Last month, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) announced the recipients of the latest round of Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grants. A total of $54 million in grants were awarded to communities in 30 counties with the goal of reducing the risk of pedestrian-involved crashes and roadway departure crashes. Both categories have seen an increase in fatality-involved crashes over the past decade.
Twenty-eight of the announced grants are directly tied to pedestrian projects. These grants account for $32.4 million (60 percent) of the awarded funds in HSIP grants. Grants will cover a long list of proven improvements and countermeasures designed to help make roadways safer for pedestrians. These include
2 pedestrian crossings
9 sidewalk extensions
3 sidewalk improvements
3 pedestrian improvements
4 traffic calming devises/projects
9 crossing improvements
1 shared-use path
2 lane repurpose projects (road diets)
The remaining $21.6 million in grants are for 9 grants related to roadway departure projects. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) defines roadway departure-related crashes as a crash which occurs after a vehicle crosses an edge line or a center line, or otherwise leaves the traveled way. Countermeasures for roadway departures include
GOPC has reviewed the full list of grant recipients and is highlighting one project from each category below.
Pedestrian Crossing
Putnam County | Village of Ottawa - $430,732 – FY2026
The village will invest in enhanced pedestrian crossings at high-use crossing locations, which include the high school and YMCA.
Sidewalk Extension
Montgomery County | City of Clayton - $2,000,000 – FY2026
Clayton will be investing in the extension of sidewalks along SR-48 on the city’s northern limit. This runs adjacent to Miami Valley Hospital North, several suburban-style office structures that house medical offices, some residential properties and restaurants where there are currently no sidewalks (other than at intersections where bus drop-offs are located.
Sidewalk Improvements
Butler County | City of Oxford - $281,548 – FY2025
Oxford will be making sidewalk and crossing improvements in high activity locations including a busy commercial district along S. Locust Street and W. Spring Street.
Pedestrian Improvements
Lorain County | City of Avon Lake - $1,802,700 – FY2027
Avon Lake will invest in various pedestrian improvements, including construction of sidewalks and pedestrian hybrid beacons along a 2.5 mile stretch of US-6 through mostly residential neighborhoods.
Traffic Calming
Darke County | City of Greenville - $3,824,376 – FY2028
Greenville will provide traffic calming, enhanced crossings, and a road diet along Sweitzer Street (SR-49) adjacent to the Darke County Fairgrounds). Sections of the roadway, which includes a busy business district in addition to the fairgrounds, lack sidewalks and feature only wide shoulders.
Image of intersection near Darke County Fairgrounds depicting family with small children walking along narrow shoulder of roadway. Image via Google Maps.
Crossing Improvements
Ottawa County | City of Port Clinton - $564,460 – FY2026
Port Clinton will be enhancing various crossings in the city, including raised crosswalks and the installation of bump outs/curb extensions, along SR-163 and at Perry Street and Monroe Street.
Shared Use Path
Fairfield County | Fairfield County Transportation Improvement District - $1,200,000 – FY2024
The Fairfield County TID will construct a shared-use path (wider than a sidewalk and designed to accommodate both pedestrians and cyclists) along Refugee Road between Woodstock Avenue and Pickerington Road, a two mile stretch in Violet Township that will connect residetial neighborhoods with a commercial district.
Lane Repurposing/Road Diet
Mahoning County | City of Struthers - $1,000,000 – FY2026
The City of Struthers will undertake a road diet, installation of traffic calming and enhanced crossings along Bridge Street through the downtown core, working to right size infrastructure through the city and create safer roadways along a high-activity corridor.
Applications for the 2024 HSIP Systemic Safety Grants will open later this year. To learn more, including what projects in your community may qualify for grants, visit the Ohio Department of Transportation Systemic Safety website.