SLO Council of Governments seeking input on road safety plan
SLOCOG will be at the Safety Fest in the Paso Robles Downtown City Park to gather feedback
– The San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG) is seeking public input on its Road Safety Action Plan, which aims to eliminate roadway fatalities and serious injuries. This effort, supported by a Federal Safe Streets for All (SS4A) grant, involves developing a comprehensive plan that includes vision and goals, public engagement, crash data analysis, and safety recommendations.
SLOCOG’s plan will enhance locally adopted safety plans, provide data and engagement tools, and conclude with strategies to improve road safety. These strategies include campaigns against speeding, drunk driving, and distracted driving. The plan will also position the region for future state and federal implementation grants.
SLOCOG is collecting input through a survey, an interactive map, and attendance at local events. The survey gathers experiences on roadways, while the interactive map solicits input on locations with perceived safety concerns.
On June 1, SLOCOG will be at the Safety Fest in the Paso Robles Downtown City Park to gather feedback. Engagement activities will conclude on Nov. 17, the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, with an event to remember local victims of roadway fatalities, tentatively scheduled in front of the San Luis Obispo courthouse.
A Road to Zero Steering Committee has been formed to oversee the development, implementation, and monitoring of the Road Safety Action Plan. The committee will meet approximately quarterly in 2024 and 2025. Additionally, the 2024 SLO Safe Streets Forum is planned for Oct. 2. This forum will bring together community members, local, regional, state, and federal partners to discuss ongoing roadway safety efforts. It marks the third consecutive year of the forum.
Both the SLO Safe Streets Forum and World Day of Remembrance are part of the stakeholder engagement efforts to date. The Road Safety Action Plan builds on the Road to Zero Coalition, a data-driven campaign by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to reduce traffic fatalities.
In San Luis Obispo County, 155 fatalities and 832 serious injuries occurred on roadways between 2018 and 2022. The Road to Zero initiative aims to end these fatalities by 2050, based on the belief that traffic fatalities are preventable and that zero traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries are the only acceptable outcome.
For more information on the Road Safety Action Plan and to stay updated on progress, visit www.slocogroadtozero.org.
