SoCal Association of Governments Nabs $2.24 Million in Traffic Safety Grants

The California Office of Traffic Safety has awarded $2.24 million to the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), which includes the City of Pasadena as member, to enhance transportation safety in the area.

The funding will support the development of a new regional safety data analysis and modeling platform and the continuation of SCAG’s “Go Human” traffic safety and community engagement program.

Southern California faces elevated rates of injuries and fatalities, particularly among pedestrians and bicyclists. In the six-county SCAG region, which includes Los Angeles, Imperial, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties,, an average of over four people die and 16 are seriously injured daily in traffic collisions. Pedestrians and cyclists constitute 32% of these incidents, despite accounting for only 3% of all trips.

One of the recently awarded OTS grants, amounting to $887,976, will facilitate the creation of a regional transportation safety data analysis and collision predictive modeling platform.

“These new and more dynamic data resources and safety analytical methods will help us significantly enhance the safety of our multimodal transportation system,” said Art Brown, Mayor of the City of Buena Park and SCAG President. 

The OTS has also granted $1.35 million to continue SCAG’s Go Human program, initiated in 2015 to reduce collisions, enhance safety for pedestrians and cyclists, and raise awareness about traffic safety. The grant will fund Go Human activities through Sept. 30, 2024, including research, engagement with the Go Human Safety Cohort, and co-branded safety advertisements distributed to local jurisdictions.

Since 2018, SCAG has allocated over $893,000 to community-based organizations for safety projects and distributed numerous co-branded safety advertisements to local jurisdictions.

“This funding allows us to continue our partnership with OTS in working to shift the culture around safety and accessibility in Southern California,” said SCAG Executive Director Kome Ajise.

SCAG is the nation’s largest metropolitan planning organization, representing six counties, 191 cities, and nearly 19 million residents. 

The grant funding is provided by the California OTS through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

For more information, visit www.scag.ca.gov.