The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) awarded $250,000 in funding to five local projects that have the potential to improve safety on the region’s roadways, especially for its underserved communities.
These are the first projects awarded funding under the TPB’s new Regional Roadway Safety Program. The five projects will receive expert consultant services to help with planning and design. The program is now accepting applications for the next round of funding.
TPB Planner Jon Schermann talks with WJLA about an Arlington County project approved for funding.
The projects were primarily selected for their potential to save lives and reduce injuries on the region’s roadways. Other important factors in the selection process included a focus on serving Equity Emphasis Areas (EEAs), or areas with larger concentrations of minority and low-income populations, potential for improving road user behavior such as speeding or distracted driving, and collaboration among jurisdictions and agencies, among other criteria.
The five projects include:
- MD 650 High Injury Network Safety Study and Design (Montgomery County) - $60,000
A roadway safety audit and design of recommendations for safety improvements along MD 650 from I-495 to MD 320 in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties.
- Roadway Safety Audits and Design Recommendation for County Maintained High Injury Network (Prince George’s County) - $40,000
Roadway safety audits to identify traffic safety issues faced by pedestrians and bicyclists on several Prince George’s County roadway segments and design recommendations for safety improvements along these segments.
- Bowie Road Safety Audit (City of Laurel) - $30,000
A roadway safety audit on Bowie Road, which connects US 1 to MD 197 in the City of Laurel. The audit will examine roadway safety and traffic signal effectiveness to mitigate hazards for all road users.
- Arlington School Zone Speed Camera Guidelines (Arlington County) - $60,000
Develop data-driven, equitable guidelines to help identify, prioritize, and implement speed cameras in school zones, including a review and incorporation of best practices and lessons learned from other jurisdictions that have undertaken similar efforts.
- Herndon Parkway (Van Buren to Spring) Complete Street Safety Improvements (Fairfax County) - $60,000
A Complete Street design for Herndon Parkway in Fairfax County, between Van Buren Street and Spring Street, for safer infrastructure for those travelling between the W&OD Trail, Herndon Metrorail Station, and adjacent areas.
Projects were selected by a panel that included representatives from the Federal Highway Administration, Maryland Highway Safety Office, District Department of Transportation, Virginia Department of Transportation, and TPB staff.
Work on these projects will begin this fall, running through next spring.
This action is a result of the TPB’s priority to understand and reduce the unacceptable number of injuries and fatalities occurring on the region’s roadways. The TPB adopted its regional roadway safety policy in July 2020, endorsing a set of shared actions and strategies that advance roadway safety and equity.
FY 2022 Application Period Now Open
The application period for the next round of projects is now open. All TPB member jurisdictions and agencies are eligible to apply, and can find more information on the Regional Roadway Safety Program webpage. Applications are due on Tuesday, October 12, 2021. Abstracts, which are optional, are due on Friday September 10, 2021.
MORE: About the Regional Roadway Safety Program