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. Such an approach brings 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 a top CRTPA 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. Although data varies from year to year, pedestrians fatalities in the CRTPA region increased between 2021 and 2022, as shown on the right.
In terms of all roadway users (including pedestrians), 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 increased between 2020 and 2021, as shown below.
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 car 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 | |
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 Multiuse Trails |  | The CRTPA actively pursues the expansion of the region's multiuse trail system providing safe transportation options for the capital region. | |
Congestion Management Plan |  | An update to the CRTPA's CMP is currently underway which will identify the region's roadways with identified safety concerns. | CMP scheduled for adoption in late 2023 |
School Transportation Safety Study |  | The CRTPA is initiating a study to to improve walking & biking safety for the region’s students. | Study to be initiated fall 2023 |
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 these 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