McHenry County Safety Action Plan

What is the purpose of the Safety Action Plan for McHenry County?

The safety action plan (SAP) is designed to enhance roadway safety across McHenry County. Its primary goal is to reduce and eliminate serious injuries and fatalities on our roads by implementing a data-driven and comprehensive approach to identify safety risks and deploy targeted countermeasures.

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McHenry County Safety Action Plan

McHenry County Vision Zero Resolution

Why was the Safety Action Plan developed?

McHenry County worked with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) to create its safety action plan. CMAP was awarded nearly $4 million from the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program to develop a first-of-its-kind traffic safety framework for northeastern Illinois. CMAP, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), and Metra are partnering with six participating counties, including McHenry County, who has contributed funds for the required local match. By planning together, this regional initiative can maximize the impact of system-wide traffic safety improvements. 

Who was involved in the development of the Safety Action Plan?

The McHenry County SAP was spearheaded by a Project Team consisting of McHenry County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) staff, consultants from Epstein and WSP, CMAP staff, a regional PMO led by AECOM, and the Engagement Consultant, Daylight, ensuring a multidisciplinary approach to the plan's development. This team collaborated closely with a Steering Committee, which brought together a wide array of community stakeholders, including representatives from local government, health departments, townships, law enforcement, fire rescue services, bicycle advocates, school districts, senior care networks, and the agricultural sector. The plan's leadership actively sought input from a broad spectrum of community members, including advocates, residents, business owners, and other stakeholders. 

How did the community contribute to the SAP?

Individuals participated in awareness campaigns, provided feedback on safety concerns, attended public meetings, and engaged with local government and planning committees to share insights and suggestions for safety improvements.  

How does the SAP differ from previous transportation plans?

The SAP differs from previous transportation plans by focusing more intensively on safety with a proactive, data-driven approach. It incorporates the Safe System Approach, which emphasizes reducing risks through system-wide changes. This plan typically involves greater cross-sector collaboration, employing cutting-edge technology and analytics to predict and mitigate safety issues before they result in crashes, setting it apart from earlier plans that might have been more reactive and less integrated.

 What kind of outcomes should residents expect?

The expected outcome of the McHenry County SAP is a significant improvement in road safety throughout the county, leading to a measurable reduction in traffic fatalities, serious injuries, and crashes. By implementing targeted strategies and countermeasures identified through data analysis, the plan aims to create safer road environments for all users. The plan sets forth a framework for continuous improvement by establishing performance measures and regular evaluation metrics. By prioritizing projects and aligning them with strategic funding sources, McHenry County aims to leverage resources efficiently, maximizing the impact of every initiative. Ultimately, the SAP envisions a future where road travel in McHenry County is safer, contributing to its residents' overall well-being and quality of life. 

What are the next steps for implementation?

As a living document, the plan is designed to evolve, ensuring that McHenry County and its municipalities can adapt to emerging safety needs and leverage ongoing support for implementing high-priority safety initiatives and solutions. This process is integral to the plan's dual purpose: it outlines a path for boosting roadway safety with specific interventions and ensures eligibility for Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) implementation grants by fulfilling the action planning requirements. Such grants are pivotal for actualizing the plan's safety strategies, facilitating a range of enhancements from infrastructure improvements to community programs. 

Why are the boundaries of the study area beyond McHenry County?

The boundaries of the study area extend beyond McHenry County as part of the regional Safe Travel for All program's effort to ensure accurate crash analysis. Municipalities located on the county borders have been assigned to either McHenry County or neighboring counties to prevent the double-counting of crashes that could skew data. By clearly defining study boundaries, the program ensures that each crash is only counted once, leading to more precise insights and resource allocation for road safety improvements. For the purpose of this study, the border municipalities of Fox River Grove, Huntley, and Algonquin have been assigned to McHenry County.

What is the legality of the SAP?

The observations, findings, conclusions, and recommendations of this report are protected under 23 CFR 407, which states these shall not be subject to discovery or admitted into evidence in a Federal or State court proceeding or considered for other purposes in any action for damages arising from any occurrence at a location mentioned or addressed in this report or documents associated with this review. Disclaimer: Results of the analyses are based on data that was received from the Illinois Department of Transportation. Crash data represents years 2018 to 2022 and was obtained from the state police and other enforcement agencies. The data was used "as is" for analysis purposes and should be interpreted accordingly.