In a recent city council meeting held on January 23, Spokane Valley deliberated on its approval of an application for a grant under the 2024 City Safety Program (CSP), which passed unanimously. Spearheaded by Adam Jackson, the city’s Utility Engineering Manager, and his assistant engineer, Dan Baker, the discussion centered on identifying critical safety projects aimed at mitigating traffic accidents and enhancing road safety across the city.
The 2024 CSP funding, recurring biennially, offers a substantial sum of $35 million earmarked for spot location and systemic projects, with an additional $1 million allocated for traffic analytics. Notably, successful applicants stand to receive full funding for all project phases if authorized by April 30, 2027. With applications due by February 2nd and awards slated for Fall 2024, the city council is keen on seizing this opportunity to bolster Spokane Valley’s road safety infrastructure.
“Every two years, we have the chance to make significant strides in enhancing road safety for our community,” noted Baker.
During the meeting, Baker delineated the distinction between spot location and systemic projects. “Spot location initiatives target specific crash-prone areas, while systemic projects analyze broader trends to implement preventive measures throughout the city’s road network,” explained Baker, emphasizing the need for data-driven interventions.
Key among the identified crash types were angle (T) crashes and pedestrian-related incidents, which accounted for a significant portion of fatal and serious accidents. “Locations are consistent with the city’s arterial and collector roadways and occurring at intersections, driveways and mid block locations,” Baker remarked. “So what are the countermeasures?”
To address these issues, the proposed projects include the installation of roundabouts and pedestrian safety enhancements at strategic locations along arterial and collector roadways. “These initiatives are designed to not only improve traffic flow but also prioritize the safety of all road users,” said Jackson.
However, Councilwoman Padden raised concerns regarding the alignment of proposed projects with historical accident data. “Part of the map is to identify places where there’s safety problems and crashes, and use that data to mitigate existing issues which these projects don’t seem to do,” urged Padden.
Acknowledging the challenge of addressing complex behavioral factors, Jackson emphasized the multifaceted approach of engineering, education, and enforcement in tackling road safety issues. “Safeguarding our roadways requires a holistic strategy that encompasses diverse interventions and community engagement,” Jackson reiterated.
“In two years, I would like to see an approach to some of these specific areas where there’s high levels of accidents,” said Padden.
“We always look at what’s happening in our community and looking for ways to resolve those issues,” said City Manager John Hohman. He reiterated that the current City Safety Program was what was recommended by the city staff. He also mentioned the potential change of police schedules which is another part of addressing traffic concerns in the city.
Dan Baker then said that the locations with the most crashes were at the city’s most busy collective arterial intersections. “Those projects require a heavier lift than some of the projects we are looking at,” said Baker.
Councilman Al Merkel then asked how much time there was to apply for the grant, and Jackson said that it would need to be approved tonight and then the application would be sent in within the next 48 hours to meet the deadline.
“If we show projects that clearly correlate with to the conditions of those crashes, that’s the bottom line,” said Jackson.
Merkel then mentioned that the city should be run “like a business,” and that the council should look at the initial grant application budget, the opportunity costs, time commitments to city staff, and the potential benefits.
Councilwoman Pam Haley said, “I think we should be focusing on areas where people have been killed, we’re trying to prevent future deaths.”
John Hohman added, “I just want to remind people that there are a lot of misconceptions about grants. These programs are our citizen’s tax dollars being held by the state and Federal governments – we want to make sure we get our money back.”
The council was then put up to a vote and the project was passed unanimously.
Clare is an Eastern Washington University graduate and a reporter at Free Press Publishing.
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