01.30.23

16 WA Communities Will Get DOT Funding to Help Reverse the Increase in Traffic Fatalities

Safe Streets for All program, created by Sen. Cantwell, delivers funding for creation of new safety action plans

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, announced that 16 Washington communities will receive federal grants to help reverse the statewide increase in traffic fatalities. The Department of Transportation has awarded a total of $9,198,763 to communities in the State of Washington through the Safe Streets for All program. 

“There were 745 fatalities on roads in the State of Washington in 2022, the most in more than 30 years,” said Senator Cantwell. “We must reverse this alarming trend. I created the Safe Streets for All Grant program which will provide 16 Washington cities and counties with this timely federal funding to improve transportation safety planning and build infrastructure that will save lives.” 

Sen. Cantwell steered authorization of the Safe Streets for All program through the Commerce Committee, and ensured that the program was among the transportation investments included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The program helps local governments carry out Vision Zero plans and other improvements to reduce crashes and fatalities.

Grants were awarded to the following 16 communities to fund the creation of comprehensive safety action plans:

  1. City of Ellensburg - $160,000
  2. City of Lacey - $68,000
  3. City of Montesano - $200,000
  4. City of Toppenish - $80,000
  5. Grant County - $280,000
  6. King County - $800,000
  7. Kittitas County - $429,504
  8. Thurston County - $264,000
  9. Walla Walla County - $201,696
  10. Whatcom Council of Governments - $200,000
  11. Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments - $200,000 
  12. Island Regional Planning Organization – $403,200
  13. Northeast Washington Regional Transportation Planning Organization - $352,000
  14. Puget Sound Regional Council - $4,860,363
  15. Spokane Regional Transportation Council - $400,000
  16. Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council - $300,000

Thanks to Sen. Cantwell's leadership, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will deliver an estimated $7.6 billion in transportation investments to Washington state. In the first year since the law's signing in November 2021, it funded nearly 500 transportation projects in the State of Washington.