KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The Road Commission of Kalamazoo County (RCKC) was awarded a $25 million grant toward improving road safety.
The grant comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation. It’s the largest award the RCKC has ever received.
“Road safety is more than just a policy. It's a matter of life and death, and every statistic represents a person, a family and a future,” says Assistant County Engineer Jim Hoekstra.
Some of the money will be used to install rumble strips 130 miles of main roads.
We’re told lane departures make up the largest safety issue in the county. Data suggests more than half of serious injuries and deaths on the road are caused by drivers who leave their lanes.
The funding will also help remove trees and flattened roadsides, widen 16 miles of main roads, and add left-turn lanes at dangerous areas.
“We are excited for the opportunity this brings to our community as it brings us closer to achieving our goal of zero deaths on our roadways,” says County Engineer Ryan Minkus.
The county hopes to eliminate serious injuries and deaths on its roads before 2050. Officials tell FOX 17 that drivers, pedestrians and cyclists will notice the grant’s impact within the next five years.
The upgrades are expected to reduce the number of crashes each year by about 185.
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