San Rafael, CA – Marin County’s commitment to improving road safety just got a boost. On December 13, the Board of Supervisors accepted a $449,500 grant from the state to analyze countywide roads and identify ways to address roadway safety problems throughout the county.
The County will partner with Marin towns and cities to provide an evaluation of high-risk road corridors and intersections where frequent collisions have occurred.
The Marin County Department of Public Works (DPW) will partner with Marin towns and cities to provide a universal traffic assessment that evaluates high-risk road corridors and intersections where frequent collisions have occurred, particularly ones that resulted in serious injuries or fatalities. Partnering agencies will check roadway departures and intersections as well as incidents that involved pedestrians, bicycles, speeding or aggressive driving. Identifying potential safety improvements will help the County, cities and towns when applying for future state and federal road safety grants.
“Public safety is of the utmost concern, and this in-depth report will allow us to make plans for a safer roadway network for all of Marin,” said Bob Goralka, DPW’s Principal Civil Engineer.
The total project cost of the road safety analysis is estimated at $554,500. The $55,000 required beyond the Systemic Safety Analysis Report Program (SSARP) grant will come from a local match by the agencies that are involved in the partnership. Of that sum, $33,000 will come from the cities and towns of Belvedere, Corte Madera, Fairfax, Larkspur, San Rafael, Novato, Mill Valley, Ross, San Anselmo, Sausalito and Tiburon. The remaining $22,000 will come from County DPW’s transportation budget.
California’s Highway Safety Improvement Program, which began in 2015, set up the SSARP grant system to help local agencies assess their road networks. Of the 108 grant applications submitted in 2016, only 61 were selected and carried a total cost of $10 million. Marin’s project is unique in that it involves multiple roads and traffic jurisdictions working together.
“The state encouraged partnerships like this one, and it’s great to have the collaboration of our local agencies recognized with this grant award,” said Craig Tackabery, DPW’s Chief Assistant Director. “We’re looking forward to seeing the progress this will make in Marin’s traffic safety.”