Sarah Grace Meyn

Traffic moves along Hardy Street near the Southern Miss campus.

The city of Hattiesburg has released a draft of its Safe Roads Hattiesburg Safety Action Plan, aimed at improving street safety and reducing severe crashes by 50% by 2032, with an ultimate goal of eliminating them within city limits.
The plan, developed with input from two rounds of public feedback through an online survey and in-person events, reflects community priorities. It outlines key improvements in road design, policy updates, and projects addressing safety concerns for all road users. Between 2019 and 2023, Hattiesburg recorded 17,791 crashes, including 55 fatalities, with 15 of those involving pedestrians.
The plan outlines three main goals. The first goal is to educate the public about their role in transportation safety. This will be achieved by launching a safe driving campaign on the city’s website and social media platforms, publishing crash statistics through local media outlets, and educating drivers on state and local traffic laws.
The second goal focuses on improving driver behavior. This includes developing educational materials on the consequences of unsafe driving, enforcing laws related to distracted driving and red-light running, and increasing the visibility of traffic signals, stop signs, and speed limit feedback signs.
The third goal is to implement infrastructure projects aimed at improving transportation. This involves constructing intersection and roadway projects, addressing gaps in pedestrian infrastructure, and conducting a citywide study to determine areas where additional roadway lighting is needed.
“Safe, accessible, and reliable transportation within the City of Hattiesburg is a top priority,” said Hattiesburg Mayor Toby Barker. “Over the past 10 months, we have engaged our residents and analyzed crash data to draft a Safety Action Plan for our community. I ask our residents to review and provide feedback as we finalize this document over the next month. We are committed to implementing this plan and ensuring it reflects the will of our citizens while addressing safety challenges on our roads.”
Corey Trotter, a Hattiesburg resident and University of Southern Mississippi alumnus, expressed support for the plan, suggesting that it incorporate aspects of European pedestrian and vehicle cohabitation models.
“A safer space for pedestrians either walking or riding will provide another option for those that walk. More pedestrians could mean less traffic, which benefits everyone,” he said.
The final version of the Safety Action Plan is expected in December 2024. Once finalized, it will enable the city to apply for funding to implement the proposed projects.
The city is encouraging residents to review the draft and provide feedback at hattiesburgms.com/saferoads.