Seattle Secures $9.7 Million Federal Grant for Street Safety Improvements

Full Article

Seattle Secures $9.7 Million Federal Grant for Street Safety Improvements

Seattle has been awarded a $9.7 million federal grant to fund transportation safety improvements at several locations across the city, according to the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT).

The funding comes through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program. It will support pavement upgrades at four locations with a history of wet-weather crashes, improvements to two traffic signals, and a citywide analysis designed to identify potential crash risks.

Pavement upgrades at four locations

A portion of the grant will pay for high-friction pavement designed to help prevent vehicles from skidding on wet roads.

The planned work will focus on four corridors:

• Rainier Avenue South, between South Fisher Place and Sturtevant Avenue South
• Highland Park Way Southwest, between Southwest Holden Street and West Marginal Way Southwest
• Southwest Roxbury Street and Olson Place Southwest, between 5th Avenue Southwest and Southwest Cambridge Place
• Westlake Avenue North, between the Aurora Bridge and Halladay Street

SDOT says high-friction pavement can reduce the risk of hydroplaning and help drivers maintain control in rainy conditions. The agency cited Federal Highway Administration estimates that the treatment can reduce crashes on wet pavement by 83% and all crashes by 57%.

Traffic signal improvements in Pioneer Square and the CID

The grant will also fund upgrades to traffic signals at two intersections near Pioneer Square and the Chinatown-International District:

• 4th Avenue South and South Jackson Street
• 4th Avenue South and South Main Street

Planned improvements include larger and brighter signal lights, vibrating pedestrian push buttons to improve accessibility for people who are blind or have low vision, and a longer pedestrian head start before vehicles receive a green light.

The upgraded signals will also include priority features for emergency response vehicles and revised signal timing intended to reduce conflicts between people walking and driving.

Citywide analysis to identify crash risks

The remaining grant-funded work will support a broader safety analysis using 15 years of crash data along with more detailed street-design information.

SDOT said newer analytical methods will help the city identify locations where crashes may be likely, rather than relying only on places where serious collisions have already occurred.

The findings are expected to help guide future safety investments and identify potential problems during the design of transportation projects.

Part of Seattle’s Vision Zero effort

The new award adds to Seattle’s ongoing Vision Zero work to prevent traffic deaths and serious injuries.

The city previously received a separate $25.6 million Safe Streets and Roads for All grant in 2023 to improve crosswalks and pedestrian access. SDOT says about a dozen projects funded through that earlier award have been completed, with additional improvements planned.

The new grant will support another set of safety measures as Seattle continues working to make streets safer for people walking, biking, rolling and driving.