PSRC is getting ready to adopt the new Regional Safety Action Plan this May. The plan will provide guidance on strategies, countermeasures, and actions to address traffic safety within five crash emphasis areas.
The new plan is the result of a multiyear process that kicked off with the 2023 Regional Safety Summit. It addresses research findings that showed bicycles and pedestrians accounted for nearly half of the region’s roadway deaths, Native Americans were seven times more likely to be killed in a traffic accident compared to white residents, and rural areas were just as impacted by accidents as urban areas.
PSRC staff spent last summer sharing these findings with people all over the region and learning more about their safety concerns and needs. This included four regional public meetings, seven focus groups, 17 community event booths, 31 partner interviews, and 1278 online engagement hub responses. Key themes from the engagement were woven into the draft Regional Safety Action Plan.
The draft plan was released for public comment at the beginning of the year. PSRC heard from other local governments, organizations, and a few dozen individuals. Comments and proposed edits to the draft plan are being discussed by the Transportation Policy Board at the March and April meetings. PSRC’s safety policy is also being informed by a public opinion survey that will help incorporate safety principles into the upcoming Regional Transportation Plan.
PSRC’s Executive Board will review and recommend the final draft plan at the end of April for adoption by the General Assembly at its May 22 annual meeting. Funding for the Regional Safety Action Plan was provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation via two Safe Streets and Roads for All Grants.