Morris County approves Local Safety Action Plan to improve roadway safety, pursue federal funding
MORRIS COUNTY, N.J. — The Morris County Board of County Commissioners has approved a Local Safety Action Plan (LSAP), a strategic framework created with the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) to improve roadway safety and reduce fatal and serious injury crashes across the county.
“The LSAP was funded by NJTPA and has been more than a year in the making after the board passed a resolution to undertake the plan in 2023. The document is to be used as a planning tool, not to implement specific projects. Most importantly, it opens up billions of dollars in grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Safe Streets and Roads for All Program to the county and all 39 municipalities,” said Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen H. Shaw, who also serves as secretary of the NJTPA.
The LSAP, shared with officials from all 39 municipalities, identifies priority areas and outlines potential safety improvements. While it does not authorize construction or policy changes, the plan positions Morris County and its towns to compete for federal funding, including USDOT’s Safe Streets and Roads for All Program.
County officials emphasized that no projects will advance without coordination with municipalities and opportunities for public input.
Development of the plan began in September 2024 and included data analysis, community feedback, and guidance from a steering committee. Residents engaged through surveys and public meetings, with updates posted on the county’s website, Morris.SafetyPlansNJ.com, and social media platforms.
Nearly half of all fatal and serious injury crashes in Morris County occurred on county and municipal roads between 2017 and 2021, highlighting the importance of focusing on local roadways. The Federal Highway Administration has recognized LSAPs as an effective strategy to reduce such crashes.
The plan has been endorsed by Avenues in Motion, a nonprofit transportation management association serving Morris County, which called it a “practical step to reduce crashes and improve safe travel for all roadway users.”
The LSAP was funded by NJTPA, the federally authorized metropolitan planning organization for 13 counties in northern and central New Jersey. More information is available at njtpa.org.
