More than $21 million in grant money is now in the hands of Dallas city leaders to help make streets safer for drivers and pedestrians.
The grant comes as the traffic death rate in Dallas has risen to be among the worst of large U.S. cities.
Dallas city leaders said the $21.8 million in grant money received from the U.S. Department of Transportation's "Safe Streets for All" program will go a long way in addressing community roadway safety and preventing deaths.
Part of the grant money has been allocated for Southern Dallas, where the city has committed to a program called "Vision Zero" that aims to curb the number of traffic-related deaths.
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In particular, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard was identified as having some of the highest rates of fatal crashes and severe crashes involving pedestrians. According to the city, in the past two years, five pedestrians have been severely injured in traffic crashes along MLK Boulevard.
A recent report by NBC 5 Investigates found that between 2017-2021, Dallas averaged about 15 traffic deaths for every 100,000 people.
The city said some of the improvements that could be made include reduced lanes, separated bike lanes to lower speeds, improved crosswalks, lighting upgrades, and traffic signal enhancements.
