Traditionally, roads and streets have been designed with total throughput and capacity as the main function. This has led to traffic-related crashes to become one of the leading causes of preventable death in the United States and throughout the world. In Gaithersburg alone, 19 crashes resulted in the loss of life, while another 70 crashes result in a serious injury between 2019 and 2024. These crashes shatter the peace and comfort of our community and irrevocably impact the lives of our loved ones and neighbors.

Move Safe offers a new approach to road design, one that makes safety the main focus of Gaithersburg's streets and roads. Move Safe intends to improve safety in Gaithersburg by designing safety policy under the "Safe Systems" approach which embraces transportation safety under the following core principles:

• Death and serious injuries on Gaithersburg's roads are unacceptable
• People are fallible and vulnerable
• Safety is a shared responsibility among all roadway users, community members, and governmental entities
• Safety should be pursued proactively
• Transportation systems should be designed to include redundancy

A goal of Move Safe is transparency and data-driven decision making. Move Safe is analyzing the City of Gaithersburg's crash data to identify trends and risk factors which results in severe crashes. Isolating these factors will allow the Gaithersburg to better address crashes and reduce their severity and frequency.

Data on crashes occurring within the city should not be solely the domain of municipal staff. Transportation safety is a community-wide issue, so Move Safe is making transportation safety data available to the public.

The crash data dashboard below displayed recent crashes within city limits. Users can use the dashboard to analyze and understand trends, geographic patterns, and systemic safety issues.

Move Safe is an effort to improve transportation safety within the City, therefore we want to make sure the policies and solutions developed in the plan are compatible with residents' daily travel needs and wants from the City.

Move Safe will be hosting a series of community events and meetings offering Gaithersburg residents the chance to learn more about the project and voice their thoughts and concerns about transportation within the City. Your feedback is vital in:

• Identifying unsafe locations throughout the City
• Highlighting outdated and substandard infrastructure
• Prioritizing safety efforts
• Providing real-world experiences of life and travel in the City

Move Safe is also documenting the public's concerns and thoughts through a survey (located under the Survey tab) and an interactive map which will be active throughout the lifecycle of the project.

Move Safe intends to improve the lives of Gaithersburg's residents, ensuring the City's transportation networks are safe, are accessible, and fit the daily needs of its residents. To ensure Move Safe is of the highest standard, we need your feedback. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts and experiences.

We want to improve your safety traveling throughout the City, but crash reports only provide one part of the picture.

Please help us identify specific locations within the City where you have safety concerns.

To locate a safety concern, click "Add Comment." Then, type in the address or zoom into the desired location on the map. Next, select the type of safety concern you want to note in Gaithersburg. Finally, add any comments in the prompted text box to provide additional context surrounding the safety concern you highlighted.

Accessibility Issue

• Use this marker to identify locations where you couldn't physically access or had difficulty accessing your desired destination because the infrastructure or facilities were not ADA compliant.

Bicycle Safety

• Use this marker to identify locations where you felt unsafe bicycling or interacting with bicyclists, or locations where you think bicycling infrastructure should be improved.

Bus Safety

• Use this marker to identify locations where you felt unsafe trying to board or access the bus or a bus stop. Additionally, mark locations where you felt unsafe driving, walking, or riding alongside the bus.

Driver Behavior Issue

• Use this marker to identify locations where you have seen or experienced drivers practicing unsafe driving behaviors. Such behaviors include speeding, disobeying traffic laws, and aggressive driving such as tailgating.

Intersection Safety

• Use this marker to identify locations where you have felt unsafe driving through an intersection. Additionally, mark intersections whose infrastructure needs to be upgraded.

Lighting Issue

• Use this marker to identify locations where you have felt unsafe due to a lack of street lighting. Additionally, mark locations where streetlights need to be fixed or upgraded.

Near Miss

• Use this marker to identify locations where you have almost been hit by a vehicle or have almost hit another vehicle or road user.

Other Traffic Safety Issue

• Use this marker to identify locations where you have experienced a safety issue which does not fit in any of the other categories listed.

Pedestrian Safety

• Use this marker to identify locations where you felt unsafe walking, running, jogging, or using a mobility device such as a wheelchair. Additionally, mark locations where you have felt unsafe interacting with pedestrians or locations where pedestrian infrastructure should be improved.

Road Design Issue

• Use this marker to identify locations where you have had trouble traveling or felt unsafe due to the physical design of the road.

Visibility Issue

• Use this marker to identify locations where you have had issues seeing the road, lights and signs, or other road users.

What is Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A)?

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) established the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) discretionary program with $5 billion in appropriated funds over 5 years, 2022-2026. The SS4A program funds regional, local, and Tribal initiatives through grants to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries.

Learn more at: https://www.transportation.gov/grants/SS4A

What is the Safe Systems Approach?

The United States Department of Transportation adopted the Safe System Approach as effective way to address and reduce the risks inherent in our complex transportation system. It works focusing on multiple layers of protection to both prevent crashes from happening in the first place and to minimize the harm caused to those involved when crashes do occur.

Learn more at: https://www.transportation.gov/safe-system-approac..

Didn't Gaithersburg Already Do a Safety Action Plan?

The City of Gaithersburg, Montgomery County, the State of Maryland, and the Washington DC region are all actively engaged in transportation efforts, many of which with prioritize safety. The safety action plan is focused only on the City of Gaithersburg, but plans to synthesize many of findings, projects, and strategies from recent transportation plans published by the City, County, and State. The safety action plan will also provide new analysis and outreach to provide the City with a comprehensive and current pathway to increase transportation safety in Gaithersburg.

The City of Gaithersburg, Montgomery County, and the Washington DC region have conducted multiple transportation safety efforts and plans over the previous years. The Safety Action Plan, while an independent effort, is influenced by the findings and strategies developed by these previous studies.

If you want to learn more about what has previously been done to tackle transportation safety in the City, County, and region, please review the following materials: