REGION – Sullivan County has completed its Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Safety Action Plan, a countywide roadmap designed to help local communities reduce and eventually eliminate fatalities and serious injuries on roads throughout the region.
The plan was developed after Sullivan County received a Safe Streets and Roads for All grant. The county hired AECOM to develop the plan with support from the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission, municipal partners from the county, and the New Hampshire Department of Transportation. The AECOM contract was just under $320,000, and $272,000 of that amount was covered by the grant. The Safety Action Plan identifies recommended safety improvements across Sullivan County using historical crash data, and it also integrated significant public input.
“This plan gives our municipalities a practical path forward to compete for implementation funding and make targeted improvements where they are needed most,” said Joe Osgood, chair of the Sullivan County Board of Commissioners. “By working together as a region, we can help make local roads safer for everyone who travels them.”
Municipalities may use the county’s Safety Action Plan to apply for infrastructure implementation projects through the Federal Highway Administration. Eligible grants may cover up to 80% of total project costs, helping communities advance roadway safety projects that may otherwise be difficult to fund locally.
It all starts with a few simple steps: (1) Review the Sullivan County Safety Action Plan on the county’s website, www.sullivancountynh.gov; (2) identify local roadway safety needs and priority locations; (3) use the municipal application guides and FAQ materials to prepare for funding opportunities; and (4) coordinate with UVLSRPC on questions related to next steps.
The outreach is intended for municipal officials, staff, boards, committees, and community members in Sullivan County’s municipalities, including Acworth, Charlestown, Claremont, Cornish, Croydon, Goshen, Grantham, Langdon, Lempster, Newport, Plainfield, Springfield, Sunapee, Unity, and Washington.
Municipalities and residents can learn more by reviewing the Safety Action Plan, municipal applicant FAQ guide, and municipal grant applicant guide available through Sullivan County’s SS4A program information page.