The Quad Cities MPO has participated in traffic safety planning since its inception in 1966. Intersection crash reports have been prepared with the most recent specific to intersection in 2013. In 2020 the first Quad Cities Traffic Safety Plan was produced. It examined overall crashes as well as intersections and crash emphasis areas where data illustrated trends and hot spots for fatal and serious injury crashes. The MPO staff a Community Awareness of Roadway Safety (CARS) group in Scott County comprised of planners, engineers, public safety officials, law enforcement and representatives from the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT).
It was established in partnership with the Iowa Governors’ Traffic Safety
Bureau more than two decades ago to work on reduction of crashes, coordination of enforcement activity, and sharing of data and information to raise awareness of crash prevention or mitigation. Annually, the MPO brings together a joint group from the Iowa and Illinois Quad Cities to discuss traffic safety issues and coordination.
Traffic Safety Action Plan – Toward Vision Zero
Bi-State Regional Commission was awarded with Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant in 2023 from the US Department of Transportation to complete a traffic safety action plan for Quad Cities-Iowa/Illinois, Muscatine, Iowa and Kewanee, Illinois. The USDOT SS4A program emphasizes that one death on our roadways is one too many, and the vision is to reduce this to zero, Vision Zero. The project goal is to develop a comprehensive traffic safety action plan for the three geographies to reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries, and to identify the beneficial projects or solutions toward safer streets for everyone. Through a consultant-led process, the Project Study Partners will include collaborating with Quad Cities MPO staff and Transportation Technical Committee and with city staff from Muscatine, and Kewanee to oversee the Traffic Safety Action Plan process. Public involvement will part of the plan development process.
Bi-State staff are currently working with partners to hire a consultant to complete the Traffic Safety Action Plan or plans. The planning process is expected to begin by the end of 2023 and the final plan is anticipated no later than March 2025.