DuPage transportation staff outlines federally funded "Safe Systems" action plan amid rising severe crashes

The Transportation Committee heard a presentation Jan. 7 on DuPage County's "Safe Systems" safety action plan, a multi‑jurisdictional effort funded in part by a federal grant. John, a DuPage County Department of Transportation staff member, said the county is part of a consortium that won a $5,000,000 federal grant and is roughly at the midpoint of developing the plan, with draft recommendations expected to return to the committee in April or May and a final plan in June or July.

The plan, John said, takes a Safe Systems approach that includes engineering, education, enforcement, safer vehicles and post‑crash care. "We're actually part of a consortium of counties... we won a $5,000,000 grant," John said, explaining that DuPage and neighboring counties are pursuing coordinated safety action plans to support future federal grant applications.

The plan focuses on the relatively small number of crashes that cause most societal cost. John told the committee that severe and fatal crashes account for a small share of overall crashes but a large share of annual societal cost; John cited an annual loss estimate of $1,570,000,000 and said the county has recorded more than 400 serious or fatal crashes in the last year. He also said the county sees roughly 10 to 12 fatal pedestrian and bicycle crashes annually and that pedestrian crashes are frequently concentrated at dawn, dusk and darkness.

John told the committee that some neighborhoods are overrepresented in severe and fatal crash rates: he said Hispanic neighborhoods showed roughly 4.5 injuries per 100,000 population (about 50% above baseline) and that Black/African American neighborhoods showed roughly double the baseline. "We're trying to work with the other counties to see if this is the same experience they are having," John said, adding that the engagement process will include conversations with police chiefs and community groups to seek explanations for those disparities.

Committee members asked questions about causes and next steps. Committee member Robins asked why fatalities peaked in 2020 and then dropped in 2021; John said travel patterns changed around the COVID pandemic, with more walking and bicycling in 2020 and localized shifts in exposure. A committee member asked about how long the public comment map will remain open; John said it will remain active through the plan development and that the team encourages comments before mid‑April if possible.

Members suggested and discussed potential countermeasures. One member proposed exploring solar‑heated or solar‑powered road delineation to improve markings during snow and ice; staff noted such technology has been researched but maintenance costs and benefits require evaluation, and said reflective pavement markers and enhanced signing are current, lower‑cost tools the county uses. Another member urged stronger education and outreach about distracted driving and cellphone use; a different member recommended legislative changes to address licensing and insurance gaps for recent immigrants, saying those gaps can affect road safety.

John said the project team has already collected more than 250 map comments and substantial input from engagement events, including more than 600 written comments collected at a senior event in Addison (described in the presentation). He said the program will include one or two demonstration projects in DuPage County—one planned for the Illinois Prairie Path crossing on York Road in Elmhurst—and asked committee members to help publicize the public comment map and draft plan in their districts.

The committee did not take any formal vote on the plan at the meeting; staff requested help with outreach and said draft materials will return to the committee later in spring for review and potential action.