City hears HDR presentation on Safe Streets plan; staff to return plan for approval in early 2026

Acting Council President Jablonski heard a presentation from HDR Engineering traffic engineer John Mart on the city’s federally funded Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) planning grant, which awarded Columbus $400,000 with a 20% local match to develop a comprehensive safety action plan and guide future projects.

John Mart said the plan focuses on fatal and suspected serious‑injury crashes and that ‘‘84 percent of these crashes occur on just 8% of [the] Columbus road network,’’ a finding used to prioritize investment in a High Priority Network. Mart also reported that ‘‘from 2017 to 2023 the city of Columbus experienced 63 fatal or suspected serious‑injury crashes,’’ and asked the council to support a goal of reaching zero deaths and serious injuries by 2050.

Mart described the plan’s approach as a ‘‘safe system’’ rooted in six principles — including that ‘‘death and serious injury are unacceptable’’ — and said recommended actions span policy changes, systemic (risk‑based) strategies and a smaller set of major infrastructure projects that will require larger capital investment. He told the council the plan pairs crash and contributing‑factor data (angle crashes, speed‑related crashes, vulnerable road‑user collisions, alcohol impairment and younger drivers) with public input gathered through in‑person events and an online comment map.

The presentation identified specific corridors for focus. Mart highlighted Lost Creek Parkway and 33rd Avenue (near the high school) as an intersection‑focused priority area, Hart Boulevard as a corridor for medians and wider multiuse paths, downtown corridors where several design options remain under consideration, and 8th Street as a through route with neighborhood impacts that may benefit from narrowed lanes and curb bump‑outs. Howard Boulevard was noted as a historic rail alignment that can funnel higher speeds; Mart suggested entry features and roundabouts near schools to slow traffic.

Mart said the project gathered about 230 comment‑map responses and that the top concerns raised by respondents were speeding, distracted driving, red‑light running and poor visibility when turning. He explained the SS4A planning document is the ‘‘ticket’’ to pursue additional federal safety funds, that HDR will remain under contract into early 2026 to produce corridor concepts, and that city staff (Rick and team) will present the finished plan to council for formal approval in early 2026.

In a council question-and-answer exchange, a member asked how ‘‘serious injury’’ is classified. Mart said the report uses the term ‘‘suspected serious injury’’ because classifications often rely on officers’ crash reports at the scene and may not capture later hospital findings; he characterized a serious injury as incapacitating or life‑altering. Other council questions covered whether driver education was considered (Mart said the study focused on measures the city can do through engineering, enforcement and emergency response, though education could be pursued in partnership with other organizations) and whether detailed location‑level crash tallies could be provided (Mart said that data is in the report and can be shared with staff).

No formal action was taken at the meeting. Mart and HDR thanked staff (including Braden and Rick) and the council; the city is expected to receive the final plan and staff will bring an approval item to council early in 2026. Acting Council President Jablonski adjourned the meeting.