07-02-2025
Tri-county residents learn more about a plan to lower the number of car crashes
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Motor vehicle accidents are a leading cause of death in the United States, and the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission is developing a plan meant to address how municipalities can deal with the issue.
The Lincoln branch of the Peoria Public Library played host to an open house where Woodford, Peoria, and Tazewell County residents got a look at the commission's Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, which is in its final development stages.
It's meant to be a guide for local governments to decipher ways to lessen the number of accidents, whether it's through fixing a sidewalk or a trouble spot in the roadway.
The data has been compiled through car crash data and community input and is funded through a $400,000 U.S. Department of Transportation grant.
Reema Abi-Akar is a senior planner for the commission and explained how the document is meant to be used.
'For new projects, construction-wise or planning-wise, we can use this toolbox of options to understand how we can take federal and state dollars and use them in the most effective way to hopefully lower crashes,' she said.
She said that there will be tiers of implementation for local municipalities. For instance, a smaller town with a smaller budget may need to use a lower tier but it could still make a huge difference for the community just to have one intersection or one trouble spot in the road be fixed.
Abi-Akar said car crash data is helpful, but community input is arguably more important in helping the commission develop the plan.
'The community members are the drivers, the riders, and the bikers. They know which turn feels unsafe or which sidewalk could be better,' she said.
The plan is in its final stages of development, as Abi-Akar said this was one of the final public meetings.
You can learn more here.
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