Council adopts Move Safe regional safety plan; approves East High Street demonstration design

Charlottesville City Council voted to adopt the Move Safe with Blue Ridge comprehensive safety action plan and approved a preferred alternative design for a temporary East High Street demonstration project.

The Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission presented the regional safety plan, which uses 2018–2022 crash data to map a high-injury network and proposes spot-specific and systemic countermeasures. TJPDC staff said 84% of fatalities and serious injuries occurred on 17% of city road miles. The council adopted the plan so the city can be eligible for federal Safe Streets and Roads for All implementation funding.

Separately, council approved a demonstration project for the East High–Mead–Stewart corridor. Staff described the preferred alternative as retaining two-way travel on Mead while restricting the intersection movement so that northbound traffic flow is limited at the key intersection; the plan removes the existing left-turn lane on East High and installs marked crossings, refuge islands and a temporary signal moved to Stewart Street for the trial.

The demonstration will use temporary materials and is scheduled to run for up to 60 days; the motion as amended authorized the city manager to extend the trial if staff recommend and council consents. Staff will collect traffic and safety data and public feedback during the trial, then remove the temporary elements and use findings to pursue permanent funding and design if the project proves effective.

Council voted to adopt the regional safety plan and then to select the East High preferred alternative; both measures passed on voice votes.