Puget Sound Regional Council Receives Additional $2.87 Million Federal Safety Grant to Address Rising Traffic Death Trend
SEATTLE -- This week, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced that Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) will receive $2.87 million through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program. The grant will support the development of local safety plans for the cities of Bonney Lake, Eatonville, Edmonds, Federal Way, Fife, Kirkland, Renton, Shoreline, and Sultan as well as Snohomish County, Washington. The new funding provided through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help accelerate the Puget Sound regional goal of reducing roadway fatalities to zero by 2030.
PSRC received $4.9 million in the first round of Safe Streets and Roads for All grant funding to support the development of a Regional Safety Action Plan and local safety plans for the cities of Burien, Everett, Kent, Redmond, and Tukwila, and Pierce County, Washington.
“This additional round of Safe Streets and Roads for All grant funding means we will be working in close partnership with over 25 cities and counties in the region on safety planning to move us toward the important goal of reducing fatalities and serious injuries on our roadways in the Puget Sound region,” said Josh Brown, Executive Director of Puget Sound Regional Council. “We are grateful to Senator Murray, Senator Cantwell, Representative Larsen, Representative DelBene, Representative Jayapal, Representative Schrier and Representative Smith and Transportation Secretary Buttigieg for these critical resources provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that will help us advance regional safety goals.”
The funding breakdown for the PSRC grant is as follows:
PSRC - $500,000
Bonney Lake - $120,000
Eatonville - $200,000
Edmonds - $300,000
Federal Way - $400,000
Fife - $160,000
Kirkland - $240,000
Renton - $400,000
Shoreline - $200,000
Sultan - $100,000
Snohomish County - $250,000
Total - $2,870,000
Other cities in the region received the following funds for over $4 million in total coming to the Puget Sound region for safety planning:
Bellevue - $2,787,894Buckley - $200,000Mercer Island - $160,000Mill Creek - $160,000Orting - $120,000Tacoma - $600,000What Regional Leaders are saying:
City of Poulsbo Mayor and PSRC President Becky Erickson:
“Safety on our roadways is a critical area for regional focus and collaboration. We must reverse the upward trend in deaths and serious injuries in our communities. We are deeply grateful to our congressional delegation for supporting PSRC’s work to create a regional safety plan and assist jurisdictions across the region with local safety plans.”
Snohomish County Executive and PSRC Vice President Dave Somers:
“Far too many people are dying on our roadways, and this grant will allow us to do even more to prevent death and injury. We are very grateful to our congressional delegation and the Puget Sound Regional Council. This type of collaboration is what makes the Puget Sound region the best in the country. Snohomish County will continue to prioritize the safety and well-being of our residents.”
Senator Patty Murray:
“Our roads should be safe and accessible for everyone: pedestrians, cyclists, people with disabilities—everyone,” said Senator Murray. “This federal funding will give folks on the ground the resources they need to plan safer streets for the entire Puget Sound community. As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will always fight to deliver the federal resources Washington state needs to keep moving forward.”
Senator Maria Cantwell:
“Fatalities on our roadways are preventable. In the State of Washington, traffic fatalities climbed by nearly 40% between 2019 and 2022, and we’ve seen a continued increase in 2023. Money from the Safe Streets and Roads for All program will help improve safety for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike.”
Representative Rick Larsen (WA – District 2):
“Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Puget Sound communities have the resources needed to develop comprehensive action plans to expand safe and reliable transportation options for all people. Traffic fatalities on Washington roads and highways hit a 32-year high in 2022 – a crisis that disproportionally hurts pedestrians and cyclists. I look forward to continued partnership with local stakeholders like the Puget Sound Regional Council to identify and invest in projects that keep people and the economy moving and improve safety outcomes and accessibility for all travelers.”
Representative Suzan DelBene (WA – District 1):
“I am pleased to see that PSRC is receiving $2.87M in federal funding from the bipartisan infrastructure law to support the development of local safety plans for cities in our region. This investment, combined with the $4.9M previously awarded to PSRC, is critical in addressing the rising number of deaths and serious injuries on roadways across our region. It will improve our roadways and ensure our communities are safe and accessible for all."
Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA – District 7):
“This year, Washington State is on track to have the deadliest year on record on our roads and highways. I was proud to support President Biden’s Infrastructure Law and the Puget Sound Regional Council’s application for the Safe Streets and Roads for All program. I am glad to see this funding from the Infrastructure Law coming to my district and to communities across Washington State to help save lives. This couldn’t be more urgent.”
Representative Kim Schrier (WA – District 8):
"I am thrilled that our region will receive significant federal investment to work towards safer streets for all. This multimillion-dollar grant, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will help improve road safety in communities like Bonney Lake, Eatonville, and others throughout Washington state."
Representative Adam Smith (WA – District 9):
“This funding will make roads safer for pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers in the Puget Sound Region and will get us closer to the important goal of reducing roadway fatalities to zero by 2030. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was passed to make our transportation and infrastructure more safe, reliable, and efficient and these dollars will do exactly that. I am grateful to Puget Sound Regional Council for their work on this issue and I look forward to seeing this investment make an impact in our region.”
About PSRC’s Safety Work:
PSRC has made safety a regional priority and we are working to address the sharp rise in roadway deaths in the region since 2010 by implementing a Safe System Approach to reach the vision of zero deaths and serious injuries on our roadways.
About the Safe Streets and Roads for All Program
The Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program funds regional, local, and Tribal initiatives through grants to prevent