Published December 13 2023
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced Wednesday it was awarding the City of Bellevue $2.787 million through a Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant, intended to make streets safer for all transportation system users.
This award will allow the city to further invest in its commitment to roadway safety for people using all modes of transportation. The work funded by SS4A focuses on assessment of existing street conditions and testing innovative approaches to improve road safety. Through this process, the city will collect performance data that will not only serve as a model for the region but can be leveraged by communities nationally.
“This award accelerates our vision for increased safety throughout our transportation system,” said Bellevue Mayor Lynne Robinson. “It also speaks to our role as a national leader in researching and implementing cutting-edge transportation technologies. We look forward to sharing these results with others as we work toward our Vision Zero goal.”
Bellevue’s commitment to safety includes a goal of reaching zero traffic deaths and serious injuries on city streets by 2030 through its Vision Zero Plan, which aligns with the National Roadway Safety Strategy, a key component of SS4A. With this funding, the city will advance critical work to achieve its safety targets, including:
- performing additional road safety audits
- conducting speed studies
- developing a separated bike lane design guide
- creating speed safety camera procedures.
The city will also test protected turn phasing for pedestrians, adaptive pedestrian signal controls, community-driven artistic crosswalks and cellular vehicle-to-everything technologies.
The federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, passed in 2021, established the SS4A discretionary program, which includes $5 billion in appropriated funds over five years. The SS4A program funds regional, local and tribal initiatives through grants to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries.