EASTON, Pa. — Easton City Council has approved a measure to apply for a grant to help reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries.
Council on Wednesday approved a resolution introduced by member David O’Connell to apply for a $120,000 U.S. Transportation Department Safe Streets and Roads for All Planning and Demonstration Grant.
- Easton City Council on Wednesday approved a resolution to pursue a $120,000 U.S. Transportation Department Safe Streets and Roads for All Planning and Demonstration Grant
- The grant program aims to help reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries by 75% by 2030
- Greater Easton Development Partnership Executive Director Jared Mast applauded the effort, and suggested using funds for the Vision Zero project, which also aims to eliminate traffic accidents and deaths
The city also committed to a match payment of $30,000 from Capital Funds.
With a mission of reducing roadway fatalities and serious injuries 75% by 2030 — and ultimately eliminating those fatalities and injuries — the funds will help with projects include road signage and other safety measures.
“The city has to be the applicant for this grant, which opens up the possibility of implementation dollars from the infrastructure bill through the federal government so I think it's a key opportunity, and something I could bring different planning documents together and help set a vision for the city around safer streets, safer sidewalks, and safer places.”Greater Easton Development Partnership Executive Director Jared Mast
Stemming from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Safe Streets and Roads for All discretionary fund includes $5 billion in funding for 2022-26, and benefits regional, local and Tribal initiatives through grants to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries.
Recent events point out need
Greater Easton Development Partnership Executive Director Jared Mast took to the podium during the public comment part of the meeting to encourage council to vote in favor of the resolution.
Mast called attention to the need for safety measures because of recent events.
They include one in which Saifeddin Alrefai, 77, was hit by a vehicle while crossing Larry Holmes Drive, and another in which a Lafayette College student was hospitalized and another had minor injuries when they were hit by a vehicle while biking at a crosswalk at McCartney Street and High Street.
“The city has to come up with some match and, just again, I’m voicing support for that application," Mast said. "GEDP works with the city strategizing around certain grants.
“The city has to be the applicant for this grant, which opens up the possibility of implementation dollars from the infrastructure bill through the federal government.
"So I think it's a key opportunity, and something I could bring different planning documents together and help set a vision for the city around safer streets, safer sidewalks, and safer places,” he said.
Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr. concurred with Mast, citing a real-life example of transportation and pedestrian safety issues.
“I think making the intersections more visible and making people be more alert when it gets to those intersections is really important."Easton Mayor Sal Panto
“Yesterday I witnessed a car making a left-hand turn on Fourth Street at Ferry and the young lady that he almost hit, she was walking her dog and had to pull the dog by the by the leash to get the dog out of the way before it was hit," Panto said.
"And the guy just never really… We have too much distracted driving. We really need to look at that.”
Invest in Vision Zero
The mayor added that the city is looking into some intersections in the College Hill neighborhood, along with the cross-section of Knox Avenue and McCartney Street, and Lafayette Street and West Cattell Street.
“I think making the intersections more visible and making people be more alert when it gets to those intersections is really important,” Panto said.
Mast made note of Vision Zero as a possible investment for the funding.
Vision Zero “is a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all."Vision Zero website
Vision Zero, per its website, “is a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all."
First implemented in Sweden in the 1990s, Vision Zero has proved successful across Europe — and now it’s gaining momentum in major American cities.”
The program focuses on methods including roadway design, speed regulation, technology and policymaking alongside clearly set goals to eliminate fatalities and injuries linked to traffic accidents.
“Whether the city were to adopt Vision Zero officially or unofficially adopt a Vision Zero strategy for zero pedestrian deaths, I do think that it's important to continue to focus on making our city safer, both for pedestrians and cyclists and where those folks all kind of convene,” Mast said.
