What is SS4A? A Complete Guide to the Safe Streets for All Grant Program

The Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) discretionary grant program is one of the most significant federal investments in roadway safety in decades. Established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021, SS4A provides funding to regional, local, and Tribal governments to develop and implement comprehensive safety strategies that prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries.

Whether you’re a transportation planner preparing your first application or a city engineer looking to strengthen your next submission, this guide covers everything you need to know about the SS4A program—from eligibility and funding to what makes a winning Safety Action Plan.

How the SS4A Program Works

SS4A is administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and supports two types of grants:

• Action Plan Grants — Fund the development of a comprehensive safety action plan. These are ideal for communities that haven’t yet established a data-driven roadway safety strategy. Typical awards range from $200K to $1M.
• Implementation Grants — Fund the construction and deployment of safety projects identified in an existing action plan. These larger awards can reach $25M+ and require a qualifying plan already in place.

The program has distributed billions in funding across multiple rounds since 2022, with awards going to communities of all sizes—from small rural towns to major metropolitan areas.

Who Can Apply?

SS4A is open to a broad range of eligible applicants:

• Cities, counties, and towns (any size)
• Metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs)
• Regional transportation planning organizations
• Tribal governments
• Multijurisdictional coalitions (groups of the above)

Notably, state DOTs are not eligible as lead applicants, though they can participate as partners. This makes SS4A unique—it puts funding directly in the hands of local communities.

What is a Safety Action Plan?

A Safety Action Plan (SAP) is the cornerstone of the SS4A program. It’s a comprehensive, data-driven document that identifies a community’s most pressing roadway safety challenges and lays out strategies to address them.

USDOT requires every Safety Action Plan to include these core elements:

1. Leadership commitment and goal setting — A public commitment to reducing roadway fatalities and serious injuries, with specific, measurable goals.
2. Safety analysis using crash data — A thorough analysis of where, when, and why crashes are occurring, including identification of a High-Injury Network (HIN).
3. Equity considerations — Analysis of how safety issues disproportionately affect underserved communities.
4. Engagement and collaboration — Meaningful public engagement, especially with communities most affected by traffic violence.
5. Policy and process changes — Recommended changes to local policies, standards, and practices.
6. Strategy and project identification — A prioritized list of infrastructure projects and non-infrastructure strategies.
7. Progress and transparency — A plan for tracking progress and sharing results publicly.

The Role of Crash Data Analysis

Crash data analysis is the analytical backbone of every Safety Action Plan. Without rigorous analysis, it’s impossible to identify where safety investments will have the greatest impact.

A strong crash analysis for SS4A typically includes:

• Crash frequency and severity trends — Understanding patterns using KABCO severity classification (K=Fatal, A=Incapacitating, B=Non-incapacitating, C=Possible Injury, O=Property Damage Only)
• High-Injury Network (HIN) identification — Mapping the corridors and intersections with the highest concentration of serious crashes
• Vulnerable road user analysis — Special attention to pedestrian and bicyclist crashes, which SS4A prioritizes
• Network screening — Systematic evaluation of road segments using performance measures like crash rate, EPDO (Equivalent Property Damage Only), and excess expected crashes
• Intersection analysis — Detailed review of the highest-priority intersections for targeted countermeasure selection
• Countermeasure recommendations — Evidence-based safety improvements with Crash Modification Factors (CMFs) quantifying their expected effectiveness

SS4A Funding by the Numbers

The program has been highly competitive, with demand far exceeding available funding in every round. Communities that submit strong, data-driven applications with clear safety narratives have the best chances of success.

Tips for a Strong SS4A Application

Based on patterns we’ve seen across funded communities:

1. Lead with data, not anecdotes. USDOT reviewers look for quantitative crash analysis. Show crash trends, severity breakdowns, and spatial patterns with clear visualizations.
2. Identify your High-Injury Network early. The HIN demonstrates you know exactly where the problems are and can target investments effectively.
3. Emphasize vulnerable road users. Pedestrian and bicyclist safety is a top SS4A priority. Quantify VRU crashes separately.
4. Address equity explicitly. Map crash data against Census equity indicators. Show how safety investments will benefit underserved communities.
5. Build a coalition. Multi-jurisdictional applications and letters of support from community organizations strengthen submissions.
6. Connect to implementation. Even for Action Plan grants, show that you have a pathway from plan to projects. Identify potential implementation funding sources.

What Comes After the Grant?

Receiving an SS4A Action Plan grant is just the beginning. The typical timeline looks like:

1. Months 1-3: Data collection and crash analysis
2. Months 3-6: Network screening and High-Injury Network development
3. Months 6-9: Community engagement and equity analysis
4. Months 9-12: Countermeasure selection and project prioritization
5. Months 12-18: Plan documentation, public review, and adoption

With the plan complete, communities can then apply for SS4A Implementation Grants to fund the actual construction of their prioritized safety projects.