Funding worth $1 billion has been made available by the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for local communities to make road safer.

The new Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) discretionary grant program aims to support communities to develop safety action plans and implement projects and strategies which reduce or eliminate road deaths and serious injuries.

The funding announcement comes as traffic fatalities in the US reach the highest level in over a decade.

“We face a national crisis of fatalities and serious injuries on our roadways, and these tragedies are preventable – so as a nation we must work urgently and collaboratively to save lives,” said US Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg.

The SS4A grants can also be used to support stakeholder engagement to ensure that all community members have a voice in developing plans, projects and strategies.