Subject:
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Introduction to the New Safe Streets Harrisonburg Planning Efforts
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Presented By: Jakob zumFelde, Public Works Planning Manager
Recommendation and Review
In 2024, City Council approved an application for grant funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program. The Public Works Department applied for a Planning Grant to create the City’s first Transportation Safety Action Plan, and to update the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, create a Safe Routes to School Plan, and create a Complete Streets Design Guide. Following award of the grant by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the RFP process was completed and the City selected the consulting firm Kimley-Horn. City staff have been working with Kimley-Horn staff, and their subconsultants, to kick off these planning efforts.
These efforts, now named “Safe Streets Harrisonburg”, will establish goals and provide clear next steps for actions to be taken by the City, other governmental agencies, and private entities such as developers, to ensure equitable access to safe transportation options for people using all travel modes in the City. Public Works will present the key aspects of Safe Streets Harrisonburg, including a recommendation to consider setting a goal to achieve and maintain zero fatalities from crashes on City streets by 2040. City staff and the consultant team are preparing for a significant public engagement effort in the coming months to gather the thoughts, concerns, and desires of those who live, work and play in Harrisonburg.