FY2026 Work Program

The Office of Safe Streets (OSS) is focused on advancing Regional Vision Zero 2050 through planning studies, data analysis, and coordination with regional partners at each level of government as well as with the private sector, and the public. Safety planning at DVRPC embraces the Federal Highway Administration’s Safe System Approach which is closely aligned with Vision Zero principals: death and serious injuries from crashes are unacceptable, humans make mistakes, responsibility is shared, and that redundancy and being proactive are critical elements. By designing and managing road infrastructure to minimize crash risk, we reduce the likelihood of crashes ending in a fatality or a serious injury. This work involves identification of crash trends and problem locations, promoting data-driven solutions and safety best practices, exploring policy initiatives, and promoting a positive safety culture by strengthening existing partnerships and establishing new ones. OSS strives to assist partners in identifying and advancing safety projects, and efforts designed to explore the connections between crash safety, health and disadvantage. OSS frequently collaborates with other DVRPC offices on joint planning efforts, where the goals of safety, accessibility, and multi-modalism are complementary.

The Regional Safety Task Force (RSTF) is a multi-disciplinary forum for agencies and organizations to improve road safety by exploring crash safety topics. The RSTF serves as the safety culture mechanism for the now underway Regional Vision Zero 2050 effort. Quarterly meetings are focused on select safety topics, featuring presentations and or panel discussions  with experts, plus small groups discussions designed to facilitate the development of action items that can raise awareness; action items are tracked and updated by staff. Within the context of the in-development Regional Vision Zero plan, RSTF meeting topics have expanded to include an ever-growing list of partners who have a connection to roadway safety, and including one or more joint meetings conducted with other DVRPC offices. Staff manages the RSTF and its progress toward meeting goals and objectives, and serves as facilitator.

Crash data is foundational to the work of the Office of Safe Streets, and is used in most planning and analysis work undertaken by DVRPC. Products and tools like the DVRPC Crash Data Viewer web tool and DVRPC’s Data Navigator are updated regularly as crash data becomes available. OSS staff relies on crash data for annual work program projects, to fulfill data and analysis requests from DVRPC partners, and to assist other DVRPC staff in understanding and  diagnosing crash contributing factors, promoting analytical consistency and best practices. Crash database and GIS crash file maintenance is coordinated across DVRPC departments.

OSS provides assistance to city, county, and state partners in developing and advancing safety projects using the federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), in addition to other funds, and tracks progress toward safety objectives. Specific activities include program management, and support for development of applications for funding safety improvements. This work is focused on providing help to partners where capacity is lacking, to advance safety-focused infrastructure projects locally which also support Regional Vision Zero 2050, DVRPC’s Long-Range Plan goals, and state Strategic Highway Safety Plans. Work on this task is done in collaboration with DVRPC’s Offices of Capital Programming, Long-Range Planning, and Project Implementation.

In February of 2023 DVRPC was awarded a federal grant from the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) discretionary program, established as part of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). This grant is being used to create a Regional Vision Zero Plan which is being developed in collaboration with county partners who are also subawardees. The first year of this project produced a data-driven Regional High Injury Network featuring two layers to inform safety planning, a scan of safety-focused reports from partners, branding, multiple communications to municipal partners, and a partner summit. These pieces will now be put into action. In addition, applications to the SS4A by municipal and county partners for supplemental grants have steadily increased since the inception of the SS4A program, and  coordination with DVRPC and a letter of support has become a requirement of the program. This has led to increased collaborations to ensure applications are supportive of the  RVZ and that resources are shared. This work is funded separately via the 23-52-230 Regional Vision Zero (RVZ) 2050 Action Program.

In 2024 DVRPC received a second SS4A award to advance the work of the Regional Vision Zero Plan by creating three new streams of work: 1) Regional High Injury Network (RHIN) Corridor Safety Studies, 2) development of a municipal safety analysis and plan for Norristown, and 3) conduct a consultant-led effort to create a model and process for our partners to implement the regional plan at the county and municipal levels, including public engagement, drawing on best practice, and guided by a stakeholder steering committee (Next Steps Plan). This work will be conducted in multiple work programs over the five-year life of the grant.

As crash safety increases in priority among our partners and the public, OSS receives invitations to participate in and conduct both traditional and non-traditional safety-focused analyses, and to collaborate on safety culture-focused engagement efforts. Some of these opportunities are conducted in collaboration with outside partners to advance safety programs and projects that are consistent with DVRPC’s Long-Range Plan and Regional Vision Zero 2050. Others involve ongoing support and implementation tasks resulting from completed projects from preceding fiscal years, e.g.: City of Trenton Vision Zero. Safe Streets welcomes the opportunity to provide support for both short and long-term safety efforts as time and capacity allow.

Completion of these tasks may require the purchase of materials, supplies, and other services.

Regional Safety Task Force

1. In collaboration with the RSTF co-chairs, prepare for and hold quarterly meetings focused on important and RVZ-relevant safety topics, hold one or more special meetings per cycle (i.e., via collaboration with another DVRPC task force or committee) as appropriate.
2. Complete full-meeting summaries and DVRPC Board highlights, and maintain an archive of all RSTF work and meetings.
3. Track progress toward safety objectives and manage volunteer action items and other tasks that emerge from RSTF meetings.
4. Continue to use the RSTF to promote a positive safety culture and advance Regional Vision Zero 2050 by expanding the membership and developing more relationships with non-traditional partners, highlighting disadvantage and opportunity considerations, and prioritizing a focus on vulnerable users.
5. Promote safety best practices and partner initiatives via social media, and expand opportunities for RSTF members to foster discussion, share resources, and keep members engaged.

Crash Data Management 

1. Coordinate the crash data updates to DVRPC’s databases, GIS safety layers, and the DVRPC data navigator, and coordinate with DOTs on data quality issues.
2. Participate in statewide crash records coordinating committees, and stay engaged with state partner crash data systems like NJDOT's Safety Voyager.
3. Respond to data, mapping, and analysis requests from inside and outside of DVRPC.
4. Work with staff to develop new applications that increase access to and use of crash data, continue to expand the functionality of the DVRPC Crash Data Viewer web tool, and coordinate the integration of new data and maintenance as needed.

Safety Project Support and Coordination with Regional Partners on Safety Priorities

1. Support the New Jersey HSIP Local Safety Program to help county and municipal partners identify data-driven safety projects in collaboration with DVRPC's Offices of Project Implementation and Capital Programs by sharing and interpreting network screenings, supporting the development of safety projects using FHWA's proven safety countermeasures, participating in state-funded and partner-led RSA's, and HSM support where applicable.
2. Support PennDOT District 6-0 in advancing their HSIP program primarily by being a liaison with county partners to advance safety projects, working with District 6-0 partners to track HSIP spending and plan for new projects, and facilitate collaboration between District 6-0 and PennDOT Central Office to advance regional and statewide safety goals.
3. Coordinate with state and federal partners on Transportation Performance Management safety performance measure tracking, support state SHSP updates and advancement of plan priorities, and support achieving Regional Safety Targets through consideration of safety in all projects.
4. Coordinate with the Office of Long Range Planning on the TIP project benefit criteria, and collaborate on project safety review and score.
5. Support state SHSP updates and advancement of plan priorities including NJ SHSP Emphasis Area Action Teams; attend Highway Safety Task Force meetings of New Jersey counties; participate in Philadelphia Vision Zero subcommittees; work with state DOT's and MPO partners to advocate for federal safety funding; PennDOT Planning Partners meeting participation.
6. As needed, assist with RFP development, proposal review, and project tracking for HSIP-funded consultant-led safety improvement projects.

Supplemental support for Regional Vision Zero 250 Action Program (23-52-230) 

1. Continue to facilitate contracting for the county sub-awards, and complete SS4A quarterly reporting.
2. Work with partners on usage of the RVZ plan and data components (e.g.: RHIN, IPD analysis, countermeasure toolbox, etc.) to inform safety planning and roadway planning in general.  
3. Support partners seeking to use the RVZ plan to pursue improvement funds.
4. Conduct outreach to evaluate web presence utility and assess needs for updates.
5. Facilitate remaining publication process items as needed.
6. Coordinate support for regional partners awarded Safe Streets and Roads for All grants as needed and assist with application elements as needed.

RVZ Supplemental Planning and Partner Support (25-52-190)

1. Regional High Injury Network (RHIN) Corridor Safety Studies; in collaboration with the Office of Mobility Analysis and Design.
2. Norristown Safety Study; in collaboration with the Office of Mobility Analysis and Design.
3. Next Steps Plan.

Special Studies & Coordination Efforts

1. Collaborate with the Office of Communications and Engagement on project-specific and general safety messaging via social media; coordinate with the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia to plan the annual Vision Zero conference; work with NJTPA on advancing the Streets Smart statewide program locally; attend NJ Complete Streets Working Group as time allows; respond to new safety opportunities as they arise.
2. Coordinate with other DVRPC offices on tasks related to work program partner discussions.
3. Coordinate with the Office of Transit, Bike, and Pedestrian Planning to provide continuing support to the City of Trenton as needed to advance tasks arising from the Vision Zero Action Plan and the Bike Plan.
4. Develop and host approximately four "special topic" workshops that address safety, environmental and/or placemaking strategies that can be applied throughout the region. Requested topics to be included wholly or in combination with additional similar topics include: severe weather and paving, life cycle cost analysis of temporary materials, open streets events, and "green" alleys. Workshop deliverables will be designed for ongoing use and reference such as memos, video recordings and/or podcasts. Workshops are supported across multiple program areas including Clean Power Initiatives (26-33-030), Environmental Planning (26-33-040), Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning (26-52-020), Mobility Analysis and Design (26-52-030), and Transportation Safety (26-52-040).

1. RSTF meeting materials and summaries, volunteer actions and outcomes tracking.
2. Crash databases, tools, and related electronic product updates.
3. Potential HSIP projects, and supporting analyses.
4. Final report for a RHIN Corridor Safety Study.
5. Year 1 Norristown interim deliverables: borough-wide assessment, corridor evaluation
6. Special topics meeting summary and related materials as needed.

All members of the region's traveling public including residents, employees, and through-travelers; municipal, county, state, and federal partner agencies.