TRPC launches survey for Regional Safety Action Plan

A public roadway safety survey is underway as part of an effort to craft a plan to help reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries  in Thurston County.

The Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC) is developing a Regional Safety Action Plan under the state of Washington's Target Zero initiative. The plan would identify safety issues on roadways and strategies to address them.

TRPC said responses to the survey are going to help decision-makers prioritize roadway safety projects, programs and policies throughout the region.

The Regional Safety Action Plan is being developed in collaboration with local jurisdictions and regional partners, as traffic fatalities and serious injuries continue to trend upward across the county.

At a Transportation Policy Board meeting in May, TRPC Transportation Manager Katrina Van Every said the region has not met its federal safety performance targets since being implemented in 2018. In fact, the region has been moving further away from the Target Zero goal.

According to data presented to the board, impairment was identified as the leading behavioral factor associated with fatal and injury crashes in the region, contributing to 45% of cases. Distraction was involved in 32% of crashes, while speeding accounted for 23%.

The data also showed crashes involving vehicles departing a lane represented 66% of fatal and serious injury crashes in the region, while intersection-related crashes accounted for 59%.

The region also recorded 142 non-motorist fatalities and serious injuries over the past five years, the majority of which were serious injuries.

According to TRPC, the project is going to include a regional safety analysis, public engagement, policy assessment, and development of prioritized safety projects and strategies for local jurisdictions.

The project is also going to include Americans with Disabilities Act transition plans for Tenino, Bucoda and Rainier.

The plan is also going to reference or incorporate safety planning efforts already completed by Olympia, Lacey and Thurston County.

The project timeline anticipates publishing a draft Regional Safety Action Plan in late 2026 or early 2027, with a final plan expected in spring 2027.

Community members can participate in the roadway safety survey here.