3 days ago
Bay County Safety Action Plan analyzes dangerous roadways and potential solutions
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Bay County officials are zeroing in on high-crash roadways and intersections.
On Tuesday, June 3, commissioners approved and adopted the Bay County Safety Action Plan.
It identifies 100 high-injury locations and outlines tailored engineering solutions.
It is a part of Florida's Target Zero Initiative, a statewide effort to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries.
Some high-risk locations include the Hathaway Bridge, portions of U.S. 98, U.S. 231 and State Road 77.
A study from 2019 to 2024 found that 45% of fatal or serious injury crashes occur at night, and 39% occur at signalized intersections in Bay County.
A major part of the safety action plan is increasing visibility at high-risk intersections. That includes pedestrian infrastructure upgrades like high-visibility crosswalks.
'We were a rural community. We've grown in a lot of areas that were rural before suburban. Now, some places were suburban or urban. We just go from a standpoint of lighting, and that's something that should not be as costly as certain other improvements. And so, by getting some lights put into certain areas, we're able to improve visibility with traffic flow. We've got a lot of tourists coming into town, just allowing for people to have better visibility and see at night,' District 4 Commissioner Doug Moore said.
Other recommendations for reducing accidents include implementing traffic calming measures like roundabouts and speed reductions.
Officials are also considering potential increases in signage, applying high friction surface treatments to reduce skidding and improving turn lane structure and signal timing to reduce left-turn and angle crashes.
As Bay County continues to grow, the safety action plan will allow for further improvements.
'The safety action plan that's being endorsed today by the commission lays the groundwork for future grant opportunities under that same program. It's required that we complete the safety action plan to start with. And from that point forward, we can design and propose additional projects for which we can receive grant funds,' Bay County Traffic Engineering Division Manager Cliff Johnson said.
To learn more about the 100 high injury locations in Bay County and read the safety action plan, click .
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
