City Seeks $14M Federal Grant for Crosswalks, Bike Lanes and Traffic Safety Upgrades

The City Council on Tuesday, May 19, authorized an application for $14 million in federal transportation safety funding – meaning Riversiders could soon see safer crosswalks, upgraded bike lanes and new sidewalks across the city.

Riverside is seeking approximately $11.2 million in federal grant funds through the 2026 Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant Program offered by the U.S. Department of Transportation, with a required 20 percent city match of approximately $2.8 million if the grant is awarded.

Potential local funding sources include Measure A revenue, special gas tax, transportation fees and other existing grant programs, according to a staff report.

The proposed citywide infrastructure projects include bike lane improvements, sidewalks and ADA ramps, upgraded traffic signals, high-visibility crosswalks, audible pedestrian push buttons, raised curb medians and AI-based traffic safety cameras at high-collision intersections.

Specific improvements listed in the staff report include roadway safety upgrades along Central Avenue between Fremont Street and Wilderness Avenue and median extensions at Tyler Street and Hemet Street.

City staff are also exploring whether the federal grant would allow funding for a proposed drone first responder system, which would dispatch drones to reported crashes and use collision detection software to improve emergency response times.

The application also includes several planning initiatives, such as a citywide railroad crossing pedestrian gate arm plan, an update to the Riverside PACT active transportation plan and Safe Routes to School studies for all public high schools and the new Ofelia Valdez-Yeager Eastside Elementary School – developing pedestrian and bicycle safety plans tailored to the needs of each campus.

The proposal also includes temporary pilot projects such as curb extensions, neighborhood traffic circles and roadway conversions intended to test traffic-calming measures before permanent construction.

According to the staff report, Riverside has secured similar federal safety grants in recent years – including $11.1 million awarded earlier this year for the South Main Complete Streets project and $7.45 million awarded in 2025 for the Neighborhood Safety Investment Project.