In 2023, more than 4,000 car accidents took place in Allentown, with 136 involving pedestrians, 71 serious injuries, and 11 resulting deaths.
Now the City of Allentown is looking to prevent those numbers from repeating or increasing. The city publicly launched its Safe Streets for All (SS4A) Project on Wednesday in support of this goal. The event was held on Hanover Avenue, which according to a press release, highlights the need for safety improvements due to the road’s high number of accidents.
SS4A will draw from a comprehensive action plan that focuses on improving safety while also ensuring equitable outcomes. The planning phase for that action plan will take place over the course of a year and will utilize public outreach initiatives, city street safety and equity analysis, conceptual improvement plans for key locations, and more.
The plan also requires resident feedback and recommendations, which is why the city is asking for public participation in the survey, available in both English and Spanish, which can be found at wikimapping.com/allentownss4a.html. Participants will be able to pinpoint locations throughout the city in need of safety enhancements.
Resident feedback will be encouraged further during several pop-up events. Information on these events will be available on the City of Allentown’s website once it becomes available.
Allentown’s overall goal is to eliminate all traffic-related injuries and fatalities by 2030 through their recently-adopted Vision Zero Policy. Amidst other changes, drops in speed limits to 25 miles per hour on city roads will be considered.
The SS4A Action Plan is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation and is expected to be completed by early 2025.
More information on the project can be found at allentownpa.gov/ss4a.
