Feds award four Oregon localities $16 million for street safety projects

Four local Oregon agencies will receive $4 million each to advance street safety projects, members of Oregon’s congressional delegation announced Friday. 

The funding, which comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program, will go to Redmond Fire & Rescue, the city of Salem, the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office and Polk County Fire District No. 1. 

Each agency will use the funding to carry out test projects to improve its emergency response to crashes. This includes finding dangerous roads, testing alerts for emergency vehicle drivers, better data sharing between responders and faster blood delivery. 

U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas, a Tigard Democrat, said the funding is a tool to make communities safer. 

“When someone is seriously injured in a crash, every second counts,” Salinas said in a statement. “Our firefighters, paramedics and other first responders need the tools and coordination to get to people quickly and provide lifesaving care.’ 

Democratic U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum and U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley celebrated the funding alongside Salinas.