State and federal grants to advance Vision Zero road safety

The Bellevue City Council has accepted three grants totaling over $2 million to enhance road safety through the Transportation Department's Vision Zero initiative. Two grants from the Federal Highway Administration will significantly improve conditions for pedestrians and cyclists: a $628,000 grant for developing protected bike lanes and enhanced mid-block crossings on Northeast Eighth Street, and a $1 million grant for establishing high-visibility crosswalks at 56 traffic-controlled intersections, aiming to reduce injury crashes by up to 40%. These projects are based on detailed road safety assessments conducted from 2021 to 2023, which identified various safety concerns within the city's high-injury network. Additionally, a $540,000 grant from the state Department of Transportation will support data collection on traffic patterns and user behavior at 79 intersections, informing future safety improvements. Transportation Director Andrew Singelakis emphasized the importance of these funds in making streets safer for all users and achieving the Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030.