Consultants present Safe Streets for All action plan; town told it must adopt plan to apply for USDOT implementation grants

Consultants from Bowman presented Narragansett’s draft roadway safety action plan on April 21, saying the document identifies crash hot spots, equity concerns and 26 locations where proven countermeasures could reduce serious injuries and fatalities. The plan was prepared as part of Rhode Island’s Safe Streets for All program, a USDOT-funded effort that aims to reduce roadway deaths and serious injuries.

The plan’s lead presenter, Eric Weiss of Bowman, said the work was funded through a $5 million statewide planning grant awarded to RIPTA in 2023 and that Narragansett’s plan makes the town eligible to apply for separate implementation funds. “Having the safety action plan…makes the town of Narragansett eligible to apply for implementation funds,” Weiss said, noting the current implementation grant round closes June 26 and a final round is scheduled in 2026.

Why it matters: the draft combines five years of crash data (Jan. 1, 2019–Dec. 31, 2023) with a high‑risk network analysis to identify locations where relatively low‑cost changes — crosswalk visibility, edge line widening, and other USDOT “proven countermeasures” — could reduce injuries. Weiss highlighted that crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists produce a disproportionate share of serious injuries and fatalities and that the plan prioritizes “vulnerable road users.”

What the plan contains: Bowman said the project team created heat maps, high‑risk and high‑injury network maps, time‑of‑day analyses and equity maps showing concentrations of lower‑income and zero‑car households. The team recommended measures for 26 specific locations — including Boone Street at Congdon — and provided preliminary cost estimates for each recommended countermeasure.

Local process and next steps: Weiss said Bowman is finalizing the plan and is awaiting final comments from RIPTA, RIDOT and Statewide Planning. He told the council those final comments are expected “within a week or so,” after which the town will receive a final plan. “If the town does intend to apply in this grant round for an implementation grant, the town will need to adopt this plan in order to be eligible,” Weiss said. Council members asked the consultants for approximate cost breakdowns to help the town’s budgeting process and noted they are in budget season.

Council response: Council members thanked staff and consultants for the analysis and said they want the report as soon as possible to inform budget planning.

Ending: The consultants said they expect to deliver the final plan soon and reiterated that adoption of the plan by the town is required before a USDOT implementation grant application can be submitted.