Safe Streets and Roads for All Case Studies

Photo by Anthony Le

In the first year (Fiscal Year 2022) of the new Safe Streets and Roads for All federal funding program, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) awarded grants to dozens of projects across the country, totaling $800 million. The following four project grantees stand out as strong examples of communities/regions investing in safe, connected, off-road walking and bicycling infrastructure. These projects demonstrate that trails and other traffic-separated facilities are essential to increasing safety for pedestrians and cyclists.


Case Studies


Beltline in Atlanta: Central and Pryor Safe Streets Corridors

Project At A Glance

  • Submitted by: City of Atlanta, Georgia
  • Location: Atlanta, Georgia
  • Project Type: Capital/Implementation
  • Urban/Rural: Urban
  • Amount Awarded: $30,000,000

The $30 million grant will fund pedestrian and bike improvements along the Pryor Street and Central Avenue corridors, including new protected bike lanes, pedestrian hybrid beacons, crosswalk lighting, safe speed-limit strategies, edge lines and additional safety improvements. According to Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, more than 2,000 traffic crashes have occurred on Central and Pryor in the last five years, making this funding extremely significant for the community. The project also represents a major expansion of Atlanta’s current bicycling network. Additionally, the project will connect the Southside of Atlanta and the Southside Beltline trail to Atlanta’s downtown, which will promote connectivity and expand Atlanta’s current bike network.

Southside Trail (Atlanta BeltLine) | Photo by The Sintoses, courtesy Atlanta, BeltLine, Inc.
Southside Trail (Atlanta BeltLine) | Photo by The Sintoses, courtesy Atlanta, BeltLine, Inc.

Related: Pedestrian, Bike Improvements Coming to South Atlanta Streets Thanks to $30M Federal Grant | Rough Draft Atlanta

Related: Ga. Recipient of $36 Million Grant From Biden-Harris Administration to Improve Roadways | WSB-TV Channel 2

SS4A Implementation Grant to Advance Engineering and Construction of Providence, RI’s Urban Trail Network

Project At A Glance

  • Submitted by: City of Providence
  • Location: Providence, Rhode Island
  • Project Type: Capital/Implementation
  • Urban/Rural: Urban
  • Amount Awarded: $27.2 million

The City of Providence’s Urban Trail Network is one piece of the larger Great Streets Initiative, which aims to make every street in Providence safe, clean, healthy, inclusive and vibrant. By developing the Urban Trail Network, Providence aims to connect every city neighborhood to a shared-use path system. It will also unite many individual projects, including City Walk and the Woonasquatucket Greenway Extension Project. This project will create last-mile connections to residential, employment and cultural activity centers between the city’s 25 neighborhoods while significantly reducing fatal and serious crashes for vulnerable road users. The trails are a combination of on-road and road-adjacent protected bicycle lanes and shared-use trails, neighborhood greenways on low-volume streets, and off-road shared-use paths.

Urban Trail Network Map | Courtesy City of Providence
Urban Trail Network Map | Courtesy City of Providence

Salisbury Vision Zero Rapid Safety Improvements

Project At A Glance

  • Submitted by: City of Salisbury
  • Location: Salisbury, Maryland
  • Project Type: Capital/Implementation
  • Urban/Rural: Rural
  • Amount Awarded: $11,753,587

This project is part of Salisbury’s larger Vision Zero Policy plan, which they aim to achieve by 2030. City Administrator Julia Glanz says those dollars will be used in several projects that together include more 21 miles of sidewalk infrastructure, new crossing signals and crosswalks, additional traffic calming measures, nearly 4.5 miles of side paths along arterial streets to infill gaps in the network, and more. 

“This money really is an equity grant to provide sidewalks in every neighborhood, safe ways to go to work and school, and to just get about your day,” Glanz said. Along with that grant funding comes a local and state match of nearly $3 million. Salisbury’s Vision Zero Action has a total planning and design cost of 15 million.

Rendering for Carroll Street Cycletrack Plan | Courtesy of the Salisbury Vision Zero Initiative FY2022 Annual Report
Rendering for Carroll Street Cycletrack Plan | Courtesy of the Salisbury Vision Zero Initiative FY2022 Annual Report

Related: Salisbury Receives $12M Grant Supporting Vision Zero Plan for Safe Streets | 47 ABC-WMDT

South Avenue Safe Streets

Project At A Glance

  • Submitted by: City of Missoula
  • Location: Missoula, Montana
  • Project Type: Capital/Implementation
  • Urban/Rural: Rural
  • Amount Awarded: $9,311,254

This project will enhance safety, improve accessibility and provide equitable transportation by implementing multiple safety improvements in Missoula. The project will build separated bicycle lanes and sidewalks, as well as extend and widen the existing shared-use path to better serve the schools, regional park and other facilities. By adding safe options for nonmotorized travel, this project will create and improve connections to places people want to bike and walk to and help more residents visit and access the area’s amenities.

Protected bike lane on Higgins Ave in Missoula, MT | Courtesy of City of Missoula
Protected bike lane on Higgins Ave in Missoula, MT | Courtesy of City of Missoula