Fourth Plain Traffic Safety Project announces results --
collisions drop 14%

March 26, 2007
Vancouver, WA - Results of a two-year community effort to increase traffic safety on Fourth Plain Boulevard show a 19% drop in fatal/disabling and injury collisions and a 14% decrease in total collisions.

“The 14% reduction in total collisions on Fourth Plain Blvd is nearly three times as high as we find on a typical Corridor Safety Project,” explained Matthew Enders, program manager for WSDOT Highway and Local Programs. “In fact, this reduction is the highest we've ever seen on one of our large urban projects.”

Project results include:
Total Collisions Down 14%
Total Injuries Down 19%
Fatal/Disabling Collisions Down 19%
Rearend Collisions (#1 Type) Down 10%
Drivers Failing to Yield (#1 Cause) Down 44%

Total number of collisions
Before two-year safety corridor project (3 year study period) = 948
After two-year safety corridor project (2 year study period) = 543

Total number of fatal / disabling injury collision
Before (3 year study period) = 13
After (2 year study period) = 7

Source: WSDOT comparison data 1/1/01-12/31/03 versus 10/8/04-10/7/06

Project funding provided increased traffic patrols by the Vancouver Police Department focusing on crosswalk safety, DUIs, and red light running. Results include:

Total Contacts: 4147
Infraction Violations Cited: 2539
Suspended/Misc. Criminal Violation: 149
DUI Arrests: 44
Warrant Arrests: 35
Verbal Warnings: 1667

Note: Warnings plus Infractions is slightly higher than Total Contacts because some of the drivers were cited for multiple violations.
Source: VPD 10/7/04 to 9/30/06

Traffic engineering improvements
The engineering team completed several low-cost, near-term improvements to Fourth Plain including: installation of signs to mark the corridor, improved timing and upgrades to traffic signals, upgrades to crosswalks, installation of pedestrian warning lights, and C-TRAN bus stop upgrades.

During the project, committee members worked to educate the public by distributing educational materials to residents and businesses, hosting a traffic safety fair, making pedestrian safety presentations to area elementary and middle school students, and utilizing transit advertising.

In November 2006, less than a month after the Fourth Plain project officially ended, the group launched a second corridor on Mill Plain Boulevard from I-5 to 192nd Avenue.

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