New federal grant programs are injecting millions of dollars into road safety projects in an effort to stem the alarming growth of traffic deaths on U.S. roads.

Writing in Governing, Jared Brey highlights projects receiving the first $800 million in federal grant funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program.
In Seattle, they’re building new sidewalks, speed cushions, protected bike lanes and ADA accessible curb cutouts. In Philadelphia, they’re constructing pedestrian refuge islands and traffic signal modifications. In Louisville, they’re reconfiguring — or “rightsizing” — 10 streets to reduce speeds and improve traffic safety.
While “Many cities have laid the groundwork for projects by studying their high-injury networks and creating plans for intervention on specific streets and intersections,” others still need help completing the necessary studies. “The first round of awards included 474 grants for planning work and 37 grants for implementation,” Brey writes, adding that “The program is a unique opportunity for direct funding to cities, which often have to work through state departments of transportation to fund urban street projects.” This could speed up the process for making streets safer and give cities more control over local projects.
Brey describes two other traffic safety programs funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act: a pilot program funding wildlife crossings and grants focused on improving walkability in neighborhoods harmed by infrastructure projects and enhancing safety around railroad crossings.
FULL STORY: Feds Hand Money to Cities for Safer Streets and Resilient Infrastructure

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Four Reasons Urban Planners Can’t Ignore AI
It’s no longer a question of whether AI will shape planning, but how. That how is up to us.

Bend, Deschutes County Move to Restrict Major Homeless Encampment
City and county officials are closing off portions of an area known as Juniper Ridge where many unhoused residents find shelter, hoping to direct people to housing and supportive services.

High Housing Costs Driving Down Transit Ridership in LA
When neighborhoods gentrify and displace lower-income residents, transit ridership suffers, new research shows.

Iowa Legalizes Accessory Dwelling Units
A new law will allow property owners to build ADUs on single-family lots starting on July 1.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada