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Spokane to pilot 48-hour public-awareness response at traffic-fatality sites with $136,000 grant
Summary
City staff described a $136,000 grant from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission to pilot rapid 48-hour responses to traffic fatalities, deploying two-week visual treatments (paint, signs, cones, outreach) to raise public awareness and potentially prompt permanent safety changes; councilors asked whether such treatments are appropriate when a crash is not related to roadway design.
City staff briefed the Spokane City Council on a $136,000 grant from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission that would fund a pilot to respond to traffic fatalities with an on-site public-awareness treatment. Staff said the pilot aims to respond within 48 hours and put a treatment up for about two weeks (paint that can wash away, cones, signage and outreach such as door hangers), and that the grant mostly funds marketing and staff time while the Health District provided a matching grant to buy equipment.
Why it matters: Staff argued that visible reminders at fatality locations can raise community awareness about speed and encourage behavior change; councilors raised whether the approach makes sense when a fatal crash was caused by driver behavior (for example, impairment) rather than roadway conditions, and whether placing high-profile treatments could artificially elevate certain sites in the funding queue for traffic-calming projects.
Details: Staff said the pilot spans approximately 18 months and they expect to perform one to three treatments per year during the pilot period (staff said the grant period covers this fiscal year and the next). The treatment approach is a mix of education and short-term traffic interventions intended to include follow-up evaluation to determine whether more permanent changes are warranted. Staff said no match was required for the grant and that equipment purchases would be funded in part by a Health District match; private funding may be sought for additional equipment if necessary.
Next steps: The council was briefed and staff indicated they will proceed with application and implementation details; the grant and any related equipment purchases will come back to the council as required.
