RMA Laredo and MPO advance safety action plan for community improvements

The Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Policy Committee made significant strides towards enhancing community safety during their recent meeting on April 16, 2025. The committee discussed the adoption of a comprehensive safety action plan, a collaborative effort involving the Regional Mobility Authority (RMA), the City of Laredo, and the MPO itself. This plan is a crucial step in moving forward with a series of infrastructure projects aimed at reducing accidents and saving lives.

The RMA board has already approved the safety action plan, and the MPO is set to present it to the City Council next week. This initiative has been in the works for over a year and involved extensive community engagement, with more than 90 meetings held to gather input from various stakeholders, including local police and school districts.

The proposed projects, valued at approximately $32.33 million, include a mix of state and city initiatives, with two-thirds of the projects falling under the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The MPO is optimistic about collaborating with TxDOT and the City of Laredo to implement these projects effectively.

Jason Rodriguez from LJ Engineering presented details about the Vision Zero initiative, which aims to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries. The completed report, which includes six of the eleven appendices, is now available online, with hard copies provided to committee members.

As the MPO prepares to present the safety action plan to the City Council, the focus remains on actionable steps that will lead to tangible improvements in community safety. The upcoming council meeting will be a pivotal moment for the project, as it seeks to transition from planning to implementation, ensuring that the community benefits from safer roads and reduced traffic incidents.