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County staff advance Transportation Safety Action Plan; ask board to commit publicly to reducing serious crashes
Summary
Parametrix planners presented a Transportation Safety Action Plan (TSAP) funded by Safe Streets and Roads for All grants, citing 2018–2022 county crash data and asking the board to set a public commitment to reduce fatal and serious-injury crashes to qualify for future federal funding.
Parametrix planners and county staff updated commissioners on a Transportation Safety Action Plan (TSAP) that will build on the county’s Transportation System Plan and help the county qualify for future Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) funding.
Erin David, senior transportation planner with Parametrix, told the board the TSAP focuses on reducing fatal and serious-injury crashes through a mix of infrastructure, policy and program measures and by adopting a public safety commitment. "We're proposing that the the vision and mission are that Cook County is committed to reducing traffic deaths and serious injuries on all county roadways," David read as the draft vision statement presented to the board.
David reviewed crash data from 2018–2022: 15 people were killed and 81 experienced life-altering injuries in reported crashes across the county; the dataset showed roughly 850 reported crashes (about 170 crashes per year). In the TSAP's early analysis of serious crashes, Parametrix identified contributing factors: about 40% involved speeding, 28% involved unbelted occupants, 21% involved impairment and nearly 70% involved lane departures or collisions with fixed objects, David said.
The TSAP uses the federal "safe system" approach and will include engineering countermeasures, policy and program recommendations, and a system for measuring progress. David noted the SS4A grant program requires a public commitment resolution from a high-ranking elected official or body and recommended that the board consider adopting a statement of commitment and targets. Staff said adoption of a TSAP and a public commitment would make Crook County eligible for the next SS4A implementation grant cycle in 2026.
Commissioners asked how a county commitment affects coordination with the Oregon Department of Transportation; Parametrix and county staff said the TSAP would strengthen the county's case for funding and provide data and proposed designs to support conversations with ODOT and other partners. Staff indicated adoption of a formal commitment would likely be scheduled for a future board meeting once the TSAP team's analysis and recommended targets are finalized.
