Greenville Council approves $500,000 Safe Streets for All planning grant to support Vision Zero plan

Greenville — The City Council voted 6-0 on Jan. 5 to approve and execute a $500,000 Safe Streets for All planning and demonstration grant for the Greenville Metropolitan Planning Organization, City Director of Engineering Lisa Kirby said.

Kirby told council the federally competitive grant is split roughly in half: about $250,000 is expected to fund a comprehensive safety action plan and about $250,000 for demonstration activities. She said the award follows the council’s May 2023 Vision Zero resolution, which committed the city to eliminating fatalities and serious injuries on its streets.

Kirby described the grant’s funding breakdown as an 80/20 match, with approximately $400,000 coming from FHWA/USDOT, a $50,000 contribution from the N.C. Department of Transportation’s safety unit, and a $50,000 city match. She said the planning grant will allow the city to develop projects that could later qualify for larger implementation grants.

Council members asked whether the demonstration funding would cover built infrastructure; Kirby said demonstration activities could include physical construction but also non-construction items such as signal timing changes and leading pedestrian intervals. She estimated the RFQ and consultant selection would take three to four months and that the plan’s stakeholder-driven development could take nine to 12 months.

Mayor Pro Tem Forman moved to approve the grant agreement, with a second from Council member Robinson; the motion passed 6-0.

The council’s approval makes Greenville the lead planning agency for the MPO on this grant. Staff said the project aims to identify demonstration projects in neighborhoods and corridors that could later compete for implementation funds.