Hot Springs board reviews Safe Streets plan targeting 40% reduction in serious crashes by 2040

The City of Hot Springs reviewed a Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) safety action plan that lays out priority projects and crash data to support future roadway-safety grant applications.

Assistant City Engineer Mike Hill said the plan, developed with Kimberly Horn, city staff, an advisory committee and FHWA, finds that "86 percent of severe crashes occur in 10% of the city roads" and identifies intersections and roadway departures as major contributors. Hill said the plan targets a 40% reduction in fatal and serious-injury crashes by 2040 and zero by 2050 and follows the FHWA safe-system approach.

The plan will be published alongside a public-facing Hot Springs safety dashboard that Hill said displays the high-injury network, interactive crash data, recommended projects, pavement maps and progress tracking. Adoption of the plan would make the city eligible to pursue SS4A implementation grants and other roadway-safety funding, Hill said.

Directors asked whether specific measures such as roundabouts are mandatory. Hill responded that the plan provides recommended projects; "the city itself will actually pick what we implement," and right-of-way and feasibility issues may make some recommendations impractical. Director Garcia and Director Webb asked staff to include the recommended projects and related figures in the board packet so members can see what staff proposes to pursue.

The board heard the presentation during its action-item review; formal consideration (Resolution R25223) is scheduled for the Dec. 16 meeting.