Gary unveils Safe Streets plan as consultants map high-injury corridors and grant strategy

City of Gary officials and consultants presented a draft Safety Action Plan March 4 that maps the city’s “high-injury network,” summarizes crash and pedestrian-safety data and outlines strategies intended to make streets safer and position the city to apply for federal implementation grants under the Safe Streets for All (SS4A) program.

The presentation, led by senior transportation planner Jake Visser of the consulting team (TYLEN) and introduced by City Engineer William Allen, set out data from 2018–2022 showing a concentration of severe crashes on major corridors and described a phased strategy — from policy/alignment work and enforcement targeting to road diets and targeted capital projects — to reduce fatalities and serious injuries.

Visser told the council the plan is the eligibility and prioritization step required to pursue federal implementation funds. "Over those 5 years, you're looking at about 2,700 total crashes each year, resulting in over 400 serious injuries," Visser said, adding the data showed about 15 fatalities annually and a disproportionate risk to people walking and biking.

Why it matters: the SS4A program requires jurisdictions to have a finalized safety action plan before they can receive…