The Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program was established through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and has provided billions of dollars to communities nationwide for roadway safety planning and implementation projects focused on reducing fatalities and serious injuries.

The SS4A program has provided dedicated funding through FY 2026. The final SS4A application cycle funded under that legislation closed on May 26, 2026. Any future funding opportunities will depend on Congressional action.

Note: this information is current as of August 2026. MSA’s funding, planning, and transportation experts are closely tracking new developments and will provide updates accordingly.

 SS4A Grant Types at a Glance

• Planning and Demonstration Grants
  • Planning Grants (Action Plan Grants) support the development, completion, update, or enhancement of a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan (“Action Plan”) — the foundational roadmap of the SS4A grant program. Planning Grants may receive up to 100% federal funding.
  • Demonstration Grants fund temporary or pilot safety improvements that test potential solutions before permanent implementation. Eligible activities must measure potential benefits through data collection and evaluation. Such activities include conducting feasibility studies, MUTCD engineering studies, behavior or operational activity pilot programs, or new technology pilot programs. Demonstration Grants may receive up to 100% federal funding.

• Implementation Grants
  Implementation Grants fund projects or strategies identified in an adopted Comprehensive Safety Action Plan. Eligible activities may include roadway redesigns, pedestrian and bicycle improvements, traffic-calming measures, intersection safety enhancements, operational and behavioral safety initiatives, or other infrastructure projects that reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries. Implementation Grants typically provide up to an 80% federal share and require at least a 20% non-federal match.

 A Note About Timing

Communities considering future SS4A opportunities should understand that there can be a significant delay between award announcement and execution of the final grant agreement. We are seeing grant agreement execution timelines of several months, and in some cases, nearly a year.  Costs incurred before the agreement is executed are generally not reimbursable. Communities should account for this lead time when developing their funding and project schedules.

Future Funding and Reauthorization

Congress is currently considering FY 2027 transportation funding and broader surface transportation reauthorization efforts. Bipartisan legislation, the Safe Streets for All Reauthorization and Improvement Act, has been introduced to continue the SS4A program beyond FY 2026. This proposed legislation would shift a larger share of future funding toward implementation projects by reducing the portion reserved for planning activities. While there is no guarantee that SS4A will continue in its current form, the legislation suggests that federal policymakers are placing increasing emphasis on moving from planning to implementation.

What Communities Can Do Now

As with several other federal discretionary grant programs, recent policy discussions have included an increased emphasis on implementation and project readiness. Communities that have completed planning work and advanced priority projects may be best positioned should future SS4A funding opportunities become available. The bipartisan SS4A reauthorization proposal would continue Planning Grants but would direct a larger share of program funding toward implementation activities, making project readiness increasingly important.

 Communities Without a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan

Implementation Grants require a qualifying Comprehensive Safety Action Plan. Even if future Planning Grants are offered, communities should not assume that planning assistance will be as readily available as it was during the initial years of the program. Communities that have not yet developed a qualifying Comprehensive Safety Action Plan should review prior SS4A Action Plan requirements and evaluate whether their existing plans and studies align with those criteria. Although existing documents alone are unlikely to fully satisfy SS4A requirements, this assessment can help identify where additional planning or documentation may be needed. Identifying gaps now can help communities be better prepared for future Implementation Grant funding opportunities.

Communities pursuing future Implementation Grants should:

• Complete a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan;
• Identify specific projects with measurable safety benefits;
• Advance project development and design where feasible;

Document expected crash reduction and safety outcomes.

Bottom Line

The future of SS4A remains uncertain, but communities should not mistake uncertainty for inactivity.

The proposed reauthorization legislation and ongoing congressional discussions suggest that roadway safety will remain a federal priority, even if the program changes. Whether SS4A is renewed in its current form or evolves under future legislation, communities that invest in safety planning, identify priority projects, and advance project readiness now will be in a stronger position to compete for future transportation funding opportunities.