Transportation Secretary Announces $5M in Grants to States, Territories
5 March 1999
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | NHTSA 07-99 | |
|---|---|---|
| March 3, 1999 | Contact: Tim Hurd | |
| Tel. No. (202) 366-9550 |
Transportation Secretary Slater Announces
$5 Million in Grants to States, Territories
U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater today announced distribution of nearly $5 million in incentive grants to improve traffic safety data systems in 47 states, the District of Columbia, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Northern Marianas Islands, and Puerto Rico.
"President Clinton has challenged us to make our communities safer, demonstrating again that safety his the highest transportation priority," Secretary Slater said. "These funds will help states and communities use the latest technology to develop better safety strategies, and thus reduce crashes, prevent injuries and save lives."
This grant program was created in section 2005 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, which President Clinton signed on June 9, 1998.
All states and territories had an opportunity to apply for these grant funds to make improvements to their traffic record systems. All but three states applied: Idaho, Texas and Wyoming did not apply. In the future, the traffic record systems may include information on crashes, drivers, vehicles, and roadways; emergency room treatments, hospital admissions and emergency medical services records. These grants have been authorized by Congress for four years.
"When these data systems are in place and linked together, the information can help states pinpoint and solve traffic safety problems to create safer communities," said Dr. Ricardo Martinez, M.D., administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Thirty states and territories applied for and received implementation grant funds totaling $3,787,800. These applicants already had a basic strategic plan for making improvements to their traffic records systems and performed assessments of their data systems that were no more than five years old. They also had traffic records coordinating committees in place to implement the strategic plan.
Eleven states received initiation grant funds totaling $694,100. These applicants were in the process of developing strategic plans for making traffic records system improvements but had not completed the plans.
Twelve states and territories and the Bureau of Indian Affairs received start-up grant funds totaling $325,000 to begin putting the necessary elements in place to receive implementation or initiation funding in the next few years.
A state-by-state table listing the amounts and types of grants awarded follows.
| State or Territory | Type of Grant | Amount |
| Alabama | START-UP | $25,000 |
| Alaska | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| Arizona | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| Arkansas | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| California | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| Colorado | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| Connecticut | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| Delaware | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| District of Columbia | START-UP | $25,000 |
| Florida | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| Georgia | INITIATION | $63,100 |
| Hawaii | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| Illinois | START-UP | $25,000 |
| Indiana | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| Iowa | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| Kansas | INITIATION | $63,100 |
| Kentucky | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| Louisiana | INITIATION | $63,100 |
| Maine | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| Maryland | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| Massachusetts | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| Michigan | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| Minnesota | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| Mississippi | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| Missouri | INITIATION | $63,100 |
| Montana | INITIATION | $63,100 |
| Nebraska | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| Nevada | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| New Hampshire | INITIATION | $63,100 |
| New Jersey | START-UP | $25,000 |
| New Mexico | START-UP | $25,000 |
| New York | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| North Carolina | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| North Dakota | START-UP | $25,000 |
| Ohio | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| Oklahoma | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| Oregon | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| Pennsylvania | INITIATION | $63,100 |
| Rhode Island | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| South Carolina | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| South Dakota | INITIATION | $63,100 |
| Tennessee | INITIATION | $63,100 |
| Utah | INITIATION | $63,100 |
| Vermont | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| Virginia | INITIATION | $63,100 |
| Washington | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| West Virginia | START-UP | $25,000 |
| Wisconsin | START-UP | $25,000 |
| American Samoa | START-UP | $25,000 |
| Guam | START-UP | $25,000 |
| Indian Nations (Bureau of Indian Affairs) | START-UP | $25,000 |
| Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands | START-UP | $25,000 |
| Puerto Rico | IMPLEMENTATION | $126,260 |
| Virgin Islands | START-UP | $25,000 |
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