Communities across the country are increasingly focused on making their transportation networks safer for all modes of travel. With new federal funding streams created through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), along with state and local opportunities, there is a heightened need for communities to position themselves competitively for safety grants. Developing a Safety Action Plan can help communities organize data, document needs, elevate public involvement, and establish clear project priorities.

In many cases, communities already have elements of transportation safety planning embedded in previous studies or comprehensive plans. A dedicated Safety Action Plan builds upon this foundation, organizing information into a cohesive, actionable framework that demonstrates readiness for project delivery and funding pursuits. Ultimately, a Safety Action Plan strengthens a community’s ability to compete for—and secure—transportation safety funding.

Below is HR Green’s approach to developing an effective Safety Action Plan.

Leadership + Commitment + Vision

Like any community initiative, a Safety Action Plan begins with commitment from the governing board, council, or leadership team. Ideally, one or more agency departments champion the development effort and support long-term implementation. Many communities already have transportation or safety committees in place that can guide the process and provide valuable input.

In some programs, such as the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant, a stated commitment, ongoing performance measurement, and a formalized committee structure are required components for funding eligibility.

1. Strategic Planning

A strong Safety Action Plan starts with a clear vision, often focused on reducing or eliminating transportation-related fatalities and serious injuries. Understanding the Federal Highway Administration’s Safe System Approach helps communities recognize the interconnected strategies involved in improving transportation safety.

From this vision, goals and objectives are developed and aligned with existing community plans, such as Comprehensive Plans, Strategic Plans, Safe Routes to School Plans, or Transportation Plans. To track progress, measurable performance indicators should be established. The community should revisit these measures regularly, annually or at an interval appropriate for local needs, to assess whether the plan is moving the community toward its vision.

The Vision Zero Network’s Vision, Strategies, Action: Guidelines for an Effective Vision Zero Action Plan offers useful best practices for transparent performance tracking.

Public communication should remain open and consistent throughout the planning process. An accessible, mobile-friendly, multilingual project website serves as a central hub for engagement—featuring contact information, educational materials, surveys, map-based commenting tools, and progress tracking. Transparent reporting builds trust and reinforces community commitment to safety.

2. Data Collection

A successful plan begins with a thorough understanding of current transportation conditions. This includes assessing the safety and capacity of roadways, sidewalks, and bicycle facilities, as well as broader system performance.

Crash Data

Data from state DOTs or local law enforcement helps identify crash hot spots, patterns in crash types, and contributing factors to serious injuries.

Traffic Congestion

Travel demand models and big data sources (such as INRIX or StreetLight) identify congestion issues, highlight potential lane configuration needs, and reveal opportunities to improve multimodal access.

Existing Transportation Network

Mapping truck routes, emergency response paths, public transit routes, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and railroad crossings provides a systemwide view of infrastructure and mobility.

Land Use Context

Existing and future land use maps help planners understand how development patterns influence travel behavior and roadway needs.

Public Health + Equity

Regional planning agencies and public health departments provide geographic and demographic data, crucial for understanding how transportation safety issues affect traditionally underserved populations.

Community Input/Crowd-Sourced Data

Local staff and community members often provide insights that do not surface in traditional datasets, including near-misses, pedestrian and bicyclist concerns, and neighborhood-specific issues. Multilingual engagement tools and partnerships with community organizations help broaden participation.

HR Green leverages GIS databases to visualize and interpret these datasets efficiently and accurately.

3. Safety Analysis

Once data has been collected, the next step is analyzing where improvements are most needed.

High Injury Network (HIN)

By mapping the corridors and intersections where the most severe crashes occur, a HIN helps communities focus on areas with the greatest safety challenges.

Benefit/Cost + Predictive Safety Analysis

Using Highway Safety Manual methodologies, alternatives can be evaluated to identify context-appropriate solutions. These may include low-cost measures such as leading pedestrian intervals or more significant geometric changes like roundabouts and protected bike lanes.

Systemic Safety Analysis

The Federal Highway Administration’s systemic approach helps identify roadway segments or locations with higher risk factors, even if a history of severe crashes is not present. Examples of systemic improvements include rumble strips, curve lighting and signage, or enhanced pedestrian crossings.

The analysis phase results in a tailored set of projects that improve safety for all travelers, regardless of how they move through the system.

4. Project Prioritization

Safety projects should be prioritized in alignment with community transportation goals. Examples include:

Pedestrian + Bicyclist Networks

Projects near schools, transit stops, or identified multimodal corridors can create safer, more comfortable routes for walking and biking.

Equity Considerations

Prioritizing improvements in underserved neighborhoods helps address disparities related to health, mobility, and access.

Railroad Crossings

At‑grade railroad crossings pose safety risks both for people who must cross active tracks and for individuals who require emergency medical attention when responders are delayed by blocked crossings. Crossings with documented safety performance issues or a high frequency of blocked traffic are key factors in prioritization efforts.

The Federal Railroad Administration’s Railroad Crossing Elimination Program is an important funding resource for these improvements.

Transportation Resilience

Extreme weather events can disrupt emergency response or evacuation needs. Identifying flood-prone or vulnerable corridors supports investment in resilient and safer routes. The PROTECT Program offers funding options to support these improvements.

5. Implementation

Once safety projects are identified, they must be incorporated into capital improvement plans and operational budgets through short-, mid-, and long-term strategies. These projects will likely compete with other community priorities, underscoring the need for a structured planning framework.

Policy + Processes

Operational policies can reinforce safety goals. Examples include prioritizing street cleaning or snow removal on multimodal routes, adopting neighborhood traffic calming programs, establishing crosswalk standards, or updating site plan requirements to support safe design for new developments.

Street Rehabilitation Programs

Street rehabilitation or pavement management programs offer valuable opportunities to integrate safety improvements during resurfacing or reconstruction.

Outside Funding Opportunities

State and federal funding programs can support significant safety investments, and communities with an established Safety Action Plan typically present stronger applications due to their organized data, clear priorities, and demonstrated public engagement.

A Coordinated, Interdisciplinary Approach

HR Green’s transportation planners specialize in comprehensive plans, concept studies, corridor studies, planning, and environmental studies, with a keen focus on leveraging the right-of-way to achieve multiple objectives. We incorporate public participation, context-sensitive solutions, ITS technology, and other unique project elements to meet our clients’ needs. With an interdisciplinary team of planners, engineers, scientists, and geospatial professionals, our collaborative approach delivers innovative and complete solutions.

Ready to elevate your community’s safety planning efforts? Contact us to learn how our approach can help you achieve your goals.