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Long Beach council OKs federal-funded study with WSP USA to map roadway safety
Summary
The City Council authorized a $236,389.25 contract with WSP USA to produce a roadway safety action plan funded by a federal reimbursement grant, a study staff says is required to apply for construction grants and will include data mapping, fixed-object inventories and public outreach.
The City of Long Beach on Nov. 5 approved a contract with engineering firm WSP USA to develop a roadway safety action plan that city staff said is necessary to pursue grant funding for future street-safety projects.
City Manager Dan Creighton told the council WSP received the highest technical score among seven firms and submitted the lowest qualified cost, $236,389.25. "The goal of this project is to devise a plan to reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries," Creighton said, and the city won a federal grant that will cover the study’s cost on a reimbursement basis.
Ken Arnold of the project team said the work will go beyond known crash locations to compile the data required for state and federal construction grants, adding that the consultant will map fixed objects such as light poles and hydrants and examine pedestrian and multimodal needs. "This gives us the background and the data necessary to apply for grants," Arnold said.
Council members pressed staff on whether the study would add value beyond police knowledge of trouble spots. Creighton and project staff said the deliverable will standardize data, provide grant-ready analysis and include public outreach so recommendations are actionable. Staff also warned that traffic-signal timing is largely controlled by the county, limiting local control over some remedies.
A public questioner asked whether the funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation; staff confirmed the grant is federal and administered through New York State and noted the grant is reimbursement-based. Creighton said the city has bond authority as a contingency but expects not to borrow if the grant reimbursement proceeds on schedule.
The council approved the resolution as part of a block vote of consent items. Next steps include consultant kickoff and a public-input phase in early project work.
