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Palo Alto County adopts 'zero roadway fatalities' goal, authorizes SS4A grant pursuit
Summary
The Board unanimously adopted a resolution committing to a 20% reduction in fatal and serious injury crashes by 2030 and a long-term goal of zero fatalities, and authorized pursuit of an SS4A grant with a total project cost of $519,639.
The Palo Alto County Board of Supervisors on May 26 unanimously adopted Resolution No. 5-26-2026(A) committing the county to the goal of zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries.
EMS Director Jarid Kuchenreuther presented the resolution, which cites the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program and a county crash review. The resolution states that a data-driven analysis of 239 local injury and fatal crashes identified a “Trauma Gap” in which ground EMS units average 32.2 minutes faster arrival than air-medical assets. The resolution sets interim targets — a reduction of at least 20% in fatal and serious injury crashes by 2030 and an ultimate goal of zero fatalities by 2050 — and authorizes pursuit of the SS4A Planning and Demonstration Grant (Total Project Cost: $519,639).
The Board’s adoption authorizes staff to pursue grant funding and to use the Iowa Strategic Highway Safety Plan as a guiding framework, per the resolution language: “Palo Alto County officially adopts the goal of zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries within its jurisdiction.” The motion to introduce and approve the resolution passed unanimously.
The resolution directs the county to use localized crash data to drive safety investments and lists post-crash care as a priority pillar of the county’s Safe System Approach. The Board did not take immediate additional actions at the meeting beyond authorizing pursuit of the grant; any further project design or local match commitments would be subject to later approvals.
