Larsen: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is building safer streets and roads in Washington State

||| FROM THE OFFICE OF REP. RICK LARSEN |||

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02), the lead Democrat on the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, applauded the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) announcement of nearly $65 million in Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant funding for projects aimed at improving road safety for all users, including pedestrians and cyclists.

“Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Washington communities have the resources they need to improve the safety of streets and roads,” Larsen said. “Last year, traffic fatalities in Washington climbed to a 33-year high. SS4A funding addresses preventable tragedies and supports efforts to keep people safe and the economy moving. I look forward to continued partnership with local communities, stakeholders and Tribes to improve transportation safety in Washington and across the country.”

USDOT’s announcement comes soon after the Washington Traffic Safety Commission released a report showing that 810 people died in traffic accidents on Washington streets and roads last year – a 10 percent increase since 2022 and a 33-year high. Last week, Larsen joined transportation safety advocates and family members of victims in Washington, D.C., to call for more investments, building on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to make the nation’s transportation system safer for all users.

Washington Projects Awarded SS4A Grants

The SS4A program, which invests $5 billion over five years in regional, local and Tribal initiatives to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries, was established under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Two projects in Washington were awarded grants totaling $376,000 in this round of grant announcements to develop plans to improve roadway safety:

• $320,000 for the City of Mercer Island to develop a bicycle and pedestrian facilities plan.
• $56,000 for the City of Ridgefield to complete an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Mobility and Access Plan, which would improve transportation accessibility.

The next round of SS4A grants is expected to be announced in August. For more information on the SS4A program, click here.

Four WA-02 Projects Awarded SS4A Grants in 2023

In December, USDOT announced more than $4.27 million in SS4A funding for local projects:

• $2,870,000 for Puget Sound Regional Council Coordination of Ten Local Safety Action Plans – The Puget Sound Regional Council will develop comprehensive safety action plans. In Washington’s Second Congressional District, the City of Edmonds will be awarded $300,000 and Snohomish County will be awarded $250,000 of the $2.87 million grant.
• $1,008,318 for Lummi Tribe Traffic Safety Action Plan – The Lummi Tribe will develop a comprehensive safety action plan and pilot demonstration activities at up to nine targeted intersections.
• $300,000 for Skagit Council of Governments Regional Safety Action Plan – The Skagit Council of Governments will develop a comprehensive safety action plan.
• $100,000 for City of Anacortes Action Plan – The City of Anacortes will develop a comprehensive safety action plan.