Virginia is taking steps to address pedestrian safety statewide! In 2016, pedestrian fatalities rose to nearly 16% of all highway fatalities. The majority of incidents occur mid-block on busy roadways that have two or three lanes. Perhaps not as surprising, nearly 90% of crashes occur where a crosswalk isn’t marked. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) created an interactive Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (PSAP) map that illustrates clusters of crashes throughout the Commonwealth.
The New River Valley has three priority clusters, two in the Town of Blacksburg and one in the City of Radford. Each of the roadway segments were analyzed in more detail by VDOT. In addition, countermeasures were suggested as a conversation starting tool for communities to review with VDOT staff. The intention of PSAP is to further develop and submit competitive applications through the Highway Safety Improvement Program and SMART Scale.
If you are interested to learn more about the PSAP, check out these hyperlinks: YouTube video or presentation. For more information contact Elijah Sharp, Deputy Executive Director, at (540) 639-9313 or esharp@nrvrc.org.