22-05-2025
Columbus to develop Safety Action Plan
COLUMBUS, Ga. () — Columbus officials are laying the groundwork for safer streets, aiming to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries.
The Columbus Consolidated Government is partnering with planning firm Benesch to create a safety plan aiming to eliminate roadway deaths and serious injuries.
The plan will use crash data and public feedback to shape infrastructure changes, safety policies, and education efforts. Benesch officials hosted a public meeting Monday evening in the Columbus Public Library.
'We're really just trying to get feedback from the community,' Benesh Project Manager, Alex Henry said, 'what their experiences are in driving, walking, biking around the community. What types of behaviors do they see? Are there specific intersections or locations where they feel unsafe?'
The public meeting consisted of an open house format and presentation. One Columbus resident brought up issues such as schools that don't have wrap-around sidewalks.
'When you build a system of transportation that depends on people to perfectly observe the laws and being very skilled at driving that sort of thing, then things go bad.' said Columbus resident, Pat McHenry. 'Drivers are terrible, terrible here. They're terrible everywhere. The thing that needs to change is the system. And that's the approach that they're talking about here is changing the streets so that it is harder to make a mistake that is deadly for another.'
McHenry is also a member of the organization Bicycle Columbus. Bicycle and walking ability were discussed in the presentation, as well as Columbus crash statistics.
The next steps in development of an action plan include additional public meetings and project development.
Officials say public feedback can help shape the future of street safety in Columbus. Residents can share input by filling out an online survey or using an interactive map to mark specific locations. For more information, visit the website at
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