Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Road Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Fernley council backs design and grant push for High School pedestrian safety after LRSP findings
Summary
Following a city Local Road Safety Plan that flagged speeding and impaired driving as top crash contributors, council authorized staff to apply for a U.S. DOT Safe Streets grant to fund a school zone, flashers and an enhanced pedestrian crossing near Fernley High School (total ask roughly $4 million; 20% local match required).
Fernley’s City Council on Tuesday authorized staff to apply for a U.S. Department of Transportation Safe Streets and Roads for All implementation grant to fund pedestrian safety improvements along the US‑95A corridor by Fernley High School.
Annabel Hernandez, who presented the city’s Local Road Safety Plan developed with NDOT and local stakeholders, said five years of crash data identified 944 crashes in the study period, including 31 fatal or serious‑injury collisions. “We identified that impaired driving and speeding were the top two driver behaviors,” Hernandez said, and the plan targets 10 priority locations with a mix of short‑, mid‑ and long‑term countermeasures.
Hernandez told the council the grant application will seek funding for two priority items for the high‑school corridor: establishing a school zone with school‑zone flashers and installing an enhanced overhead pedestrian crossing. “The cost for these two items is approximately $4,000,000,” she said, adding the application will focus on interventions proven to reduce fatal and serious injuries.
Councilman Hannon moved to authorize the application, citing repeated local incidents and the plan’s data backing for action. The resolution passed unanimously, 4–0. The grant requires a 20 percent local match (estimated just under $800,000), which staff said would need to be budgeted in FY2028 if the city is awarded funds.
Staff said the project aligns with earlier local planning documents (Safe Routes to School, the city transportation master plan and the LRSP) and that NDOT and the high school have been contacted for coordination. If awarded, staff expects to return to council to accept the grant agreement and to present implementation details and any required cost‑share arrangements.
Next steps: the application is due May 26, with awards announced later this year; if selected, design and construction would be staged in subsequent fiscal years and require additional approvals and interagency coordination.
