Lake County TZD Coalition Wins 2026 Safe Roads Grant, Plans Safety Activities

The Lake County Toward Zero Deaths Coalition has been awarded a 2026 Safe Roads Grant from the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety, securing new funding to support a slate of community activities aimed at reducing serious crashes and fatalities on Lake County roads.

The grant positions Lake County within a growing wave of traffic safety investment across northeastern Minnesota. Toward Zero Deaths, a program created in Minnesota 20 years ago to curb road deaths, structures its work around what practitioners call the "4 Es": enforcement, engineering, education, and emergency medical and trauma services. The program's stated mission is to create a culture in which traffic fatalities and serious injuries are no longer acceptable, driven by data, best practices, and research.

Specific activities Lake County TZD plans to undertake with the grant funding have not yet been detailed publicly, and the grant amount was not disclosed in the announcement. The coalition described its plans as a "slate of community activities" without providing dates or program specifics.

The Lake County award comes as neighboring Pine County prepares to launch its own TZD coalition, with a kickoff meeting scheduled for October 24 at 10 a.m. at the Pine County Courthouse. MnDOT's Rahya Geisler, who is helping organize the Pine County effort, cited the county's crash record as the driving reason for the new coalition. "We all have a vested interest in keeping our roads, paths, trails, and youth safe," Geisler said. "Pine County sees a lot of fatalities and serious injuries every year and that needs to change." Pine County carries one of the highest crash rates in the Northeast Minnesota Toward Zero Deaths eight-county region, with fatal crashes concentrated around the Pine City area and along corridors including County Road 11, Highway 61, Highway 70, Highway 23, and I-35.

TZD work has also drawn statewide recognition recently. Crystal Hoepner, a Horizon Public Health educator based in Alexandria, was among eleven Minnesota traffic safety leaders recognized with a Toward Zero Deaths Award. The TZD Media Award, one of the honors presented, goes to individuals or organizations in media who have demonstrated excellence in raising public awareness about traffic safety, going beyond typical news coverage to show sustained commitment to reducing fatalities and serious injuries. A separate Traffic Safety Innovation Award recognizes organizations for new or creative solutions that help save lives, covering actions ranging from marketing campaigns to engineering initiatives and community partnerships.

For the Lake County coalition, the 2026 Safe Roads Grant represents a direct resource to advance that same mission closer to home, on the roads and highways that connect Two Harbors, Silver Bay, and the communities stretching along the North Shore.