By City of Tempe
The City of Tempe has received $12.5M in funding from the Department of Transportation to execute strategies identified in Tempe’s Vision Zero Action Plan. Specifically, these safety improvements will be implemented along a 3.9-mile corridor of Baseline Road (Priest Drive to State Route 101) where several serious or fatal crashes have occurred. Between 2017 and 2021, there were 35 fatal or serious-injury crashes in the corridor.
“This grant could save lives,” said Tempe Mayor Corey Woods. “The goal of Tempe’s Vision Zero Action Plan is to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries. One way we can do that is by making our street infrastructure safer.
“The $12.5M grant through the Safe Streets and Roads for All Program will improve traffic flow and safety along Baseline Road through signalized pedestrian crossings, dedicated turn and bike lanes, and high-visibility crosswalk striping.”
This grant is through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for the Safe Streets and Roads for All Program. The Safe Streets and Roads for All Program provides grants directly to communities for implementation, planning and demonstration projects aimed at preventing deaths and serious injuries on the nation’s roadways.
The project will transform the corridor, which is presently a wide, straight, six-lane arterial with design features that promote through vehicle movement. A full public input process will take place including public meetings and a public comment period before the project will be finalized.
Some of the proposed safety enhancements are:
- Dedicated turn lanes and protected-only left turns.
- A signalized pedestrian crossing connecting multimodal facilities.
- Bus pullouts and shelters.
- Buffered bike lanes.
- High-visibility crosswalk striping.
- Enhancing intersection lighting. (Source)
