Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant

Federal Vision Zero funding engine for local safety transformations

The Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program, launched under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, delivers $5 billion over five years to help local, tribal, and regional entities design and implement comprehensive strategies that eliminate roadway fatalities and serious injuries. Unlike traditional transportation funding streams that prioritize highway expansion, SS4A centers safety, multimodal access, and equitable outcomes. Eligible applicants can pursue two grant tracks: planning and demonstration awards that support the development or refinement of Safety Action Plans, and implementation grants that finance shovel-ready projects derived from those plans. Funding covers initiatives such as protected bike lanes, traffic calming, safe routes to school infrastructure, high-injury corridor redesigns, pedestrian-scale lighting, and data-driven enforcement alternatives. Because the program incentivizes holistic, community-centered Vision Zero frameworks, successful applicants pair engineering solutions with public health partnerships, community engagement, and data analytics that target systemic risk factors.

SS4A is highly competitive, with thousands of jurisdictions vying for limited funds. Municipal leaders must demonstrate that they grasp the program’s strategic priorities: equity, high-impact interventions, and robust evaluation. Applicants who show they can deliver rapid safety improvements for underserved communities, document measurable crash reduction outcomes, and scale best practices across their region are most likely to win. The program also encourages collaboration. Coalitions of neighboring jurisdictions, MPOs coordinating across counties, and partnerships with community-based organizations (CBOs) can strengthen proposals by showing regional alignment and shared accountability for safer streets.

Key program facts

Timeline planning roadmap

To meet the annual NOFO (Notice of Funding Opportunity) timeline, begin preparation at least six months ahead:

1. Six months before NOFO release – Assemble a cross-departmental SS4A task force including transportation engineering, planning, public health, equity offices, and finance. Inventory existing plans (Vision Zero, Complete Streets, LRTPs) and identify gaps relative to SS4A requirements. Begin data analysis of fatal and serious injury crashes using FARS, state crash data, and hospital records to map high-injury networks.
2. Five months out – Engage community stakeholders—CBOs, school districts, disability advocates, freight stakeholders, micromobility operators—to gather qualitative insights and build support. Draft a stakeholder engagement plan outlining workshops, pop-up events, and multilingual outreach strategies. Identify potential match funding sources (local capital budgets, ARPA funds, private philanthropy) and secure preliminary commitments.
3. Four months out – Determine grant track (planning/demonstration vs. implementation). For implementation applicants, confirm that the proposed projects stem from an adopted Safety Action Plan or equivalent. Start engineering feasibility assessments, cost estimates, and environmental review scoping. For planning applicants, outline methodology for data analysis, community engagement, and near-term implementation steps.
4. Three months out – Draft core narrative sections: safety problem statement, equity considerations, project readiness, and benefit-cost analysis. Collect letters of support from elected officials, MPO partners, state DOTs, tribal councils, and CBOs. Finalize partnership agreements or MOUs clarifying roles during implementation.
5. Two months out – Refine budgets, schedule, and performance measures. For implementation grants, develop 3–5 SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) safety metrics (e.g., 40% reduction in severe crashes within five years). Prepare GIS maps highlighting disadvantaged census tracts, community facilities, transit connections, and existing crash clusters.
6. One month out – Complete federal forms (SF-424, SF-424C/D, lobbying disclosures) and ensure your organization is current in SAM.gov and has a UEI number. Conduct internal reviews with legal and procurement teams. Submit to city council or tribal council for authorization resolutions. Upload application materials to Grants.gov at least 48 hours early to avoid portal delays.

Eligibility nuances and competitive profile

SS4A is open to a broad range of local entities, but applicants must meet specific criteria:

• Action Plan Grants – Require the development or completion of a comprehensive safety action plan. Applicants without such a plan can propose a planning process that includes leadership commitment, data-driven analysis, equity-centered engagement, and a prioritized project list.
• Implementation Grants – Applicants must demonstrate they have an adopted Safety Action Plan (or comparable plan meeting USDOT’s components) and that proposed projects align with prioritized strategies. Implementation grants favor jurisdictions with advanced design documents, NEPA clearance, and ready-to-build timelines.
• Regional Partnerships – Multijurisdictional applications must designate a lead applicant and document governance structures. Provide formal agreements that outline decision-making, cost-sharing, and maintenance responsibilities.
• Match Requirement – Standard cost share is 80% federal, 20% non-federal. In-kind contributions (staff time, equipment, right-of-way) may count if properly documented. Tribal governments may request waivers. Demonstrating committed match funds at submission strengthens readiness scores.

Competitive applicants typically present:

• High rates of fatalities or serious injuries with clear data visualizations.
• Alignment with Justice40, highlighting benefits to disadvantaged communities.
• Integration with climate resilience (stormwater improvements, heat mitigation) and multimodal access (transit, biking, walking, micromobility).
• Strong partnerships with public health agencies, school districts, and community organizations.
• Capacity to manage federal funds, evidenced by prior USDOT grants or robust grants management systems.

Application components and strategy

Key sections of the SS4A application require detailed, evidence-based responses:

• Project Narrative (15–20 pages) – Structure around USDOT’s selection criteria: Safety, Equity, Climate/Sustainability, Workforce Development, and Implementation Readiness. Use headings matching the NOFO. Provide quantitative crash data, maps, and demographic analysis. Highlight co-benefits like emissions reduction or ADA accessibility.
• Budget Narrative – Break down costs by activity (design, right-of-way, construction, evaluation) and funding source (federal vs. match). Demonstrate cost realism by referencing recent bids or engineer estimates. Include contingency planning for inflation.
• Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) – Use USDOT’s BCA guidance to quantify benefits from crash reduction, travel time savings, emissions reductions, and health outcomes. Provide assumptions, discount rates, and sensitivity analysis.
• Project Schedule – Present a Gantt chart covering pre-award activities, design, procurement, construction, and evaluation. Identify critical path dependencies and risk mitigation strategies.
• Partnership Letters – Provide signed letters from elected officials, community leaders, and technical partners. Ensure letters articulate specific contributions (e.g., data sharing, outreach facilitation) rather than generic support.
• Equity and Engagement Plan – Detail how you will co-create solutions with historically underserved populations. Include translation services, compensation for community advisors, and integration of lived experience in decision-making.

Winning tactics for SS4A proposals

• Use data storytelling – Combine crash statistics with compelling narratives from residents impacted by dangerous streets. Testimonials can humanize the need for rapid safety improvements.
• Prioritize systemic interventions – Highlight projects that address root causes (e.g., road diets, signal retiming, speed management) rather than isolated fixes. Show how interventions align with Safe System principles.
• Integrate technology – Incorporate low-cost sensing (crash heatmaps, near-miss analytics, AI-enabled video analysis) to monitor performance and adjust strategies.
• Demonstrate shovel-readiness – Include NEPA status, completed design milestones, procurement plans, and permitting progress. Implementation grants favor applicants who can obligate funds within one year.
• Elevate workforce and equity outcomes – Outline apprenticeships, DBE/MBE contracting goals, and workforce development partnerships that create local jobs. Describe how projects increase access to essential services for low-income, BIPOC, or disabled residents.

Common pitfalls to avoid

• Incomplete Safety Action Plans – Implementation proposals without an adopted plan or missing required components will be deemed ineligible. Conduct a compliance check using USDOT’s action plan checklist.
• Weak match strategy – Relying on yet-to-be-approved match funds undermines readiness. Secure council resolutions or letters from philanthropic partners confirming commitments.
• Generic engagement descriptions – Provide specific tactics, languages, and partnerships. Failing to budget for engagement costs signals a lack of seriousness.
• Overly ambitious scope – Proposing dozens of capital projects without clear phasing or staffing capacity can raise red flags. Focus on a manageable portfolio with high crash-reduction potential.
• Late Grants.gov submission – Technical errors on deadline day are common. Upload early and track confirmation receipts.

Implementation best practices after award

• Kickoff alignment – Host a kickoff meeting with USDOT liaisons, internal departments, consultants, and community partners to clarify roles, reporting schedules, and change management protocols.
• Robust project management – Assign a dedicated project manager with authority to coordinate across agencies. Use project management software to monitor milestones, budgets, and risk mitigation.
• Transparent communication – Maintain public dashboards tracking project progress, crash reduction metrics, and community engagement outcomes. Regularly brief elected officials to sustain political support.
• Iterative evaluation – Implement before-and-after studies, near-miss analysis, and resident surveys to measure effectiveness. Use data to refine interventions and inform future SS4A applications.
• Sustainability planning – Budget for maintenance, enforcement alternatives, and long-term evaluation. Identify funding sources (e.g., state HSIP, CMAQ) to extend successful pilots.

Alternative or complementary funding sources

If not selected, pursue related programs:

• Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) – State-administered funds for systemic safety projects.
• RAISE Grants – Support multimodal infrastructure with significant safety components.
• Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) – Combine SS4A strategies with broader economic development goals.
• State Complete Streets or Active Transportation programs – Provide matching funds or planning assistance.
• Private philanthropy – Foundations like Bloomberg Philanthropies or the Knight Foundation fund traffic safety pilots and data analytics.

Additional resources

• USDOT SS4A Resource Hub – Access templates, webinars, and FAQs outlining eligibility, evaluation criteria, and case studies.
• National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) – Offers design guides and technical assistance for Vision Zero strategies.
• Local Road Safety Plan Do-It-Yourself Toolkit – Provides step-by-step guidance for jurisdictions building their first safety action plan.
• FHWA Proven Safety Countermeasures – Reference evidence-based engineering treatments with crash reduction factors.

By grounding your SS4A proposal in data-driven analysis, authentic community partnerships, and shovel-ready interventions, your jurisdiction can secure federal resources to transform dangerous corridors into safe, equitable streets for all users.