With a goal of improving safety for all who move around Amarillo no matter their mode of travel, the City of Amarillo (COA) is near the culmination of the Safe Streets and Roads for All planning process with a pair of open houses Thursday. The open houses feature 16 proposed projects, including the Safer Streets for Schools Project – the first project to receive grant funding from the Safe Streets and Roads for All program.
The open houses are Thursday:
- Amarillo Downtown Library, 413 S.E. Fourth. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Southwest Branch Library, 6801 S.W. 45th 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The planning process, which began in February, analyzed Amarillo crash data and incorporated more than 6,100 citizen responses. Public review of the proposed projects is the final step for development of the Safe Streets for All plan.
“The open houses will be an opportunity for the public to review and provide vital feedback for projects that will enhance public safety,” said COA Director of Planning Emily Koller.
The COA Safer Speeds for Schools Project was awarded $523,440 in federal funding in the FY2024 Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program. The award was announced in November by the U.S. Department of Transportation. COA is providing a local match of $130,860 from the Community Improvement Plan for a total of $654,300.
The Safer Speeds for School Project was funded as a demonstration project. Funded activities are temporary and designed to test approaches that may become permanent strategies.
The funded project will install temporary safety features near four elementary schools (Hamlet, San Jacinto, Margaret Wills and Olsen Park) and one middle school (Crockett).
Improvements implement countermeasures to reduce vehicle speeds, improve pedestrian visibility and shorten crossing distances. Installation will include speed cushions, brighter crosswalks and Tuff Curb delineator systems.
The purpose of the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Plan is to provide a framework to enhance safety for all people moving around Amarillo – whether on foot, bicycle, wheelchair, riding public transit or driving a personal/commercial vehicle.
The SS4A Plan is expected to be adopted by city council this spring and implementation will be ongoing as funding becomes available.
For more information on the federal SS4A program, go to: www.transportation.gov/grants/ss4a/cumulative-awards
For more information on Amarillo’s SS4A plan, go to: amarillo.gov/safe-streets.
Also for more information contact City of Amarillo Media Relations Manager Dave Henry at 806-378-5219 or by email at david.henry@amarillo.gov.
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