The City of Arlington is inviting residents to take part in shaping the future of road safety by participating in a new online survey and attending a public meeting for the Safe Streets Arlington initiative. The meeting, open to all community members, will take place on Thursday, September 19, 2024, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library.
Arlington covers nearly 100 square miles, but a staggering 70% of fatal and severe crashes occur on just 6% of the city’s vast roadway network. Crashes involving cyclists and pedestrians are even more concentrated, with half occurring on just 1.5% of the roadways. The Safe Streets Arlington initiative aims to address these alarming statistics by focusing on improving street infrastructure, promoting safer behaviors, and engaging with residents to develop a transportation safety action plan.
Led by the City’s Transportation Department, with support from Police, Public Works, and other city departments, the Safe Streets Arlington program seeks to reduce deaths and serious injuries on city streets by 5% annually, with the ultimate goal of achieving zero deaths and serious injuries by 2050. The plan emphasizes a data-driven approach, focusing on building a safer transportation system for all roadway users, including drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
Arlington’s effort is part of the broader Safe Streets and Roads for All program, which is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The city was one of 474 communities to receive an action planning grant through the program.
Residents are encouraged to provide valuable input by attending the final public meeting or participating in the online survey. This feedback will help guide the development of the transportation safety plan. To take the survey or explore the Safe Streets Arlington website, click here.
Key Findings from Earlier Surveys and Public Meetings:
- Strong community support for stronger enforcement of traffic laws, road design improvements to reduce speeds, and coordinated outreach on the importance of transportation safety.
- The biggest challenge identified by residents is unsafe driving behaviors.
- Public input prioritized investments in enforcing traffic laws, expanding public transportation options, and maintaining streets and sidewalks.
Feedback from a May 2024 public meeting showed positive reactions to several proposed safety measures, including:
- Enhancements to bicycle and pedestrian safety, such as pedestrian refuge islands, road reconfigurations, and pedestrian hybrid beacons.
- Implementing road safety audits, roundabouts, and backplates with retroreflective borders to improve visibility.
- Incorporating crash reduction goals into the prioritization of all transportation projects within the City’s budget.
- Including safety considerations and multimodal amenities in new development plans.
- Developing a traffic calming policy and toolkit to reduce speeding in neighborhoods.
- Updating city documents to prioritize pedestrian and bicycle safety.
- Providing Spanish and Vietnamese translations for public-facing materials to increase accessibility.
Residents are also invited to explore the City’s Interactive Safety Dashboard, which presents crash trends and locations across Arlington from 2018 to 2022. The dashboard is available on the Safe Streets Arlington website.
By actively participating in the survey and public meeting, Arlington residents can play a crucial role in shaping a safer future for all roadway users. The City of Arlington looks forward to collaborating with the community to make streets safer for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists alike.
