Specifications include, but are not limited to: The goal of this Comprehensive Safety Action Plan is to provide strategies and actions to reduce transportation-related injuries and fatalities while supporting the US Department of Transportation’s National Roadway Safety Strategy and the federal goal of zero roadway deaths using the Federal Safe Systems Approach. This approach includes the principles of safer people, safer vehicles, safer speeds, safer roads, and Safer post-crash care. Therefore, the City of Hickory is seeking a qualified firm to conduct the necessary studies to complete this comprehensive safety action plan. Qualified firms will need to: Conduct a comprehensive risk assessment that thoroughly reviews existing street safety conditions with transportation experts, city planners, and community leaders. The proponent will also collect and analyze accident data to identify high-risk areas, behaviors, and user groups, evaluate the current infrastructure, and analyze safety-related data. This process will enhance the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists by identifying high-risk areas and implementing evidence-based interventions, such as traffic calming measures, improved signage, and infrastructure upgrades. The City completed an updated Bike and Pedestrian Strategic Plan in 2020 that should inform the new safety action plan. Analyze equity considerations: The proponent will seek expert input and public feedback from a broad range of perspectives to ensure that all residents, regardless of socioeconomic background, age, or physical abilities, have equal access to safe streets and public spaces. The proponent will conduct an equity analysis to identify underserved communities, access barriers, and street safety outcome disparities. To hear the many voices in the community, proponents will engage with community-based organizations, neighborhood associations, and diverse stakeholders throughout the planning process. A cross-collaboration of multiple City departments, such as City Council, City Management, Public Works, Planning, Police, and Fire, will assist with understanding equity concerns and how they affect the safety of citizens of Hickory. A review of FARS data shows that many fatalities in roadway accidents occur in underserved census tracts as defined by the USDOT Equitable Transportation Community (ETC) Explorer tool. Develop a strategic framework: The proponent will use the risk assessment results to identify potential infrastructure improvements, behavior change campaigns, and community engagement projects to reduce the risk of roadway fatalities. The Safety Action Plan will identify and prioritize projects and strategies to address safety impact, promote equity, and focus on additional safety contexts, initially through low-cost, high-impact actions enabling immediate improvements. The proponent will focus on broader factors impacting safe streets, including land use patterns, transportation modes, demographic needs, and social aspects to inform more comprehensive solutions.
