Beltrami County Seeks Public Input on Federal Road Safety Plan

Beltrami County has begun work on a federally backed road safety plan and wants residents to mark dangerous corridors on an interactive map before the county finalizes its list of priority projects.

The Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, funded through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program, will combine historical crash data with resident-reported concerns to produce a ranked set of interventions spanning the entire county, including Bemidji's city streets and routes adjacent to Tribal lands.

County Engineer Bruce Hasbargen said the plan is intended to "better understand where serious crashes are occurring and why," shifting the county from a reactive posture to a proactive one. Recommended fixes will range from low-cost quick-builds like signage and striping to medium-term engineering changes and, where crash patterns demand it, full corridor redesigns.

Residents can participate three ways: a short online survey, an interactive feedback map where users can pin specific trouble spots, and in-person community events and focus groups. The county is targeting input from drivers, bicyclists, pedestrians, transit users, and freight operators to capture the full range of road-user experiences across one of Minnesota's larger rural counties.

The planning document carries financial significance beyond its stated safety goals. An approved Comprehensive Safety Action Plan is a common eligibility requirement for SS4A and other federal funding streams, meaning the county's ability to compete for infrastructure grants in coming years depends in part on having one in place. Officials also intend to use the process to align priorities with local jurisdictions and tribal governments, strengthening future joint grant applications.

County officials expect the full process to take several months as crash trend analysis and community submissions are compiled into a final project list.