Safe Streets Central Ohio: Creating Vibrant Communities

Safe Streets Central Ohio is an annual event hosted by the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) in collaboration with key partners to highlight efforts throughout the region to reduce the number of traffic fatalities and sever injuries occurring on our roadways. This event provides an opportunity for local decision makers, transportation professionals, and public health practitioners, advocates, and other partners to come together to share, learn, and network with a focus on transportation safety.

In the Central Ohio 10-county region, more than 200 people are killed each year as a result of preventable crashes occurring on our roadways. Another 1,200 lives are impacted by severe injuries. Along with many of our state and local partners, MORPC is actively working to mitigate these crashes and improve the overall quality of life for all Central Ohio residents and visitors. Through the 2024 Safe Streets Central Ohio event, we hope to inspire collaboration and innovation to create a transportation system that is truly safe for all users.

9:00 AM: Welcome and Intro 

• William Murdock, Executive Director, MORPC
• Jeff Fix, Commissioner, Fairfield County
• Dave Slatzer, Chief Engineer and Assistant Director of Transportation Policy, ODOT
• Marie Keister, Owner, President and CEO, MurphyEpson

9:15 AM: Keynote Panel – Getting to Zero

• Tammy Chellis, Smart Cities Lead, Global Cities, Transportation and Infrastructure, Accenture
• Brian Bautsch, Safety Strategy Leader for North America Regional Planning Division, Honda
• Lourdes Barroso de Padilla, City Council Member, City of Columbus, Ohio
• Alex Carroll, Vision Zero Program Manager, City of Alexandria, Virginia 
• Q&A

10:45 AM: Networking Break

11:00 AM: Safe System Approach Methodology and Tradeoffs

• Doug Cobb, Research Highway Engineer, FHWA
• Letty Schamp, Transportation and Mobility Director, City of Hilliard
• Mary Raulerson, Senior Principal Planner, Kittelson & Associates
• Q&A

12:30-1:00 PM: Lunch Break

• Grab a Lunch Box
• Awards

1:00 PM: Implementing the Safe System Approach (SSA)

• Introduce Group Activity
• Break into Groups
  • LinkUS Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Corridors
    • Work with LinkUS team members to discuss how to apply the Safe System Approach to future BRT corridor design.
  • Crash Investigation
    • Collaborate with traffic safety partners to conduct a formal crash investigation using the Safe System Approach.
  • Corridor Retrofit Projects
    • Collaborate with professionals across sectors to incorporate the principles of the Safe System Approach into a corridor redesign project.

2:30 PM: Networking Break

2:45 PM: Closing Session

ODOT

Lori Duguid, Deputy Director, Division of Engineering, Ohio Department of Transportation

MORPC 

Lauren Cardoni, Active Transportation and Safety Program Manager, MORPC

3:45 PM: Closing Remarks

Parag Agrawal, Chief Mobility & Infrastructure Officer and Senior Director of Programming, MORPC

Transportation Safety Champion Award
This award recognizes an individual or team for their commitment and efforts to improve traffic safety throughout Central Ohio. Whether through strategic initiatives, educational programs, or proactive safety measures, recipients of this award have made significant impacts in reducing ricks and enhancing safety on the region’s roadways.

• Winner: Jeannie Willis, Director of Transportation and Mobility
  City of Dublin, Ohio

Transportation Urban Safety Project Award
This award is designed to honor outstanding projects that have made significant contributions to enhance transportation safety on roadways in an urban community in Central Ohio. This award recognizes a transportation safety project that demonstrates exceptional effectiveness in addressing safety challenges, implementing innovative solutions, and achieving measurable improvements on the region’s transportation system. This project incorporates roadway safety achievements that move Central Ohio towards zero deaths and serious injuries on the region’s roadways.

• Winner: Downtown Speed Limit Conversion
  City of Columbus, Ohio

Transportation Suburban/Rural Safety Project Award
This award recognizes a project that has made significant contributions to enhance transportation safety on roadways within a suburban or rural community in Central Ohio. This award recognizes a transportation safety project that demonstrates exceptional effectiveness in addressing safety challenges, implementing innovative solutions, and achieving measurable improvements on the region’s transportation system. This project incorporates roadway safety achievements that move Central Ohio towards zero deaths and serious injuries on the region’s roadways.

• Winner: Rosette Way Pedestrian Safety Improvements
  Village of Richwood, Ohio