Tempe gets $12.5M federal grant to improve safety on stretch of Baseline Road

PHOENIX – The city of Tempe is getting more than $12 million in federal funding to improve safety on a major surface street, officials announced Thursday.

The Tempe grant is part of the Safe Streets and Roads For All program established under the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The East Valley suburb is one of more than 350 local, regional and tribal communities getting a total of more over $1 billion in the latest round of awards, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

“Our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to get Arizona communities like Tempe the resources they need to invest in our roadways and make them safer and more accessible for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians,” U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton, whose district includes most of Tempe, said in a press release.

How will the Tempe grant be used to improve road safety?

The Tempe grant will help the city improve safety and visibility over 3.9 miles of Baseline Road. The targeted stretch had 35 fatal or serious-injury crashes from 2017 to 2021, according to the release.

The improvements – including signalized pedestrian crossings, dedicated turn and bike lanes, and high-visibility crosswalk striping — are part of Tempe’s Vision Zero Action Plan.

“The goal of Tempe’s Vision Zero Action Plan is to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries,” Mayor Corey Woods said in the release. “One way we can do that is making our street infrastructure safer. The $12.5 million grant through the Safe Streets and Roads for All program will improve traffic flow and safety along Baseline Road.”

In related news, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that traffic fatalities have declined for nine consecutive quarters. The agency said traffic fatalities were down an estimated 3.2% in the first half of 2024.

“Safety is at the core of our mission, and we are using funds from the Biden-Harris infrastructure package to deliver lifesaving resources to communities across the country so that roads become safer for everyone,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a press release.

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