THE LATEST:
- New vehicle requirements proposed to reduce pedestrian deaths (September 2024)
- W. Tennessee Street grant application to fund identification of corridor safety improvement submitted by the CRTPA (August 2024)
- National safety trends reflect pedestrian fatalities are increasing (June 2024).
- The CRTPA adopted the agency’s annual safety targets at the February 19, 2024 CRTPA Meeting. For more information, click here.
The goal of safety in the transportation planning process is to reduce fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads. Advancing safety requires a collaborative and integrated approach bringing together partners to leverage resources for a common goal: increasing safety on our roadways.
As the transportation planning agency for the CRTPA region (Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon & Wakulla counties), safety in the transportation planning process is our top priority. Unfortunately, recent federal data identifies that pedestrians deaths in the United States increased 77 percent from 2010 to 2021.
Relatedly, the most recent data for the CRTPA region, like the United States, also identifies an increase in fatalities for some of the most vulnerable users: 
pedestrians and bicyclists. Although data varies from year to year, pedestrians and bicyclist fatalities in the CRTPA region increased between 2022 and 2023, as shown on the graph to the right (Data source: Signal Four Analytics).
In terms of all roadway users (including pedestrians and bicyclists), statewide every day 8 people are killed and 49 people are seriously injured on Florida’s roadways. Data from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) reflect that within the CRTPA region both serious injuries and fatalities slightly decreased between 2021 and 2022, as shown below (source: FDOT State Safety Office’s Crash Analysis Reporting (CAR) database).
The issue of transportation safety is a broad one touching many factors, including some outside of the direct purview of the CRTPA. These include vehicle design, roadway design, traffic enforcement, and road user behavior (including vehicle drivers, pedestrians and cyclists). As a result, a collaborative approach is required to address the issue of transportation safety in the CRTPA region.
So what is the CRTPA doing to help ensure our roadways are safe? A number of efforts are underway ranging from seeking to better balance the region’s roadways for all modes to education efforts focusing attention on safety’s importance. The below identifies some of the initiatives in which the agency is involved, including cooperative efforts:
INITIATIVE | DETAILS | MORE INFORMATION | |
W. Tennessee Street Safety Plan Grant Application |  | A grant to fund the identification of corridor safety improvements was submitted by the CRTPA in August 2024. | |
N. Monroe Street Safey Implementation Plan & Grant Application |  | A study to identify & prioritize safety improvements for vulnerable users along the corridor was completed in 2024. | |
Key Sidewalks Funded for Construction |  | The CRTPA has recently received construction funding for several urban sidewalks in the region. | |
Helmet Fitting Events |  | Most recently, on October 5, 2024, the CRTPA participated in a helmet fitting event as part of a continuing effort to increase cycling safety in the CRTPA region. | |
Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Plan |  | Adopted in June 2023, the SS4A plan identifies a comprehensive set of projects & strategies to improve safety on the CRTPA region’s roadways. | |
Annual Safety Targets Adoption |  | The CRTPA annually adopts safety targets related to fatalities and serious injuries in the region. | |
Community Traffic Safety Teams (CTSTs) |  | Each of the CRTPA's 4 counties (Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon & Wakulla) have a CTST that meets regularly to discuss traffic safety issues. | |
Regional Shared Use Paths |  | The CRTPA actively pursues the expansion of the region's shared use trail system providing safe transportation options for the capital region. | |
Congestion Management Plan |  | An update to the CRTPA's CMP occurred in 2024 & included an analysis of roadways with safety concerns. | |
School Transportation Safety Study |  | The CRTPA has initiated a study to improve walking & biking safety for the region’s students (scheduled adoption in early 2025). | |
Transportation Alternatives Program |  | The CRTPA region receives federal TA funds to enhance mobility & safety for all roadway users. Numerous projects in the CRTPA region have been funded (and continue to be funded) with TA funds. |
Safety Related Resources & News:
Florida Ranked Second Most Deadly State for Pedestrians – 7/15/22 (News)
Florida Traffic Safety Dashboard (Signal4 Analytics)
FDOT Vulnerable User Dashboard
Florida Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) Crash Dashboard