The Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and the Central Iowa Regional Transportation Planning Alliance (CIRTPA) today announce the receipt of a $1 million planning grant from the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program of the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT).
“This is a great next step in the region’s ongoing effort to make our streets and roads as safe as possible,” said Bob Andeweg, MPO Chair and Mayor of Urbandale. “These planning dollars will help us focus in even further on reducing roadway casualties.”
The SS4A Grant Program was established in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill to support the department’s National Roadway Safety Strategy and a goal of zero deaths and serious injuries on the nation’s roadways. This discretionary program will provide $5 billion to $6 billion in grants over the next five years.
The $1 million grant will be used locally to develop Comprehensive Safety Action Plans for the Des Moines Area MPO and CIRTPA. The plans will have a total $1.2 million budget, with 80 percent of the cost being covered by the federal grant and 20 percent coming from local match. A Comprehensive Safety Action Plan is a requirement for subsequent rounds of funding through the SS4A Grant Program.
“Effectively, this grant will open the door to future funding opportunities,” said R. Todd Ashby, CEO and Executive Director of the Des Moines Area MPO. “Without a plan like this, most local governments in the region would not be eligible for the significant investment that the U.S. DOT is making in the safety of our infrastructure.”