Eric Weiss, a project manager with Bowman Consulting, gave the Town Council a 10‑minute overview of a multi‑component roadway Safety Action Plan prepared for Burrillville under the federal Safe Streets for All program and coordinated through RIPTA and the state grant process.

Weiss said the plan’s analysis uses five years of crash data (Jan. 1, 2019 through the end of 2023), including special attention to crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists. The consultant described three analytical products used for the plan: a baseline crash heat map, a high‑risk network (roads that share characteristics of crash‑prone locations), and a high‑injury network that combines observed crash locations and roads with similar risk characteristics.

Bowman’s draft identifies 15 priority locations and recommends countermeasures drawn from the Federal Highway Administration’s set of proven safety countermeasures (for example, daylighting crosswalks, curb extensions, wider edge lines, and back plates for traffic signals). Most recommended solutions at the 15 sites are low‑ or moderate‑cost interventions, the consultant said. The firm also incorporated community engagement (senior lunch events, concerts and stakeholder interviews) and equity layers (poverty, zero‑car households) into site selection.

Weiss outlined next steps: Bowman will finalize the plan after receiving a short list of town comments and comments from the state planning office. The consultant said a final plan could be delivered within about two weeks if few changes are required. He noted that only municipalities that have an adopted safety action plan are eligible to apply for an implementation funding round currently open through June 26, 2025; another competitive round is expected next year. He also said most trouble spots identified by the consultants are on state roads and that town applications that involve state‑owned roads will require coordination or a memorandum of understanding with RIDOT.

Councilors asked about grant match requirements and permitting: the consultant said most USDOT implementation grants carry a 20% local match requirement and that work on state roads will require RIDOT permits and possibly a longer timeline. The council discussed a pragmatic approach — applying for projects on town‑controlled roads now while coordinating with the state on high‑priority state‑controlled locations.

Why this matters: Adoption of the plan is a prerequisite for applying for competitive federal implementation funds that could pay for design and construction of safety improvements. The plan aims to reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries by prioritizing proven countermeasures and by identifying sites that could be addressed with relatively low cost interventions.

What’s next: Staff and the task force will submit final comments to Bowman and expect to receive a near‑final plan for council adoption; once adopted, the town would be eligible to apply for implementation funds in the current (June 26) and future rounds.