Committee approves city participation in regional Safe Streets planning grant application

The Tuscaloosa City Finance Committee authorized city staff to participate in a Regional Commission-led application for a Department of Transportation Safe Streets and Roads for All planning grant.

"This is requesting permission to participate in the Regional Commission's grant application for a Safe Streets for All planning grant to develop a regional safety action plan," Bill, an engineering staff member, told the committee. He said the planning grant request is about $1.5 million; the program typically requires a 20% match, but nonprofit partners on the application plan to cover the match for participating jurisdictions. "There is no funding commitment here," Bill said.

Engineering staff explained that the planning grant would produce a safety action plan aimed at reducing serious injury and fatal crashes and could identify candidate projects that would later be eligible for implementation grants of up to $25 million under the same federal program. Staff said participating would involve regular meetings and data-sharing (street and crash data) and that the regional commission would submit the application on behalf of the team; a mayoral letter endorsing participation is required. Grant applications are due June 26, staff said.

The committee approved the city's participation by voice vote. Members noted no city match obligation had been committed at this time and that participation preserves access to future implementation funding should projects be prioritized in the action plan.