SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane is taking a new approach to combat the rising number of fatal traffic crashes that have claimed more than 100 lives since 2021.
The city has launched the Emergency Streets Pilot Project, a rapid-response intervention designed to deploy immediately after a fatal crash occurs on city streets. The program aims to shift how the community responds to traffic violence.
“We are really good as a city, and as a society, at cleaning up after somebody dies; you might not know just a few hours later that an incident occurred,” said Jon Snyder, director of transportation and sustainability for the city. “That misses an opportunity to have a teachable moment to say, ‘Hey what happened here, what can we do as a community different?'”
When a fatal crash happens on a city street, crews will immediately establish temporary traffic calming measures at the scene. The affected roadway will be closed for up to two weeks while the city conducts its own studies to identify potential street design improvements.
The temporary setup will include bright pink cones, signs, and stencils marking where the fatality occurred. The city selected pink specifically because it is a noticeable color that stands out from the orange signs typically seen during construction work.
If the crash occurs on a multi-lane street, the city will shut down a part of one lane.
“The idea behind this program is to really put a spotlight on these incidents, so people understand, hey, somebody you know in your community died here, and this is something we all need to be aware of, and we can prevent,” Snyder said.
A key component of the Emergency Streets program involves gathering community input. In the areas near the crash, the city will distribute a survey to gather people’s views on the pilot program and traffic safety in Spokane.
You can read more about the program here.
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