Bay Area big winner in new federal safety grant program

With an assist from MTC, the Bay Area was a big winner in the inaugural round of funding from the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program, earning more than $64 million in grants for eight different projects. The Bay Area awards represent 8% of the overall nationwide funding distributed in this cycle.

Last month, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced $800 million in grant awards for 510 projects through the new SS4A program, a record amount of funding to improve roads and address traffic fatalities. 

“Every year, crashes cost tens of thousands of American lives and hundreds of billions of dollars to our economy; we face a national emergency on our roadways, and it demands urgent action,” Buttigieg said. “We are proud that these grants will directly support hundreds of communities as they prepare steps that are proven to make roadways safer and save lives.”    

The Bay Area projects receiving grants are:

• Contra Costa Transportation Authority: Awarded $29 million for its Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Improvements Implementation.
• San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency: Received nearly $18 million for its Western Addition Community Safe Streets project.
• Alameda County: Secured $15 million for its San Pablo Avenue Safety Improvements initiative.
• BART (properties and right-of-way): Received $1 million for its Comprehensive Safety Action Plan.
• City of Napa: Received $400,000 for its Supplemental Action Plan: Complete Streets Improvement Plan for High-Injury Corridor.
• San Francisco County Transportation Authority: Received $360,000 for Streets and Freeways Strategy Vision Zero Freeway Ramp Intersection Safety Study.
• Pleasant Hill: Received $240,000 for a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan.
• Palo Alto: Received $160,000 for the Palo Alto Safe Streets for All Action Plan.

MTC assisted jurisdictions in applying for the funding with help from the Bay Area Vision Zero System (BAYVIZ), a tool for partners to analyze safety in their communities. MTC is making it easier for cities to understand the safety challenges in their communities and apply for funding to address those challenges. This means that valuable resources can be directed towards the areas where they are needed most, saving lives and improving the well-being of residents.