Fayette County and Town of Brooks Awarded $9.6 Million Federal Grant to Advance Roadway Safety Projects

Fayette County, Georgia – Fayette County, in partnership with the Town of Brooks, has been awarded a $9.6 million Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Implementation Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. This highly competitive federal award underscores the County’s continued commitment to roadway safety, Vision Zero principles, and the implementation of strategies identified in Fayette County’s recently completed and adopted Safety Action Plan.

The SS4A Implementation Program is a nationally competitive safety initiative. Since the program began in 2022, only 10 jurisdictions in Georgia have been selected for implementation funding. Fayette County pursued this opportunity to advance data-driven safety improvements and address high-risk locations across the County.

“This award is a testament to our dedicated efforts in making Fayette County’s roads safer for everyone. By focusing on data-driven safety improvements and targeting high-risk locations, we are taking substantial steps toward ensuring the well-being of our community members,” said Steve Rapson, Fayette County Manager.

The SS4A Implementation Grant will fund four major safety projects:

Comprehensive School Zone and Pedestrian Safety Improvements
This project includes the design and construction of safety enhancements near schools throughout Fayette County. Between 2018 and 2022, more than 1,200 crashes occurred within a quarter mile of a public school in the County. Improvements will focus on low-cost, high-impact solutions within existing right-of-way, such as enhanced signage, upgraded pedestrian facilities, sidewalk and path construction, and other measures to improve safety for students, families, and nearby residents.

Roundabout at South Jeff Davis Drive, Inman Road, County Line Road, and North Bridge Road
Identified in the Safety Action Plan as the highest-priority non-state route intersection, this existing all-way stop has a history of crashes, speed-related risks, and multiple conflict points. The intersection will be converted to a single-lane roundabout to improve traffic flow and significantly reduce the likelihood of severe crashes. The project will also include sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, and lighting.

Roundabout at Sandy Creek Road and Ellison Road
This side-street stop-controlled intersection ranked among the County’s top five non-state route intersections for crashes. Safety concerns include skewed approaches, limited sight distance, increasing traffic volumes, and speeding. A roundabout will reduce conflict points, slow traffic, eliminate left-turn movements, and provide safer, more efficient operations into the future. Sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, and lighting will also be included.

Roundabout at Morgan Mill Road and Highway 85 Connector (Town of Brooks)
This intersection has experienced a rapid increase in crash rates, more than doubling since 2022, primarily due to road geometry, traffic speeds, and growing volumes along the Highway 85 Connector. The roundabout will calm traffic entering downtown Brooks and help reverse the trend of rising crashes.

“I appreciate everyone who helped with the securing of this grant, including project stakeholders, the consultant team, Fayette County’s Transportation Committee, county staff, and the elected officials,” said Phil Mallon, Fayette County Public Works Director. “The projects should yield a significant improvement in road safety. National data, as well as projects recently constructed in Fayette County, show roundabouts as being very effective in reducing the number of serious injuries or fatalities at intersections, and the school zone safety project will benefit thousands of people every day traveling to or from a school,” he said.

All projects are expected to be completed within five years of the grant agreement execution, anticipated later this year.

The SS4A grants are awarded at an 80/20 match rate, allowing Fayette County to leverage federal funds efficiently—providing approximately five dollars in safety improvements for every local Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) dollar invested. Without this award, many of these projects would have been delayed until additional funding sources could be secured.

For more information or questions about these projects, please contact Fayette County Public Works at 770-320-6010 or[email protected].

Photos: Safety Action Plan Meeting