SCAG Receives $2.24 Million In Grants For Traffic Safety Programs

News

The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) has been awarded $2.24 million in grants from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to improve transportation safety, including a new regional safety data analysis and modeling platform, as well as continued work on its regional traffic safety and community engagement program, Go Human. 

Southern California has some of the highest levels of injuries and fatalities in the United States among pedestrians and bicyclists. An average of more than four people die and 16 people are seriously injured every day in traffic collisions in the six-county SCAG region (Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties). People walking or riding bikes account for 32% of those deaths and serious injuries despite comprising only 3% of all trips.  

One of the two recently awarded OTS grants, for $887,976, will support the development of a regional transportation safety data analysis and collision predictive modeling platform across the six counties. The proposed platform will be equipped with the ability to model, predict and analyze safety risks on Southern California’s multimodal transportation system. 

The data platform may help reduce the number and severity of roadway collisions occurring in the region by leveraging innovative technologies and safety data resources, such as in-vehicle information systems and newly available collision modeling capacities. 

“Transportation safety is one of the most important issues we face as a region and is one of SCAG’s highest priorities as we develop our next Connect SoCal Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy. These new and more dynamic data resources and safety analytical methods will help us significantly enhance the safety of our multimodal transportation system,” said SCAG President Art Brown, Mayor of the City of Buena Park. 

OTS also granted $1.35 million for continuation of SCAG’s Go Human program, which was launched in 2015 in an effort to reduce collisions, improve safety for people walking and biking, and raise awareness of the importance of traffic safety. The newly awarded OTS grant will fund continued Go Human activities through Sept. 30, 2024, which include: 

  • Research to inform recommendations for a current, relevant and equitable approach to new program offerings for Go Human as it prepares to enter its 10th year of programming. 
  • Engagement and coordination with the Go Human Safety Cohort, including a competitive Call for Projects for the Community Streets Grants for community-based partners; implementation of SCAG Go Human’s traffic safety Kit of Parts used to temporarily demonstrate safer streets. 
  • Co-Branded Safety Advertisements, including print and digital graphics provided at no cost to jurisdictions and community partners who have committed to the Go Human Safety Pledge. 

Since 2018, SCAG has distributed more than $893,000 directly to community-based organizations to implement safety projects and distributed thousands of co-branded safety advertisements to local jurisdictions.  

“Go Human fosters innovative solutions that build the capacity of our region to improve safety for those most affected by traffic violence, especially pedestrians and bicyclists,” said SCAG Executive Director Kome Ajise. “This funding allows us to continue our partnership with OTS in working to shift the culture around safety and accessibility in Southern California.” 

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. For more information on SCAG’s Go Human program, visit scag.ca.gov/go-human.