MPO adopts 2025 highway safety targets and backs Lextran asset-condition goals

The Transportation Policy Committee voted to adopt regional highway safety performance targets for calendar year 2025 aimed at supporting the MPO's Vision Zero policy and to support transit asset-condition targets proposed by Lextran for 2025.

Chris Avila presented required federal performance targets. For highway safety the MPO must set five metrics; Avila explained the target-setting uses four years of historical data plus one forecast year. The MPO currently maintains a Vision Zero policy with a long-term goal of zero fatalities and serious injuries. Avila presented staffrecommended target values for the 2025 submission intended to show movement toward Vision Zero while reflecting recent local data: 38 total fatalities, 105 serious injuries (life-threatening injuries), and 23 non-motorized (pedestrian and bicyclist) fatalities and serious injuries for calendar year 2025. Committee discussion centered on realism versus aspirational targets; several members noted recent year-to-year volatility and that progress may be gradual as recent initiatives begin to take effect. The committee moved to adopt the targets; a voice/hand-raise vote carried the motion.

On transit asset-condition targets, Avila described Lextran's proposed measures for vehicles and facilities, required by the Federal Transit Administration. The revenue-vehicle benchmark is a useful life of 14 years; Lextran reported that in 2024 twenty-five percent of its revenue fleet exceeded that benchmark (an improvement from 41 percent the previous year) and set a target of no more than 20 percent of revenue vehicles older than 14 years. For non-revenue (support) vehicles the FTA benchmark is eight years; Lextran reported 78 percent of its non-revenue fleet exceeded that benchmark in 2024 and set a goal of fewer than 40 percent older than eight years. For facilities Lextran reported all five TERM-evaluated facilities scored above the FTA benchmark of 3 (on a 1–5 scale), and Lextran's target is to have fewer than 5 percent of facilities scoring below 3. Committee members asked clarifying questions about non-revenue vehicle types and the source of targets; Lextran staff noted vehicles beyond the useful-life benchmark are maintained as safe and reliable.

The committee voted to support Lextran's asset-condition targets; that vote carried. The meeting record shows both resolutions — the highway safety targets (Resolution 2025-3) and the MPO support of Lextran's transit asset-condition targets (Resolution 2025-4) — were approved by voice/hand-raise votes.