SS4A Grant: Nearly $1 Billion for Safe Streets and Roads for All (FY 2026)

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) discretionary grant program is providing nearly $1 billion in FY 2026 funding to help communities reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries. Whether your community needs to develop a comprehensive safety action plan or implement proven safety improvements, SS4A offers a path to funding for cities, counties, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), tribal governments, and multijurisdictional groups.

What Is the SS4A Program?

Established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), SS4A funds regional, local, and tribal initiatives to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries. The program supports a "Safe System" approach to road safety, which recognizes that humans make mistakes and that the transportation system should be designed to accommodate those errors rather than punish them with fatal consequences.

More than 40,000 people die on U.S. roadways annually. SS4A specifically targets this crisis by funding both the planning and implementation of evidence-based safety strategies, with a strong emphasis on protecting vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, bicyclists, and people with disabilities.

Who Can Apply?

SS4A is open to a broad range of local and regional entities. Eligible applicants include:

• Metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs)
• Cities, towns, and townships
• Counties
• Special district governments
• Federally recognized tribal governments
• Multijurisdictional groups of any of the above

Important: States are NOT eligible to apply as lead applicants. However, a state DOT may serve as a fiscal agent or partner in a multijurisdictional application led by an eligible entity.

One application per applicant: Each applicant may submit only one application. You must choose either a Planning & Demonstration Grant or an Implementation Grant—you cannot apply for both in the same cycle.

Grant Types

Planning & Demonstration Grants ($100K-$5M)

These grants fund development of a comprehensive safety Action Plan or supplemental planning activities, and may include demonstration projects that test safety countermeasures before permanent installation. Planning grants support:

• Developing or completing a comprehensive Action Plan
• Supplemental planning activities to update or enhance an existing Action Plan
• Demonstration activities (temporary installations like quick-build projects)

Communities without an existing Action Plan should apply for a Planning Grant first, as an Action Plan is required for Implementation Grant eligibility.

Implementation Grants ($2.5M-$25M)

These grants fund construction and implementation of safety strategies identified in an existing Action Plan. To be eligible, applicants must have an Action Plan (or Vision Zero equivalent) that was finalized or updated between 2021 and 2026. Implementation grants fund:

• Infrastructure and operational safety projects
• Planning, design, and development activities for future projects
• Strategy-level activities like safety-focused policy changes

Action Plan Requirements

The Action Plan is the backbone of the SS4A program. For Implementation Grant applicants, a qualifying Action Plan must include these seven components:

1. Leadership Commitment and Goal Setting: Set a goal of zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries with clear leadership accountability
2. Planning Structure: Describe the governance structure and how the plan connects to existing policies and plans
3. Safety Analysis: Analyze existing conditions using crash data, systemic safety analysis, and identification of high-risk areas
4. Engagement and Collaboration: Demonstrate inclusive public engagement, particularly with underserved communities and vulnerable road users
5. Policy and Process Changes: Identify policies that contribute to roadway risk and propose changes
6. Strategy and Project Selections: Prioritize evidence-based projects with measurable safety outcomes
7. Progress and Transparency: Establish methods to track progress, evaluate outcomes, and publicly report results

What Projects Are Eligible?

SS4A funds a wide range of safety improvements, including:

• Protected bike lanes and pedestrian infrastructure
• Traffic calming measures (speed humps, narrowed lanes, roundabouts)
• Pedestrian crossing improvements and signalized intersections
• Road diets and complete streets redesigns
• Speed management and automated enforcement
• Lighting improvements at high-crash locations
• Public Safety Infrastructure (new FY2026 priority): post-crash care, emergency response improvements, prehospital blood transfusion programs

Ineligible Activities

• New roadway construction for motor vehicle capacity
• Capacity expansion without a demonstrated safety nexus
• Routine maintenance activities
• Air, rail, or marine-only safety projects

Cost Sharing

The standard federal share for SS4A is 80%, with a 20% local match required. Key cost share details:

• Standard: 80% federal / 20% non-federal match
• Non-federal match may include cash, in-kind contributions, or other non-federal funding sources
• Other federal funds generally cannot be used as match unless specifically authorized by statute
• Tribal applicants may request a higher federal share based on financial need

How Applications Are Evaluated

SS4A applications are scored on four merit criteria:

1. Safety Need

Demonstrates that the jurisdiction has significant roadway safety challenges through crash data, fatality rates, and trend analysis. Applications should identify specific high-risk corridors, intersections, or systemic risk factors.

2. Safety Impact

Shows how proposed projects will deliver measurable reductions in fatalities and serious injuries. USDOT looks for evidence-based countermeasures with proven effectiveness, quantified safety benefits, and alignment with the Safe System approach.

3. Implementation Costs

Evaluates whether the budget is reasonable, well-justified, and proportionate to the expected safety outcomes. Strong applications provide detailed cost estimates, realistic timelines, and clear project readiness.

4. Engagement and Collaboration

Assesses the quality and inclusiveness of stakeholder engagement, particularly with communities disproportionately affected by roadway fatalities. Partnerships with law enforcement, public health agencies, schools, and community organizations strengthen applications.

FY 2026 Priorities

USDOT has identified several priorities for FY 2026 that can strengthen your application:

• Promoting Safety: Projects using the Safe System approach and evidence-based countermeasures
• Low-Cost, High-Impact Strategies: Quick-build and scalable projects that deliver immediate safety benefits
• Equitable Investment: Projects serving disadvantaged communities and addressing disparities in roadway safety outcomes
• Public Safety Infrastructure (New): Post-crash care, emergency response, and prehospital blood transfusion programs
• Beautification: Safety projects that also enhance community aesthetics and placemaking
• Truck Parking: Safety improvements related to commercial vehicle parking where a safety nexus is demonstrated

Key Dates

• NOFO Published: March 2026
• Pre-Application Eligibility Review: April 24, 2026
• Application Deadline: May 26, 2026, 5:00 PM Eastern
• Award Announcements: Late 2026 (estimated)
• Performance Period: Up to 4 years (Implementation), up to 3 years (Planning)

Tips for a Competitive SS4A Application

1. Lead with Data

Use crash data, fatality rates, and safety trends to establish clear need. Identify specific high-risk corridors and intersections. USDOT expects applicants to demonstrate a data-driven understanding of their safety challenges.

2. Align with the Safe System Approach

Frame your projects within the five elements of the Safe System approach: safer people, safer roads, safer vehicles, safer speeds, and post-crash care. Applications that demonstrate a holistic, systems-level approach score higher.

3. Show Community Engagement

Document meaningful engagement with communities most affected by roadway fatalities, including low-income neighborhoods, communities of color, people with disabilities, and vulnerable road users. Letters of support from community organizations strengthen your application.

4. Prioritize Proven Countermeasures

Use FHWA's Proven Safety Countermeasures list to select interventions with demonstrated effectiveness. Projects like roundabouts, road diets, pedestrian hybrid beacons, and protected bike lanes have strong evidence bases.

5. Ensure Project Readiness

Implementation Grant projects should be ready to advance quickly. Completed NEPA reviews, preliminary engineering, and secured local match demonstrate readiness and reduce risk for USDOT.

6. Submit the Pre-Application Review

Take advantage of the April 24, 2026 pre-application eligibility review. This confirms your eligibility and allows you to address any issues before the final deadline.

Application Requirements

• Active SAM.gov registration and valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)
• Valid Eval account registration
• For Implementation Grants: existing Action Plan (finalized or updated 2021-2026)
• Project narrative addressing all merit criteria
• Detailed budget and cost estimate
• Letters of support from project partners
• Crash data and safety analysis documentation

Contact Information

• SS4A Program: SS4A@dot.gov
• Program Website: transportation.gov/grants/ss4a
• Valid Eval Support: valid-eval.com

How Avila Can Help

SS4A applications require a strong data foundation, alignment with USDOT's Safe System framework, detailed project narratives, and coordination across multiple departments and community stakeholders. For local government staff juggling competing priorities, assembling a competitive application can be a major undertaking.

Avila's AI-powered platform helps local governments streamline the grant application process by:

• Analyzing the NOFO to identify key requirements and scoring criteria
• Helping draft narratives that align with USDOT's evaluation priorities
• Tracking deadlines for pre-application reviews and final submissions
• Managing the complete grant lifecycle from discovery to closeout

Ready to explore how Avila can support your SS4A grant application? Book a demo to learn more about our platform.

For more information on federal grant applications, see our guides on federal grant writing, SAM.gov registration, and Grants.gov registration. For other infrastructure funding opportunities, check out our guide to the BUILD Grant Program and the FEMA BRIC Grant Program.