The Charlotte County–Punta Gorda MPO unanimously adopted the 2026 FDOT safety performance targets during its Dec. 15 meeting after a staff presentation on local crash, fatality and serious‑injury trends.

Lakshmi Goram summarized the regulatory requirement that MPOs address safety performance targets annually and explained the board had 180 days to adopt state targets or set their own. Mark Yaxos of the MPO presented data showing increased vehicle miles traveled (up about 17% since 2018), recent decreases in some fatality rates but a notable increase in serious injuries and non‑motorized crashes over the multi‑year averages.

Staff recommended prioritizing projects at high‑crash intersections and interventions that separate vulnerable users from vehicle traffic. Following discussion, the board moved to adopt the statewide 2026 targets to remain consistent with FDOT’s adopted figures; the motion passed unanimously.