Cape Cod MPO endorses MassDOT's 2026 rolling-average safety targets amid local crash uptick

The Cape Cod Metropolitan Planning Organization on Tuesday voted to endorse MassDOT's calendar-year 2026 safety performance (PM1) targets after presentations from MassDOT and Cape Cod Commission staff about statewide and regional trends.

Christina Mendoza, regional planning coordinator at MassDOT's Office of Transportation Planning, summarized federal PM1 metrics and the methodology used to estimate 2025 and 2026 rolling averages. She reported the 2022'2026 five-year rolling-average fatality target as 357 statewide, described the methods and assumptions behind the estimate and noted MassDOT's overarching goal of zero deaths.

Dave Nolan of the Cape Cod Commission presented local data and said the Cape saw a troubling spike in 2025, reporting 19 fatal crashes that tied a ten-year high. "We're starting to see that uptick kind of come back again," Nolan said, explaining how the loss of 2020 as an anomalous low year affects rolling averages.

Members discussed enforcement, outreach and project implementation. Kevin Galligan, who supported the recommendation, reiterated the Vision Zero aim of zero deaths and urged local actions including enforcement and community reminders. Doug Brown asked whether the MPO might send reminder letters to municipalities to encourage enforcement, and staff indicated that enforcement recommendations are part of Vision Zero implementation and could come back as an agenda item.

After discussion, the MPO moved and seconded a motion to endorse the MassDOT targets and voted by roll call to adopt them.

The decision places the MPO on record endorsing the statewide PM1 targets; staff noted that local monitoring, Vision Zero implementation, and future planning studies (including a Route 6 Dennis'Orleans crash review) will be used to identify where local investments are needed to reduce fatalities and serious injuries.