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Safe Streets 4 All Update - Public Forum

March 11th, 2026 at 6 pm at the Newtown Community Center
Posted on: February 24, 2026 - 2:11pm
SS4A Newtown

Come and join our team to learn more about the Safe Streets 4 All (SS4A) program and current projects

March 11th, 2026 at 6 pm at the Newtown Community Center

SS4A  is a federal initiative from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. It provides grants to local communities, such as Newtown, CT, to prevent roadway fatalities and serious injuries, with the ultimate goal of achieving zero roadway deaths through a Safe System Approach. This approach emphasizes designing roads and systems that account for human error, rather than solely relying on individual behavior changes.

Newtown has actively participated in this program, receiving an initial $80,000 Planning and Demonstration Grant (around 2023) to develop a data-driven Comprehensive Safety Action Plan. The town (led in part by the Newtown Police Department and a working group) has been progressing through phases, including community surveys (e.g., fall 2024 input from over 400 residents), traffic engineering studies, traffic calming analyses, and implementation planning.

At the public forum on March 11th at 6 PM at the Newtown Community Center, residents can expect to learn about key aspects of the program and Newtown's specific efforts, such as:

Overview of the SS4A program — Its federal goals, funding structure (planning grants for action plans/studies/pilots, and larger implementation grants for actual projects), and alignment with national roadway safety strategies.

Newtown's Safety Action Plan — Details on the town's adopted or developing plan, which is required for further grant funding. This includes data analysis of crash history, high-risk areas (dangerous intersections, roadways, speeding hotspots), and prioritized recommendations.

Community input and survey results — How resident feedback (from prior surveys and outreach) shaped priorities, such as concerns about pedestrian safety, cyclist accommodations, speed enforcement, and equitable improvements in various neighborhoods.

  • Potential safety improvements — Examples of strategies under consideration or recommended, including:
  • Traffic calming measures (e.g., speed humps, signage, road redesigns).
  • Pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure (crosswalks, sidewalks, bike lanes).
  • Enhanced enforcement and education on speed limits and safe driving.
  • Focus on vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists, seniors, children) and underserved areas.
  • Progress updates — Current status of studies (e.g., traffic calming or engineering reports by consultants like VN Engineering), past milestones (e.g., public surveys, media outreach), and next steps toward implementation grants or projects.
  • How residents can stay involved — Opportunities for ongoing feedback, reporting concerns, or participating in future planning to ensure the plan reflects community needs.

The forum is part of the town's transparent outreach to build awareness, gather additional input, and foster community support for safer streets. For the most up-to-date details, check the dedicated pages on the Town of Newtown website (newtownctpolice.org/ss4a-program), which include progress updates, survey results, and links to federal SS4A resources.

This event is a great chance for residents to ask questions, share local concerns, and learn how these improvements could make Newtown's roads safer for everyone—drivers, walkers, bikers, and families alike.