City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: JUNE 4, 2025
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
THROUGH: JAMES F. PARAJON, CITY MANAGER /s/
FROM: MICHAEL MOON, P.E., INTERIM DIRECTOR, TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of a Resolution to Support a Grant Application to the Safe Streets & Roads for All Program of the U.S. Department of Transportation. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]
BODY
ISSUE: Consideration of a Resolution to Support a Grant Application to the Safe Streets & Roads for All (“SS4A”) Program of the U.S. Department of Transportation (“USDOT”) to update the City’s Vision Zero Action Plan.
RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council:
1. Approve a Resolution (Attachment 1) supporting the submission of a grant application by June 26, 2025, for the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Program for up to $750,000, and
2. Authorize the City Manager to apply for the SS4A grant and enter into any required agreements with USDOT to accept and implement the grant.
BACKGROUND: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law established the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) discretionary grant program with $5 billion in appropriated funds from FY 2022 to 2026. Over $900 million is available in FY 2025. The SS4A program funds regional, local, and Tribal initiatives through grants to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries. The SS4A program supports the National Roadway Safety Strategy and the USDOT’s goal of zero deaths and serious injuries on our nation’s roadways. SS4A grants fund programs to make roads safer for all users by providing resources to communities for developing and implementing safety plans. In 2022 the City was awarded a SS4A grant of $1 million to conduct safety audits and develop concept plans for seven high crash intersections in the West End.
In 2017, the City adopted a Vision Zero Policy accompanied by an Action Plan with the goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and severe injuries by 2028.
DISCUSSION: The City is approaching its goal year of zero fatalities and severe injuries. While Alexandria has made progress towards Vision Zero, including reaching a major milestone by having zero fatal crashes in 2023, the City has not yet met its adopted goal. It is important to think about what progress has been made and what work is still yet to be done. The City has completed many recommendations from its existing Action Plan. Meanwhile, industry guidance and best practices have also evolved that the City must address.
To enhance the City’s Vision Zero program and chart a path forward to improving traffic safety, staff propose to apply for SS4A funding to update Alexandria’s Vision Zero Action Plan. This is a key funding category in the SS4A program, and dozens of communities nationwide have received funding to establish a new action plan or update an existing one.
The updated Vision Zero Action Plan would include an evaluation of past efforts and progress made to date, an updated analysis of citywide crash data in the post-pandemic era, community engagement, and development of goals, objectives, and actions. Key plan outcomes would include but are not limited to:
• An updated high-injury network and intersections to guide traffic safety priorities.
• An analysis of the economic impact of crashes.
• An updated crash data model that would help provide a risk-based assessment of City streets to identify dangerous areas before crashes occur, developed in coordination with university or private partners.
• Legislative priorities to advance traffic safety.
The project aligns with the SS4A grant's objectives to promote safety on public roadways and prevent crashes resulting in death or serious injury. Furthermore, it supports the Alexandria Mobility Plan goal to improve traffic safety and eliminate fatal and severe crashes.
FISCAL IMPACT: SS4A grants require a 20% local match. If the City’s grant request is awarded, the match would be up to $150,000. The local match funding would be identified as part of a future Capital Improvement Plan development process, or through reprioritization of available project or program balances. Potential funding sources are either through the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) 30% fund or the GoAlex Fund.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 - Resolution
Attachment 2 - Endorsement Letter
Attachment 3 - Presentation
STAFF:
Emily Baker, P.E., Deputy City Manager
Hillary Orr, Deputy Director of Transportation, T&ES
Christopher Ziemann, Division Chief, Transportation Planning, T&ES
Alex Carroll, Complete Streets Program Manager, T&ES
Philippe Simon, Grants Coordinator, Strategic Management Services, T&ES