The Washington County Board of Supervisors voiced their support for a grant letter of support with the Secondary Roads Department that focuses on safe streets with improvements. 

Washington County Engineer Jacob Thorius shared more about what the Safe Streets for All Grant could do for the county, “I’m working with Jones and Cedar County to try and obtain some federal funds, safety funds, to work on improving safety on the roads. Specifically we would be looking at putting paved shoulders on W64, Vine Avenue there from Highway 22 south to at least G36, essentially down to (Highway) 218 another two miles. We’ve reviewed the grant, they are not as concerned about specifics on the roads, just the types of safety improvements that are being done. Paved shoulders, rumble strips, and some other safety improvements also.”   

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) established the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) competitive grant program with $5 billion in appropriated funds over five years from 2022-2026.