The Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments is an association of local governments that is committed to identifying, securing, and coordinating local, regional, and federal government projects and programs for the enhancement of our region and member communities.

Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A)

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What’s been done so far?

• May, 2024: Project kick off

• May 23: SS4A kickoff meeting held with various stakeholders including the City of Waterloo, Main Street Waterloo, Black Hawk County Public Health, Fire and Police Department, and others

• June – July: Data collection and public participation planning

• July 25 – September 30: Various public input efforts conducted, including online and paper surveys, virtual and in-person public input meetings, and online advertising

• January, 2025: Draft Comprehensive Safety Action Plan (CSAP) submitted to city elected officials, staff, Iowa DOT staff, and the steering committee for comments

• February: Final CSAP submitted to the City Council for review and approval in March

Latest Updates

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What is SS4A and Vision Zero?

In 2023, the Black Hawk County MPO was awarded a Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) safety grant. This grant program is part of a nationwide effort to prevent roadway injuries and fatalities by supporting the concept of “Vision Zero”.

Vision Zero was first adopted in Sweden in 1997 and has since been gaining momentum in the U.S. The Vision Zero concept states that every year, thousands of Americans are needlessly injured and killed on U.S. roadways, and that these traffic tragedies are a preventable public health crisis. The ultimate goal behind this strategy is to make zero roadway deaths and serious injuries a reality.

With the help of safety experts and community input, funds will be used to develop a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan for Waterloo’s downtown corridor, where a disproportionate percentage of fatal and serious injury crashes are occurring. After the plan is complete, the City of Waterloo will seek additional grant funding to implement the recommended solutions.

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A New Vision for Safety

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What Does Our Community Say?

Read Dwight’s story here.

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Want to stay up to date on SS4A?

Fill in your name, email, and write “SS4A” in the message box to subscribe to updates.

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FAQ

Q: Why was the downtown corridor selected for this traffic improvement plan?

A: Using Iowa Crash Analysis data, the downtown Waterloo corridor was identified as a hotspot within our metro region due to the high number of serious injury and fatality crashes. As a result, our community was an eligible applicant for the SS4A grant program.

Q: What will the $60,000 grant do?

A: This grant provided our community with the opportunity to hire a consultant who will help us create a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan. The action plan, in conjunction with community feedback, will help us develop solutions for the downtown Waterloo corridor to make it a safer place for all. The Action Plan will also enable us to apply for additional SS4A funds to implement the identified improvements.

Q: What could some of the improvements look like?

A: There could be a variety of solutions and improvements to the area, including roundabouts, bump outs, road diets, enhanced pedestrian crosswalks and overall visibility, one- to two-way street conversions, and so on. These design choices enhance safety for all road users, including pedestrians and bicyclists. However, the ultimate solutions will come safety professionals and community feedback.

Q: What is the main cause of the high number of crashes in the area?

A: Crash data shows us that the most common causes of major injuries and fatalities in the area are due to ran traffic signals, speeding, and distracted driving.

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Survey (Closed)