Gaithersburg reviews 'Move Safe' plan after rise in severe crashes; council discusses 50% reduction target

The mayor and City Council of Gaithersburg on Nov. 24 heard a presentation from consultants developing Move Safe, the city’s safety action plan, that laid out crash trends, equity‑focused mapping and public engagement ahead of a final plan targeted for spring 2026.

David Samba, project manager for Kimley Horn, told the council that the plan is funded through the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program created by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and that Gaithersburg combined a $360,000 federal award with a $90,000 local match to produce a $450,000 planning project. "It funds planning and implementation of projects, policies, and programs specifically geared to reduce or eliminate roadway fatalities and serious injuries," Samba said.

Why it matters: the SS4A program requires a certified safety action plan before jurisdictions can access larger implementation dollars. Samba said the plan’s primary metric will be fatal and incapacitating injury collisions (K/A), and that a certified plan is the gateway to seeking construction and program funds.

Key findings and goals

Samba summarized five years of collision data (2019–2024). He reported roughly 5,803 total collisions in that period and 79 K/A collisions overall. After a pandemic dip in total collisions, severe collisions declined from 18 to 10 in 2022 but rose again to 17 in 2024. Based on those trends and simple growth assumptions, the consultant team presented a city goal — consistent with the grant application…