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Aiken accepts $800,000 federal Safe Streets grant, will add pedestrian safety demonstrations
Summary
Council accepted an $800,000 USDOT/FHWA Safe Streets and Roads for All demonstration grant with a $200,000 local match; proposed demonstration projects include high-visibility crosswalks, pedestrian countdown signals and corridor improvements on Whiskey Road, York Street NE and Lawrence Street NW.
The city of Aiken accepted an $800,000 Safe Streets and Roads for All demonstration grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation / Federal Highway Administration and agreed to provide a $200,000 local match, the council announced April 13.
City staff described demonstration activities the grant will fund to improve pedestrian safety and reduce traffic speeds while maintaining vehicular capacity. Examples included high‑visibility crosswalks, pedestrian countdown signal heads and other DOT‑approved modifications on corridors cited in the application, including Whiskey Road, York Street Northeast and Lawrence Street Northwest approaching Aiken High School and a 12‑block downtown area identified as a high-injury network.
Staff said the required local match would come from city settlement funds; the transcript used the phrase “plutonium settlement funds,” which appears to be a transcription artifact — the meeting record did not specify the settlement by name during discussion. Council voted unanimously to accept the grant and praised staff work on securing the award.
Implementation details, prioritization of demonstration locations and project schedules will be developed by staff as part of the grant contract and design process.
