Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, released a statement on Monday announcing 16 Washington state communities would receive federal grants to help reverse the statewide increase in traffic fatalities.
In total, the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded $9,198,763 to Washington communities through the Safe Streets for All program.
“There were 745 fatalities on roads in the state of Washington in 2022, the most in more than 30 years,” said Cantwell, who chairs the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. “We must reverse this alarming trend. I created the Safe Streets for All Grant program which will provide 16 Washington cities and counties with this timely federal funding to improve transportation safety planning and build infrastructure that will save lives.”
In her statement, Cantwell said she steered authorization of the Safe Streets for All program through the Commerce Committee and ensured it was included in the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law. The program helps local governments carry out “Vision Zero” plans and other improvements to reduce crashes and fatalities.
The 16 Washington communities and their grant amounts were Ellensburg, $160,000; Lacey, $68,000; Montesano, $200,000; Toppenish, $80,000; Grant County, $280,000; King County, $800,000; Kittitas County, $429,504; Thurston County, $264,000; Walla Walla County, $201,696; Whatcom Council of Governments, $200,000; Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments, $200,000; Island Regional Planning Organization, $403,200; Northeast Washington Regional Transportation Planning Organization, $352,000; Puget Sound Regional Council, $4,860,363; Spokane Regional Transportation Council, $400,000; and the Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council, $300,000.
Since the Infrastructure Law was passed in November 2021, an estimated $7.6 billion in transportation investments have been made in Washington state, with nearly 500 transportation projects funded in Washington in its first year.
