Development Columbus Safety Action Plan continues; public input needed

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — Columbus leaders are aiming for zero roadway deaths and severe injuries. Tuesday night, community members shared their input on a Safety Action Plan designed to make streets safer for drivers, walkers, and bikers.

The Columbus Consolidated Government hosted its second public meeting at the Columbus Public Library. The Safety Action Plan uses crash data and community feedback to target dangerous corridors and recommend improvements.

“We kicked off this project, back in the spring and we did an initial round of engagement.” Benesch Project Manager Alex Henry said, “We asked folks what are your priorities as far as traffic safety in Columbus? Where do you see issues? What types of unsafe behaviors do you witness? And really kind of took in all of that feedback coupled with a really deep dive into crash data citywide to try to really pinpoint where these fatal and severe crashes are occurring.”

Recommendations include safer crosswalks, updated signals, and roadway designs that slow down drivers. Planners say they want walking and biking around Columbus to feel safe.

Planners say they will develop an implementation plan once the Safety Action Plan is finalized. This will tie the project recommendations to local, statewide and federal funding sources.

“The goal of this whole project is really to take a data driven and multifaceted, approach to eliminate all the fatalities and serious injuries on Columbus’ road network.” Henry said, “It seeks to do that through roadway interventions. So, engineering improvements on our highest crash corridors. It seeks to do that with collaboration with law enforcement educators, people in the nonprofit sector to get a really broadly focused, multidisciplinary approach to addressing driver safety.”

Officials say all public input will be used to shape the final plan, expected later this year. More information on this project can be found at Safestreetscolumbus.com. There you can provide input by filling out a safety survey. The survey will close this Friday (September 19th).