SEATTLE — The City of Seattle was awarded a more than $25 million grant for projects to enhance safety in Rainier Valley, SODO, downtown, and the University District.
The grant, awarded by the United States Department of Transportation, will also be used to help advance "Vision Zero," the city's plan to end traffic deaths and series injuries on city streets by 2030.
The grant is part of the Biden Administration's transportation pledge of safer streets and roads throughout the country. The grant totals $25.6 million.
The neighborhoods that will see improvements have higher rates of fatal and serious injury crashes and lower historic investment, according to the city.
“We looked at where there’s - where there’s been - collisions, where it’s unsafe, and so we looked at underserved communities, and so I think that’s why our package was very attractive to the Biden administration," Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell told KING 5.
Improvements will include:
- new sidewalks
- traffic calming tools like speed cushions
- flashing beacons to help people cross the street
- ADA curb ramps and curb bump-outs
- protected bicycle lanes
Harrell said that the improvements to some areas will not be a "detriment" to another, "it's just looking at a need basis and attacking those first."
The United States Department of Transportation developed the Safe Streets and Roads for All program due to trends showing higher-than-anticipated crash and traffic fatality rates in recent years.