Salem's Vision Zero program receives $2.8M grant to improve street safety

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- This month, the City of Salem received a $2.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation geared towards street safety improvements.

The city's Vision Zero program - a national movement aiming to reduce and ideally, eliminate pedestrian deaths and serious injuries - was awarded due to the need for the city to navigate future investments for walking, biking and driving within city limits, officials said.

“We’ve been lobbying our state and federal partners and hoping that something like this would come through,” said Salem Mayor Chris Hoy. “Keeping our streets safe to bike on, walk on, and drive on is a huge issue for every growing city. This is going to be a tremendous help in saving the lives of our residents.”

In Salem this year, there have been 12 deadly collisions and 13 people have died. Almost half of the fatalities were pedestrians.

A chunk of the federal money will be used for the 20 is Plenty neighborhood sign campaign, part of the Vision Zero plan started in Portland five years ago. The rest will go towards installing speed limit signs on residential streets, purchasing speed radar trailers and creating a public education campaign.

"Sometimes you restrict left turn movements, or you put safety measures in so that pedestrians can start crossing streets before vehicles can start turning," said Brian Martin, Director of Salem Public Works. " So there's signal timing things, there's medians that can be installed, things that really provide the pedestrians and the bicyclists a safer situation."

Marion County is also reaching out to the public to find out where it needs to focus additional dollars-like certain intersections and hazardous turning spots. You can submit comments on the county website.