Local safety plan effort receives federal grant

A total of $160,000 in federal money from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will be used to help local officials in Southeast Missouri craft a "comprehensive" safety action plan.

Members of the Southeast Missouri Metropolitan Planning Organization (SEMPO) were informed Wednesday, Feb. 15, about the award of the money during the transportation agency's monthly meeting in Cape Girardeau.

"It's a competitive grant and we're excited about it," said SEMPO executive director Alex McElroy, speaking to the Southeast Missourian.

The Act signed into law by President Joe Biden in November 2021 may be better known as the bipartisan infrastructure bill.

"The funds are coming from a section of the legislation known as 'Safe Streets and Roads for All,' otherwise known as SS4A," said McElroy, noting the bill will appropriate $5 billion over five years in a nationwide effort to fund programs to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries.

Once SEMPO adopts its safety plan, local entities — such as cities and counties — may apply for capital construction grants.

"In applying for the grant money, we included data on fatalities and serious injuries in our coverage area for the last five years on roads, streets and intersections," McElroy said, adding the federal money is provided on the basis of an 80/20 match — with the local required contribution estimated at $40,000.

Data

According to Missouri Coalition for Highway Safety, 73 deaths have occurred this year on state roadways through Thursday, Feb. 16, down from 105 deaths from the same period in 2022 — a 30% decrease.

In the 25-county Southeast District of the Missouri Department of Transportation, the county roadway fatality count through Sunday, Feb. 12, stood at 10 thus far in 2023.

• Bollinger: 2.
• Cape Girardeau: 1.
• Pemiscot: 3.
• Scott: 1.
• Texas: 1.
• Wayne: 1.
• Wright: 1.

According to savemolives.com, the "Show-Me Zero" program is a statewide strategic highway safety plan for eliminating fatalities and serious injuries on Missouri roadways.

"Our hope would be to align with Show-Me Zero's goals," said McElroy, adding the local plan will likely take a year to develop.

About SEMPO

Southeast Metropolitan Planning Organization is a federally mandated and funded policy-making organization overseeing transportation planning for the Cape Girardeau-Jackson urbanized area,

SEMPO is responsible for meeting the federal metropolitan planning regulations for its specified geographic area which, includes Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Scott City and East Cape Girardeau, Illinois.