Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr., (GA-02) is pleased to announce that Macon-Bibb County has been awarded $5,630,440 as part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Discretionary Grant Program. The SS4A program grants go directly to local communities for implementation, planning, and demonstration projects driven at the local level to improve safety and help prevent deaths and serious injuries on the nation’s roadways. 

“This is one of the reasons I supported the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2022 because it created programs like the Safe Streets and Roads for All program,” said Congressman Bishop. “Protecting pedestrians and bicyclists helps prevent tragic accidents, reduce traffic congestion, and make our communities safer and more livable.”

“The Middle Georgia Regional Commission is thrilled to support Macon-Bibb County’s efforts to improve pedestrian safety in East Macon. This funding award will save lives thanks to the consistent and tireless planning efforts that made this project a reality,” said Greg Boike, Director of Planning and Public Administration for the Middle Georgia Regional Commission. 

The funds will be put toward improving Gray Highway and East Macon Loop by adding 1 mile of new sidewalks to Gray Highway and 3 miles of multi-use paths along the side streets Old Clinton Road and Boulevard to create East Macon Loop. 

This much needed infrastructure will address pedestrian and bicyclists' safety concerns. To improve visibility, the project will include the installation of street lighting and two high-intensity activated crosswalk (HAWK) signals in the project area. 

In November 2020, the Macon-Bibb County Commission adopted the Vision Zero Action Plan approach to road safety in response to a disproportionally high rate of pedestrian-traffic fatalities in the county, yet their efforts have been severely limited due to a lack of funding.