Kaptur Secures Nearly $1.3 Million In New Safe Streets Funding To Bolster Vision For A Safer NW Ohio

December 30, 2025

Toledo, OH — Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee announced that the City of Toledo, Lucas County, and the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments have been awarded three separate grants totaling $1,275,370 through the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) initiative. These awards will advance efforts across Lucas County, Ottawa County, and Sandusky County to create safer, more navigable streets through a comprehensive approach. The funding award follows $400,000 award in SS4A funding received by Lucas, Wood, Ottawa, and Sandusky Counties in the first round of SS4A funding in February 2023, a subsequent $24.5 Million award in August 2024, and a $600,000 award for Sandusky, Ohio in November, 2024.

The new awards announced today totaling $1,275,370 include:

$653,200 awarded to Lucas County for Supplemental Planning and Demonstration Activities for Northwest Ohio Transportation Safety Action Plan
- This award will be used by Lucas County to pilot and evaluate countermeasures and conduct supplemental planning to implement the Transportation Safety Action Plan across Lucas County. Activities include temporary curbs, signal preemption for emergency medical services, speed studies, walk audits, road safety audits, and development of design tools to evaluate crash and emergency response outcomes.
$542,170 awarded to the City of Toledo for Toledo/Lucas County Fleet Vehicle Safety Supplemental Planning and Demonstration
- This award will be used by City of Toledo to conduct supplemental planning activities and demonstration activities to assess fleet vehicle crash risk, pilot safety technologies and trainings, and update the multi-jurisdictional Northwest Ohio Transportation Safety Action Plan. Deliverables include a consultant-led fleet assessment, driver monitoring in 186 vehicles, pilot interventions, telematics and crash evaluation, and a final report with prioritized procurement and implementation recommendations for Northwest Ohio.
$80,000 awarded to the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments for Safety Locations Reports for Ottawa and Sandusky Counties
- This award will be used by Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments to produce Safety Location Reports for Ottawa and Sandusky Counties that identify high-crash intersections and segments eligible for Ohio Department of Transportation safety funding. Deliverables include county-specific reports to prioritize eligible sites, support future road safety audits, and streamline Highway Safety Improvement Program applications to accelerate implementation of Proven Safety Countermeasures.

“Improving safety for walkers, bikers and drivers across Northwest Ohio is an important part of building a brighter future for all of our residents. These awards are about more than just concrete and new infrastructure improvements — it’s about making life safer and creating community spaces that are accessible for all our people,” said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09).“Safe Streets investments across our region will allow our community leaders to meet the needs of today while planning the way for a safer tomorrow. I want to thank all our partners for their initiative to apply for these awards, and I will continue fighting to bring more funding like this back to our communities across Northwest Ohio.”

"We are pleased to receive our third Safe Streets and Roads for All grant from the US Department of Transportation," said Lucas County Engineer Mike Pniewski. "These funds will be used to develop measures to make Lucas County roadways safer for all users including better understanding the impacts of speed and safety on our roadways, improvements to access management systems, pedestrian, and bicycle facilities. These investments in highway safety pay back by providing a higher quality of life for our residents."

“We are grateful to receive a second Safe Streets and Roads for All grant from the US Department of Transportation," said Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz. “Conducting a fleet safety analysis will help us identify the data-driven ways to improve city vehicle safety, advancing our goal of eliminating traffic fatalities on Toledo’s streets.”

“We are grateful to the US Department of Transportation for awarding this Safe Streets and Roads for All grant. These funds will allow us to identify high-crash locations in Ottawa and Sandusky Counties and prioritize safety improvements that save lives," said Sandy Spang, Executive Director of the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments. "By producing detailed Safety Action Plans, we can help local communities access resources faster and implement proven strategies to make our roads safer for everyone.”

The SS4A program, administered through the Office of the Secretary of Transportation, aims to fund critical projects nationwide that prevent roadway fatalities and serious injuries, especially in high-risk areas. This award is part of an ongoing initiative by the USDOT to support local efforts that prioritize the safety and wellbeing of community members through modernized infrastructure and strategic safety planning. This funding highlights the importance of investing in preventative measures that support a sustainable, people-centered approach to transportation infrastructure.

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