Safety on Renton’s Streets: What you told us and what we heard from you!

An update on Renton’s Safety Action Plan

Over the past few months, hundreds of Renton community members shared how it feels to travel on Renton’s streets. They told us where they feel safe, where a sidewalk or crossing is missing, and how they get to work or school. At the same time, the city evaluated and analyzed the past six years of crash data. Thank you to everyone who weighed in and participated. The takeaway is clear: what the community is experiencing and what the data shows point to the same priorities.

What the community shared

Over the past several months, we've connected with residents where they live, work, and gather. From Safety Fest and Bike Everywhere Day to tabling at the Senior Center, presentations and listening sessions with the City of Renton's Equity Commission, Consejo Counseling and Referral Services, the North Renton Neighborhood Association, and other community partners.

Across these conversations and our community survey, a consistent picture has emerged: Renton's residents encounter difficulties getting around on foot and unsafe driver behaviors. 38% of survey respondents said they feel uncomfortable or very uncomfortable getting around the city. The concerns they raised, from vehicle speeds to missing sidewalks and unpredictable intersections, point to clear shared priorities.

Key safety concerns and priorities from the community

• Speed is a top concern. 88% of survey respondents said they’ve experienced vehicles traveling at high speeds on Renton streets.
• People want to feel safe walking. Making it safer to cross the street and more comfortable to walk was the number one improvement noted by 58% of survey respondents.
• Intersections feel unpredictable. 77% of respondents have experienced drivers running red lights or stop signs.
• Residents pointed to missing or narrow sidewalks, incomplete bike connections and crossings that don’t feel safe, as safety issues they’d like to see the city address.

What the data shows

• Serious crashes are going up.
  • Over the last decade, Renton has seen a steady increase in crashes that cause deaths or life‑changing injuries.

• Most severe crashes happen in a very small part of the city.
  • About two‑thirds of all fatal or serious‑injury crashes happen on just 4.5% of Renton’s roads and at only 1% of its intersections. This tells us that only a small number of streets are responsible for most of the harm.
• Angle crashes are the biggest problem.
  • Side‑impact or “T‑bone” crashes make up 43% of all severe crashes — more than any other crash type.
• Failure to yield is the top driver mistake.
  • One out of every four severe crashes involves someone not yielding the right-of-way.
• Pedestrian crashes are rare, but especially dangerous.
  • While pedestrian collisions make up only about 3% of all crashes, they account for a full 25% of crashes involving deaths or serious injuries.
• Many pedestrian crashes happen exactly where people think they’re safest.
  • Half occur at intersections, and 40% involve someone walking in a marked crosswalk.

What’s next

Over the coming months, the project team will turn these findings into a set of priority locations and recommended strategies. This plan will help Renton compete for future funding to build safety improvements on our streets.

Stay involved

Our community survey will remain open through the summer

Please help us share the survey with your friends and neighbors!