The Town of Herndon will get a financial lift from the federal government for its efforts to develop a roadway safety action plan.
A $400,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program will fund an analysis of local roads to identify priorities for future transportation safety projects, particularly ones that could reduce crashes or improve accessibility, the town announced yesterday (Tuesday).
“The town’s grant will be used to analyze the town’s existing roadways and then develop a comprehensive Roadway Safety Plan,” the town said in a press release. “The funds will also be applied toward two projects: making town sidewalks and crosswalks more accessible for individuals with visual or physical disabilities; and development of targeted safety enhancements for town roadways with the highest crash rates.”
At a work session in March, Herndon transportation engineer Mike Shindledecker told the town council that an analysis of crash data from 2018 to 2022 found fewer fatalities than in other similarly-sized localities, such as Fairfax City and Vienna, and Virginia as a whole. However, more crashes resulted in serious or non-visible injuries.
To create the roadway safety plan, the town will analyze crash data and trends over the next one to three years, while deploying “low-cost, tactical improvements” at “critical” locations, according to a staff presentation.
Work on the analysis and planning efforts will begin as soon as the federal grant hand-off is finalized, the town says, noting that the project will include public engagement opportunities.
A long-term safety action plan is expected to be completed in 2026, establishing a town-wide strategy for improving safety going forward.
“The town’s receipt of this grant is a testament to our staff’s expertise and ability to successfully compete and prevail in highly competitive grant environments,” Herndon Town Manager Bill Ashton said. “This award will provide significant financial assistance in achieving the town’s roadway safety goals, at minimal direct cost to Herndon taxpayers.”
Created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed by President Joe Biden in 2021, the SS4A program was allocated $5 billion to distribute between 2022 and 2026 to local and regional projects designed to “prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries,” according to the USDOT website.
The program has provided $1.7 billion in federal grants to over 1,000 communities across the country so far, and over $3 billion remains available for future funding cycles. The next round of grant awards will come this fall, with applications now open through 5 p.m. on Aug. 29.
