Essex County awards $400,000 Safe Streets plan to Michael Baker to prioritize roadway safety

The Essex County Board of Commissioners voted to award a $400,000 contract to Michael Baker International to produce a countywide Safe Streets safety action plan intended to prioritize roadway safety improvements that could compete for federal implementation funding.

County Department of Public Works Director David Antonio told commissioners the plan will generate a prioritized list of roadway safety projects and noted the contract is funded by a U.S. Department of Transportation grant that ties implementation eligibility to an approved action plan. A Michael Baker representative described a data‑driven, community‑led approach that will draw on crash data and local input to identify high‑risk corridors and cost‑effective countermeasures.

Commissioners sought specifics about the schedule, composition of the steering committee and how the plan will move from study to construction. County staff said a kickoff meeting is planned for early September and that the consultant aims to submit the plan to the Federal Highway Administration by the end of October; staff indicated the grant structure makes it more likely implementation funding will be available once the plan is approved. The consultant said the work will include public meetings, focus groups, pop‑up engagements and at least one demonstration project to test countermeasures.

Several commissioners emphasized the need to avoid producing another plan that is not implemented. In response, staff and the consultant pointed to federal funding streams tied to the plan and said the county will use the prioritized list to pursue rolling implementation grants. Commissioners asked staff to provide a high‑level implementation timeline and a summary of other related county safety initiatives.

Public commenters during the meeting’s public‑comment period pressed for protected bike lanes and faster action. Paul Nittwitz, a bike‑safety advocate, praised the county for moving toward a safety plan but urged robust community outreach; Jessica Tiller, a Montclair resident and Montclair Bike Bus co‑founder, asked the county to prioritize protected bike lanes for equity and safety.

The board approved the contract by roll call. Staff will return to the board with follow‑up materials outlining the plan timeline, steering‑committee approach and near‑term opportunities for implementation funding.