GBNRTC hosts open house to unveil comprehensive roadway safety plan for Erie-Niagara

Greater Buffalo-Niagara Regional Transportation Council Press Release

The Greater Buffalo-Niagara Regional Transportation Council (GBNRTC) invites people to an informative and engaging open house from 4-6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 25, at the Central Library, Collections Gallery Conference Room, 1 Lafayette Square, Buffalo. This event is an opportunity to learn about the roadway all-user crash elimination plan (RACE), a comprehensive safety action plan designed to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries on all roadways throughout the Erie-Niagara region.

At the open house:

√ View interactive displays highlighting safety trends in the Erie-Niagara region.

√ Learn about the safety action plan development and how to stay involved.

√ Provide valuable feedback on critical locations and safety issues, such as speeding, red light running, poor visibility, pedestrian crossings, sidewalks, and bike facilities.

This inclusive event is open to all community members. Snacks and kid-friendly activities will be provided, ensuring a welcoming environment for families. All are encouraged to attend.

About the safety action plan

The safety action plan is a strategic initiative focused on identifying, analyzing and addressing road safety issues within the Erie-Niagara region. This plan follows the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) “Safe Systems Approach,” which focuses on creating safer roadways through strategic planning, infrastructure improvements, and community engagement, ultimately striving to achieve zero deaths and a 50% reduction of serious injuries on roads.

The funding for this program comes from the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) initiative, a vital component of the “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.”

Executive Director Michael J. Finn, P.E., said, “GBNRTC is proud to lead the effort to develop a roadway safety action plan for all roads in Erie and Niagara County. This plan will set the foundation to build out a safer transportation network that will achieve our organization’s goal of eliminating roadway fatalities and cutting serious injuries and crashes in half by 2050. We welcome users of the transportation system to engage in the plan development and to provide feedback to help shape the final plan recommendations.”

The GBNRTC is leading this effort with consultant support from Cambridge Systematics, Planning4Places, and Parsons Transportation Group. The development of the plan is being guided by a dedicated safety advisory group comprised of GBNRTC member agencies.

For more information, to provide comments on the feedback map, or to sign up for project updates, visit the project website at www.gbnrtc.org/safetyactionplan.

The GBNRTC is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Erie and Niagara counties, appointed by governors for urban areas with a population of at least 50,000 to facilitate regional transportation planning. GBNRTC leads transportation development in this region by coordinating regional transportation planning and addressing issues related to land use, air quality, energy, economic development and commerce. Its mission is to plan for a safe, efficient and accessible transportation system for all. For more information, visit www.gbnrtc.org.