Comprehensive Safety Action Plan

Mat-Su Borough releases draft Comprehensive Safety Action Plan for public comment

The draft plan is a strategic roadmap to improve road safety for all users and reduce serious injuries and fatalities on roadways in the expanded core area

Staff contact: Jamie Taylor, P.E., Matanuska-Susitna Borough Public Works Department, 907-861-7765, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

In an effort to improve road safety, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough (MSB) has released a draft Comprehensive Safety Action Plan for public review and comment. The plan is a strategic roadmap to help the MSB move toward a safer transportation network and significantly reduce serious injuries and fatalities on roadways in its expanded core area. It includes an analysis of recent crash data and the results of a public survey, examines the correlation between demographics and safety risk, and identifies specific policies and projects to address safety concerns.

Community members can review the draft plan and submit comments through Sunday, January 19, 2025 by visiting https://ss4a.matsugov.us or by attending one of three open houses:

Houston City Hall: Wednesday, January 15, 2025, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Pioneer Peak Elementary (Palmer): Thursday, January 16, 2025, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Wasilla Museum & Visitor Center: Thursday, January 16, 2025, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Borough Public Works Director, Tom Adams says, “Meaningful community participation is key to developing a publicly supported, well-thought-out plan that can support transportation decision-making.”

The development of the MSB Comprehensive Safety Action Plan is funded by a grant awarded to MSB from the US Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program. After the final plan is adopted, the MSB will be eligible to apply for grants to fund projects and activities that improve road safety.

The need for the plan is underscored by the safety analysis conducted during the draft plan’s development. Between 2018 and 2022, 57 crashes resulted in fatalities and 159 resulted in serious injuries, which typically involves someone receiving medical treatment at a hospital. Most crashes occur on high-speed, high-volume roads and are most concentrated in the Wasilla area. Drugs and alcohol are a top contributing factor in serious crashes.

Borough Pre-Design & Engineering Division Manager, Brad Sworts says, “Continued population growth in the MSB leads to the need for expanded transportation infrastructure as well as safety upgrades to our aging roads and highways. It is the MSB’s goal to plan, design, and develop these infrastructure improvements using proven safety countermeasures as we work towards the reduction of fatal and serious crashes.”

After the review period has closed, the project team will review and incorporate comments into the final draft plan, which will be presented to the MSB Assembly for adoption.

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