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Town of Taos awarded $272,000 Safe Streets for All grant to plan safety work in historic district, Los Pandos
Summary
Town staff reported receipt of a $272,000 Safe Streets for All grant that will fund a safety action plan for the historic district and Los Pandos area. The award requires a $68,000 local match and includes community engagement and a later implementation application opportunity.
Town staff told the July 21 Town Council workshop that Taos has been selected to receive a $272,000 Safe Streets for All grant to develop a local safety action plan covering the historic district and the Los Pandos area.
Karen Gonzales, the town’s grants administrator, and Public Works project manager Sharon provided the update. Gonzales said the grant award was confirmed by email on Dec. 9 and that the town’s match is $68,000, bringing the total project value to $340,000. The grant will fund development of a comprehensive safety action plan that uses a "safe systems" approach to identify policies, programs and projects to reduce roadway injuries and fatalities.
Sharon told the council the award supports a planning phase only; after the plan is completed there will be a separate opportunity to apply for implementation funding. She said the draft grant agreement has been delivered to staff and that the town is working through agreement details.
The grant requires community engagement in the planning process. Council members asked for clarity on outreach to affected neighborhoods; staff said community involvement is a significant component of the plan and that a kickoff meeting with the grantor has already taken place. Staff indicated the next step will be an RFP for an engineering consultant to produce the plan once the grant agreement is final.
Data cited
Staff provided a short safety summary: the town experienced nine fatal crashes from 2017–2021 with a fatality rate of 27.8 per 100,000 population; more than half involved pedestrians, averaging about one pedestrian death per year over that span. Sharon said the town currently relies on limited data and anecdote and that the grant-funded plan will improve the data-driven identification of problem locations and solutions.
Timing and budget
Staff said the grant agreement is in draft and that the plan-stage award period is limited (staff reported typical project windows); if the plan is completed the town may apply for a later implementation grant. Council members asked when the plan work would begin; staff said they must finalize the grant agreement and then post an RFP for consultant services. One council member asked staff to ensure neighborhood residents in Los Pandos and the historic district are notified and included in outreach.
Ending
Council members welcomed the award and asked staff to return with a timeline and public‑outreach plan once the grant agreement is finalized.
