The Rapid City Planning Commission on Nov. 6 voted to advance the draft Safe Streets & Roads for All (SS4A) comprehensive safety action plan, a city‑led plan developed with a $160,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation intended to reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries.

Planning staff said the plan uses a safe‑system approach and draws on crash analysis that found about 70% of all fatal and serious injuries between 2019 and 2023 occurred on roughly 11% of the city’s roads, concentrated on higher‑volume arterials. Staff presented focus areas including angle crashes at intersections, nighttime (dark‑condition) crashes, vulnerability of nonmotorized road users, motorcycle incidents associated with regional events, and alcohol‑involved crashes. The draft recommends capital projects, lower‑cost systemic changes, and policy or process updates. Next steps cited by staff include additional road safety audits, revising design manuals, staff and partner training, adoption of a city safety resolution and annual progress reports.

Commissioners asked whether Rapid City Police Department participated in stakeholder meetings; staff said RCPD provided input and will be part of behavior‑change and enforcement strategies. Staff clarified the plan centers on city‑owned streets where the city has jurisdiction and does not include state highways such as Omaha Street and Mount Rushmore Road without additional coordination.

Commissioner Eric moved to approve advancing the draft plan; Karen seconded and the commission voted to approve. Staff said a final report is expected in December and a resolution will be forwarded to Legal & Finance and city council as part of implementation steps.