CRTPA adopts 2025 safety targets, highlights pedestrian risks and SS4A grants

Tallahassee — CRTPA staff presented proposed 2025 safety performance targets and a regional safety update on Feb. 18, and the board voted to adopt the staff-recommended annual targets and continue pursuit of a long-term goal of zero serious injuries and fatalities.

The presentation, delivered by Greg Burke of CRTPA staff, showed the five federally required safety performance measures: number of fatalities, number of serious injuries, fatality and serious-injury rates, and non-motorized (pedestrian and bicycle) fatalities and serious injuries. Staff proposed targets that reflect a 5% reduction from the previous year’s adopted targets, consistent with board direction from 2022.

Why it matters: The Federal Highway Administration requires metropolitan planning organizations to adopt annual safety performance targets; those targets guide project prioritization, performance reporting and eligibility for certain federal safety grants.

Key findings and local initiatives described by staff: - 2024 results and vulnerable road users: staff reported 185 serious injuries regionwide for 2024 (staff stated this was the lowest reported in recent years). Pedestrian serious injuries were reported as 25 and bicycle serious injuries as 6; pedestrian fatalities were reported as 15 and bicycle fatalities as 3. Staff said 13 pedestrian fatalities occurred in Leon County, one in Gadsden County and one in Wakulla County. The presenter said three pedestrian fatalities were associated with hit-and-run crashes, three involved people identified as unhoused, and three occurred in work zones. - Long-term goal: staff requested the board continue to endorse a long-term goal of zero fatalities and serious injuries for the CRTPA region. The transcript did not clearly record a specific target year for that long-term goal; staff asked the board to continue adopting the long-term objective. - SS4A grants and projects: staff recapped the CRTPA Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) action plan and noted that the City of Tallahassee’s Jake Gaither application was successful and received approximately $10,000,000 in funding. Applications for West Tennessee and North Monroe were not funded in the most recent round; staff said reviewers encouraged resubmission. - Local projects and programs: staff highlighted sidewalk, lighting and midblock crossing projects on corridors including North Monroe, Paul Russell Road, St. Augustine Street, Pensacola Street and Tennessee Street. Waverly Road (Thomasville Road to Meridian) was noted as receiving Transportation Alternatives funding to construct a 5-foot sidewalk. - Enforcement and outreach: staff described coordinated high-visibility enforcement (HVE) by the Tallahassee Police Department and Leon County Sheriff’s Office on high-injury corridors and CRTPA helmet-distribution and outreach events.

Board action: Commissioner (name not specified in transcript) moved to adopt staff recommendation option number 1; a second was recorded and the motion passed on a voice vote with ayes recorded and no opposition.

Questions from board members focused on SS4A grant timing and criteria (members asked whether the Federal Highway notice of funding opportunity and evaluation criteria were expected in late March), links between pedestrian fatalities and unhoused populations along corridors (North Monroe, West Tennessee and Capitol Circle), and implementation steps such as fencing medians and signalized crosswalks on North Monroe. The board discussed resurfacing and other countermeasures, and the presenter said staff will return with a more detailed corridor-level update targeted for May.

Ending: Board members requested staff continue to monitor SS4A funding announcements and resubmit unfunded applications where appropriate. The adopted targets will be filed with FDOT and FHWA per federal requirements.