TJPDC presents Move Safely Blue Ridge draft; Nelson County could apply for safety implementation funding

The Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission presented the draft Move Safely Blue Ridge comprehensive safety action plan to the Nelson County Board of Supervisors on May 13, outlining potential engineering, policy and programmatic countermeasures to reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries.

Greg Georgiasken, a regional planner with TJPDC, reviewed the plan's components including a high-injury network map, public engagement summary, and an emphasis on reducing fatalities and serious injuries by 50 percent by 2045. The draft identifies spot improvements (specific intersection or corridor fixes), systemic improvements (proven countermeasures applied across the network) and non-engineering actions (policy, education and partnerships). Georgiasken said the plan is intended to serve as a menu of options; any specific project would require additional VDOT evaluation and analysis before implementation.

Georgiasken told the board adoption of the plan would make Nelson County an eligible applicant for implementation funding rounds, including federal and state programs such as the high-safety improvement programs and Smart Scale; he recommended the county consider the plan for a future consent agenda once socioeconomic sections are finalized. There was discussion about the plan's intent; county staff clarified the plan does not automatically commit the county to any specific countermeasure but provides eligibility and options for future grant applications.

No action was taken May 13; TJPDC indicated the plan could appear on a future consent agenda (scheduled discussion referenced for June 10) if the board concurs and staff completes remaining updates.