The City of Deerfield Beach has secured a sizable $3.6 million grant for road safety enhancements as a part of the U.S. Department of Transportation's 2024 Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program. These funds are designated for permanent improvements on NE 3rd Avenue from NE 38th Street to NE 44th Street. This funding allocation positions Deerfield Beach as one of four cities in Florida and the sole recipient in South Florida to benefit from the SS4A implementation grants this year.
Following a successful temporary installation on NE 3rd Avenue that included painted crosswalks and dedicated bike lanes, initially intended to manage speeding issues, the area saw an uptick in safety measures for the traversed corridor. This installation, funded by a previous grant from Broward MPO and AARP, set a precedent for the newly acquired grant to facilitate its transition into a lasting improvement. According to the City of Deerfield Beach, the City will cover the additional $900,000 required, rounding the project's total expense to $4.5 million.
This initiative is nestled under the expansive of the SS4A program, which dispatches over a billion dollars nationwide to curb transportation-related deaths and significant injuries. Deerfield Beach previously received $192,000 in aid for a demonstration project on SW 3rd Avenue/Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in 2023, with the objective to appraise the optimal layout prior to its slated 2025 construction for stormwater system enhancements.
Deerfield Beach's commitment to the Vision Zero Master and Action Plans, striving for zero traffic fatalities and severe injuries, was a pivotal component in securing the two grants. Emphasizing increased safety, mobility, and equity, Vision Zero reflects an overarching municipal strategy that aligns with the SS4A program's objectives on a tribal level. This alignment has not only underscored the City's eligibility for the coveted funding but also reinforced its standing as a model for other cities prioritizing road safety and urban well-being.
