Riverside seeks $14M federal grant for street safety, AI traffic cameras

Raincross Gazette: The City Council on May 19 authorized an application for roughly $14 million in 2026 Safe Streets and Roads for All funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation — about $11.2 million in federal money with a required 20 percent city match near $2.8 million if awarded. Local match candidates include Measure A revenue, special gas tax, and existing transportation fees.

The project list runs from the routine to the experimental: bike lanes, ADA ramps, upgraded signals, raised curb medians, and AI-based traffic safety cameras at high-collision intersections. Specific work includes safety upgrades along Central Avenue between Fremont Street and Wilderness Avenue and median extensions at Tyler Street and Hemet Street. City staff are also exploring whether the federal program would cover a drone first-responder system that dispatches drones to reported crashes and uses collision-detection software to cut response times. Planning components include a citywide railroad crossing pedestrian gate-arm plan, Safe Routes to School studies for all public high schools, and pilot curb extensions and traffic circles before any permanent build-out.

Riverside has been a regular winner of the program. The staff report cites $11.1 million awarded earlier this year for the South Main Complete Streets project and $7.45 million awarded in 2025 for the Neighborhood Safety Investment Project. The pattern suggests the application is more than a long-shot ask.