The Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG) and the City of Oklahoma City hosted a collaborative Regional Safety Summit on Wednesday, Feb. 28. The summit focused on transportation safety through policy, education and infrastructure.
ACOG and the City of Oklahoma City are each developing a Safety Action Plan, which will include a holistic strategy to reduce or eliminate roadway fatalities and serious injuries. Both entities received federal grant funding to develop a plan as a part of the US Department of Transportation’s bipartisan Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program.
The Regional Safety Summit featured panel discussions and breakout sessions with law enforcement, policymakers and leaders in the area of transportation and safety.
Attendees and panelists at the Regional Safety Summit discussed ideas and practical solutions to reduce crashes and fatalities in Oklahoma City and throughout central Oklahoma. Crashes in central Oklahoma increased 21 percent from 2020 to 2021 with 21,146 total crashes. Most traffic fatalities occur on streets where speeds are 45 miles per hour or above, or streets with limited street lighting.
“We’re proud to partner with the City of Oklahoma City to combat rising roadway fatalities and injuries in Central Oklahoma,” John M. Sharp, ACOG Deputy Director said. “The recent Regional Safety Summit helped foster dialogue among stakeholders and gave us both valuable community input. This information will aid in producing tailored Safety Action plans that aim to pinpoint high-risk areas and enact targeted strategies, paving the path towards a safer tomorrow for our region.”
The Safety Action Plans will analyze safety needs, identify high-risk locations and factors contributing to crashes, prioritize strategies to address them, and serve as a guide for future implementation of the improvements and funding requests. ACOG’s Safety Action Plan will identify and prioritize safety needs in Central Oklahoma and the City of Oklahoma City’s plan will focus within Oklahoma City boundaries. Both entities will lead public engagement efforts to gather input from residents to help identify high-risk locations. The ACOG Regional Safety Plan will be completed by November 2024.
“Since the invention of the automobile, convenience has been accompanied by danger. This is a daily reality, but it is one we must work together to address. We want Oklahoma City to be safe for all modes of transportation, and we want all our residents to reach their destinations alive,” Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt said. “We can always do more to address traffic safety, and this summit aims to identify the actions we can take. I look forward to the recommendations and we all look forward to working together on this important topic.”
More information can be found here.
Staff Contacts
Rachel Meinke
Public Information Director