Using SS4A Planning Funds for Data-Driven Safety Action Planning

The Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program provides federal funding to help communities reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries through better safety planning. As SS4A enters its final year of Planning and Demonstration grant applications, many agencies are focused on using limited planning funds to produce outcomes that last beyond the one-year grant period.

SS4A Planning and Demonstration Grants support the development or update of a Safety Action Plan. These plans must document where risk exists, how priorities are set, and how progress is tracked over time. While the planning window is short, the plan itself is intended to guide safety decisions for years.

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What SS4A Planning Means for Agency Leadership

For regional and local leadership, SS4A planning is more than producing a required document. It is an opportunity to establish a clear, repeatable approach to safety decision-making that can be explained to elected officials, federal partners, and the public.

Effective planning helps agencies:

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• Identify high-risk locations and patterns
• Prioritize strategies using consistent, defensible data
• Reduce repeated analysis and ad hoc data requests
• Maintain transparency and accountability over time

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What SS4A Planning Funds Support

SS4A planning funds are intended to improve how agencies analyze safety conditions, set priorities, and report progress. They are not used for construction or permanent roadway changes.

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Eligible activities include:

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• Consolidating safety data across systems
• Identifying and maintaining high-injury networks
• Conducting crash analysis and safety inventories
• Collecting pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle activity data
• Supporting reporting and stakeholder communication
• Developing complementary safety plans such as speed management, ADA transition planning, lighting, ITS, or emergency response

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Together, these activities form the foundation of a Safety Action Plan that leadership can rely on for policy and funding decisions.

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How Agencies Are Delivering SS4A Plans

Many SS4A awardees are using a blended approach that combines transportation safety consultants with planning-focused software.

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Consultants typically lead stakeholder coordination, outreach, and plan development, while software supports the technical work by organizing data, identifying risk, documenting prioritization methods, and producing materials that can be updated over time. This approach reduces risk by ensuring decisions are traceable and not dependent on one-time analyses or static files.

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Planning for Value Beyond the Grant

Although SS4A planning grants are limited to one year, the decisions made during that period often shape safety investments for many years. Software used during planning can continue to support the adopted Safety Action Plan at the agency’s discretion, often at a lower cost than extending consultant services.

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By splitting planning funds between consulting support and software, agencies can move from a one-time plan to a safety program that can be maintained and updated as conditions change.

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Demonstration Activities and Technology Pilots

SS4A also supports Demonstration Activities that allow agencies to test temporary safety improvements before making permanent changes. These activities require data collection and evaluation, such as pre- and post-demonstration analysis. Technology pilots are a common demonstration activity and can support risk analysis and performance measurement without committing to permanent infrastructure.

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How Citian Supports SS4A Planning

Citian supports SS4A-eligible planning by helping agencies consolidate safety data, identify high-risk locations, prioritize strategies, and maintain clear documentation throughout the planning process.

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Regional and local agencies including Milton, Georgia; Jackson County, Michigan; and the KYOVA Regional Planning Council in West Virginia have used SS4A planning funds to support Citian as part of their Safety Action Plan update and development.

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