“The New York State Thruway has long been recognized as one of the safest major highway systems in the nation and maintaining that standard requires proactive planning and continuous innovation,” Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare, Esq. said. “There’s nothing more important than the safety of our employees and first responders, as well as the hundreds of millions of motorists that use the Thruway system each year. With the launch of the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, we’re reinforcing our commitment to a safe, more resilient transportation corridor. We want to engage travelers, communities and transportation partners because safety is a shared responsibility.”

The Comprehensive Safety Action Plan will address a broad range of safety concerns, including:

• Crash and trend analysis across the full Thruway corridor, identifying incident prone segments and contributing factors.
• Roadway and employee safety in work zones and maintenance areas.
• Emergency response coordination and communication systems, ensuring swift, effective response when incidents occur.
• Risk factors and contextual conditions that contribute to severe crashes (e.g., weather, visibility, roadway design).
• Safety messaging, warnings and advanced technology solutions (e.g., variable message signs (VMS), speed management).
• Review and improvement of policies and design practices that influence roadway safety.

The Comprehensive Safety Action Plan will also provide targeted strategies tailored to the needs of each Thruway Maintenance division and region, to be developed in collaboration with Thruway Authority staff, law enforcement, emergency responders, freight and commercial operators and community stakeholders. Through the development of the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, the Thruway Authority will also identify opportunities for additional federal and state safety funding to support future improvements.

The Thruway Authority invites the driving public and stakeholders to contribute feedback and help shape the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan. Engagement will include:

• An interactive map and comment tool on the project website, where travelers and residents can flag safety concerns or near miss locations.
• Pop up outreach events at Thruway service areas, welcome centers and park-and-ride lots across all divisions.
• Targeted stakeholder outreach, including local governments, law enforcement agencies, emergency responders, trucking and freight organizations, community groups and commercial businesses.
• Regional Safety Summits that will bring together safety partners to review data, discuss concerns and prioritize strategies.

Everyone who travels, works or depends on the Thruway system, including motorists, commercial drivers, Service Area users, residents near the Thruway corridor and community organizations, is encouraged to participate.

Detailed information on the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, including opportunities for comment or involvement, background resources, outreach calendar and project updates, is now available at the project website: thruwaysafety.org.