Traffic safety tackled by county, with more state funding

The Oakland County Street Fee will profit the $1.7 billion road funding package Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the invoice into legislation on Monday.

The package deal consists of a further $46 million in 2026 for the highway fee and $60 million in 2027 “and can doubtless improve thereafter,” mentioned Craig Bryson, spokesman for the highway fee.

The highway fee has not but decided how a lot cash will probably be allotted for numerous initiatives, “however security enhancements reminiscent of roundabouts and switch lanes will obtain extra funding along with repaving extra roads,” Bryson mentioned.

State funding for the highway fee this 12 months was $132 million. The $46 million added to subsequent 12 months’s funds will stop what Bryson known as a “funds cliff” and permit the highway fee to proceed enhancing the highway community.

Now, freeway fee officers are ready to listen to about the way forward for federal funding by 2026.

“Given Congress’s incapacity to come back collectively on something, we’re somewhat involved about the way forward for federal freeway funding, however time will inform,” Bryson mentioned.

The province is already thought of a frontrunner in highway security, primarily based on nearly 1.3 million residents, 9,000 kilometers of roads and an estimated 16.5 million guests.

Oakland’s 2024 site visitors fatality price was 0.51 deaths per 100 million miles of auto journey, decrease than the state’s 1.06 deaths per million miles and the nationwide price of 1.20.

A handful of Michigan counties reported zero site visitors fatalities in 2024, however Bryson mentioned these are areas with far fewer individuals and roads.

Nonetheless, pedestrian deaths nationwide have elevated 12% since 2019, he mentioned. He outlined pedestrians as walkers, youngsters, cyclists, individuals with disabilities and others who journey on foot or utilizing smaller wheeled units.

Whereas pedestrian crashes account for just one.5% of the entire crash price, these crashes are answerable for 25% of all site visitors fatalities, he mentioned. Rushing drivers are more and more being blamed for these crashes, he mentioned.

Twelve pedestrians have been killed in crashes in Oakland County final 12 months, the identical quantity as in 2023; In 2022, 14 pedestrians died within the province.

To this point this 12 months, eight pedestrians have been killed in crashes within the province. A girl was struck and killed on Eight Mile Street in Ferndale on May 2 and a White Lake Township man was killed Sept. 24 whereas crossing Highland Street.

The opposite six pedestrians died in Pontiac, 4 on or close to Baldwin Avenue.

In July, Pontiac officers trimmed timber alongside Baldwin to make avenue lighting more practical. They added a crosswalk and cease signal on the Hope Shelters and two bus stops to enhance security.

In Pontiac, you routinely see individuals strolling, skateboarding or biking on the bike path alongside busy streets. And there are much more site visitors quirks. Final evening, practically a dozen all-terrain autos, some with out headlights, headed south on North Perry Road. At the least one carried out a wheelie simply south of East Montcalm Road. Most of these incidents are widespread within the metropolis, sheriff’s spokesman Steve Huber mentioned. The sheriff’s workplace has elevated highway patrols in Pontiac to scale back pedestrian deaths.

Street Fee staffer Jim Miller not too long ago recommended distributing reflective belts to Pontiac residents and later requested Fee Chairman Eric McPherson and Commissioner Jim Esshaki why the company could not assist Pontiac.

However lowering pedestrian fatalities in Pontiac is basically out of the palms of the highway fee.

Bryson instructed McPherson and Esshaki at their board assembly final week that state legislation limits the highway fee’s capacity to reply in Pontiac. First, the fee has no jurisdiction in Pontiac, apart from a stretch of Opdyke Street south of Featherstone Street. The remainder is managed by town or state. Second, state legislation prohibits the freeway fee from spending cash outdoors its jurisdiction.

He mentioned the highway fee helps promoting and consciousness campaigns already underway by federal, state and regional companies like Michigan’s.On the way to zero deathsmarketing campaign, part of a national programmeand the seven counties of the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments Safe Streets Initiativewhich Pontiac not too long ago joined. SEMCOG’s program consists of offering blue lights, light-up wristbands, reflective bracelets, stickers, pamphlets, tip playing cards, a information for older drivers and their households and consciousness posters, all aimed toward altering the habits of drivers and pedestrians, Bryson mentioned.

The highway fee amplifies each packages by sharing their posts on social media, Bryson mentioned.

Street Fee Director Dennis Kolar mentioned 40 years of crash information is an enormous think about choosing highway fee initiatives and making design selections. That information consists of how busy the intersections are and the quantity and severity of crashes at every intersection. That form of information led to the development of a roundabout on Martin Parkway at North Pontiac Path Street in Commerce Township, simply south of the M-5 freeway. Martin was as soon as a two-lane nation highway on the finish of a freeway identified for deadly accidents. These tragedies disappeared at that intersection, though distracted drivers nonetheless expertise fender benders there, Bryson mentioned.

The highway committee works along with the National Transportation Safety Organization (previously the Transportation Enchancment Affiliation), the Troy-based nonprofit group that promotes data-based site visitors security.