MINNEAPOLIS — The federal government is joining the effort to bring safer roads and streets to Minneapolis with a $20 million grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
According to city officials, the Safe Streets and Roads for All grant will provide upgrades and safety improvements to infrastructure with the goal of "ending traffic deaths and severe injuries" by 2027. The money will fund projects on what the city calls "high-injury" streets, that don't already have a safety plan in place, under Minneapolis' Vision Zero Action Plan.
The planned improvements will encompass 25 miles of high-injury streets, and is projected to include safety islands; protected bikeways and intersections; crosswalk signing and striping; pedestrian flashers; road diets; street lighting and mobile-speed wagons to enforce speed limits.
The city said funding will also use the money for improving traffic signals at more than 500 intersections, among other safety initiatives.
“We know that Native and Black residents are disproportionately impacted by traffic crashes," said Minneapolis City Council President Andrea Jenkins. "This grant will help us pay for important safety improvements on our streets that see the highest number of crashes.”
Public Works Director Margaret Anderson Kelliher, who will soon become the city's new operations officer, echoed Jenkins about the importance of the new funding.
“Serious traffic crashes and deaths are unacceptable and preventable. This investment will make our streets safer for everyone and accelerate our Vision Zero work.”
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