Adam RollinsThis story was originally published in the Government Contracting Pipeline newsletter from Strategic Partnerships, Inc. To have the latest government contracting news stories from across the country delivered straight to your inbox, click here to subscribe.
Florida will receive $34.6 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to improve pedestrian safety measures along some of the state’s most dangerous corridors. Three cities and a county will use the awards to implement safety countermeasures, install dedicated paths for non-motorized travelers, redevelop roadways and enhance public transportation accessibility.
The Marion County Board of County Commissioners will receive $19 million to redevelop a 9-mile roadway. Once completed, the Maricamp Road Multimodal Safety and Access Management Improvements project will increase multimodal connectivity to provide pedestrians and bicyclists with safe facilities. The funds will go toward the project’s total $23.8 million cost.
The project will reduce key conflict points along the roadway. The county will install a raised median along most of the corridor, enhance crosswalks, install pedestrian refuge islands and build sidewalks. Plans also include corridor lighting, dedicated turn lanes at intersections, restricted-crossing U-turns and reflective backplates on signal heads.
Tallahassee will spend $9.6 million to provide local underserved communities with improved, safe access to critical amenities. The funds will supplement the project’s total $12 million cost. The city will improve roadway safety and connectivity in the Jake Gaither Community by enhancing crosswalk visibility, improving road designs along curves and mitigating clear zones.
Plans also include installing high-visibility crosswalks, enhanced signage, pavement markings and rectangular rapid-flashing beacons. The city will also build sidewalks to fill in roadway gaps and complete connections to community centers and resources along both sides of the streets.
The city of Deerfield Beach will use $3.6 million to advance its $4.5 million safety and mobility improvement project. The project will convert a safety demonstration project into a permanent installation along Third Avenue. Plans include adding additional buffer space for pedestrians and bicyclists. a road diet and installing a roundabout and crosswalks.
Palm Bay will receive $2.4 million to build a 6-foot sidewalk near two school zones. The $3 million project will also install enhanced crosswalks, a flashing stop sign, remove merge lanes, improve lighting, reduce the posted speed limit and improve ADA compliance at transit stops.
USDOT allocated the funds through the Safe Streets for All (SS4A) grant program. The SS4A program is a five-year, $5 billion initiative that helps local, rural and tribal communities remediate some of the most dangerous roads in the country to prevent deaths and serious injuries.
The Florida projects are a selection of 453 projects receiving a share of the recently announced $1.1 billion. This is the second round of SS4A funding for Fiscal Year 2024, with the first round releasing $63 million in May. Since 2023, the program has allocated $2.7 billion from the available $5 billion. USDOT expects to open the third and final round of Fiscal Year 2024 awards in November.
Photo courtesy Michael Rivera
