1 PCF: 47 crashes — KSI rate 11.8%→16.7% → BCR Speed calming
Ped: 33 (7 KSI, 21.2% rate) → VRU Special Rule bonus
Bike: 11 (3 KSI) → SA-Bike set-aside
Signal/Broadside: 73 crashes → BCR Signal+LPI

HSIP award history & statewide comparables

Hercules C12

$0.35M

1 prior project — direct C13 scale-up templates.

Long Beach C12

$9.7M

Retroreflective sign upgrade — comparable BCR scope for speed management application.

Glendale C12

$8.25M

Signal+LPI+APS citywide — model for BCR+VRU hybrid application.

Recommended C13 portfolio (2021–2025 crash data)

Application	Countermeasures	Category	Est. range
Signal Modernization + VRU #1 34 broadside + 33 ped (7 KSI)	LPI+APS at 11 HIN intersections, Retroreflective backplates, Protected LT, Countdown signals. Builds on H12-04-161.	BCR VRU+	$3–7M
Intersection LED Lighting #2 49 dark crashes (10 KSI); dark rate 21.4%→19.0%	LED at 9 HIN intersections; corridor lighting on top 3 HIN corridors; retroreflective backplates	BCR	$1.5–4.5M
Raised Median — REFUGIO VALLEY RD #3 REFUGIO VALLEY RD: 5 KSI + SAN PABLO AV: 3 KSI	Raised median channelization; restrict LT conflicts; ped refuge islands; Protected-permissive LT phasing	BCR	$2–6M
SA-PedCrossing × 2 33 ped (7 KSI); 21.2% dark KSI rate	RRFBs at unsignalized crossings on REFUGIO VALLEY + SAN PABLO AV; curb extensions; ped refuge.	SA-Ped	2 × $400K
SA-Bike Safety × 2 11 bike crashes (3 KSI); top HIN corridors	Class IV separated bike lanes on REFUGIO VALLEY ; bike detection at signals; green conflict zone markings.	SA-Bike	2 × $360K
Speed + Retroreflective Signs 47 speed crashes (#1 PCF); KSI rate 11.8%→16.7%	Dynamic speed feedback signs (25+); raised crosswalks; retroreflective sign upgrade citywide; automated enforcement study	BCR	$2–6M

C13 Winning Portfolio Formula

App 1 — BCR+VRU: Signal+LPI+APS+Backplates$3–7M

App 2 — BCR: Intersection LED Lighting$1.5–4.5M

App 3 — BCR: Raised Median (REFUGIO VALLEY RD)$2–6M

Apps 4–5 — SA-PedCrossing × 2 (different corridors)2 × $400K

Apps 6–7 — SA-Bike Safety × 2 (different corridors)2 × $360K

App 8 — BCR: Speed Mgmt + Retroreflective Signs$1.5–4M

Total C13 target: $5M – $18M · 0% local match · VRU Special Rule qualifies (44 VRU crashes, 10 KSI)

Hercules HSIP application history

Project ID	Category	Award	Description
H12-04-161	BCR	$346K	LPI+APS+countdown: Refugio Valley Rd

What we bring to this application

1 prior HSIP project prove Hercules delivery. H12-04-161 (BCR, $346K). Each provides a direct template for C13 scale-up. Returning applicants with completion history are scored higher.
-6.9% KSI rate change — powerful post-COVID safety narrative. Hercules's severity shift (12.09%→11.25%) demonstrates the precise safety deterioration HSIP C13 prioritizes. SWITRS 2021–2025 data is fully analyzed: 49 dark (10 KSI), 47 speed (7 KSI), 33 ped (7 KSI), 11 bike (3 KSI).
Post-COVID (2021–2025) crash pools pre-validated for BCR calculation. All HSIP project recommendations based on 5-year post-COVID data only. Crash pools are quantified by countermeasure category — each application has a pre-validated data foundation for BCR submission.
SA-Ped and SA-Bike set-asides are low-risk, high-return. Both SA-Ped and SA-Bike have 80%+ win rates in C12. 73 SA-Ped and 30 SA-Bike projects funded C12 statewide. Submit 2 applications per category on different corridors (REFUGIO VALLEY RD + SAN PABLO AV).
C13 portfolio extends every prior HSIP investment in Hercules. Signal/LPI from H12-04-161 scales to citywide LPI+APS at 11 HIN intersections. Each C13 application directly extends proven C12 work.

SWITRS/TIMS 2021–2025 1 prior HSIP wins (C12) 20 KSI · 2 fatals BCR · SA-Ped · SA-Bike · VRU