City of Jackson Awarded Federal Safe Streets and Roads for All Implementation Grant to Modernize U.S. 45 Bypass Corridor
Jackson Selected as One of Only 100 Communities Nationwide to Receive Critical Infrastructure Implementation Funding
Jackson, Tenn. – The City of Jackson has been selected as one of only 100 jurisdictions nationwide to receive a 2026 federal Implementation Grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program. The grant awards the City of Jackson $4,000,000 and includes a local match representing one of the single largest grants the City of Jackson has received in recent history.
Announced by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy, the investment is part of a nationwide initiative to prevent roadway fatalities, modernize hazardous roadways, and protect families. Jackson's selection will fund comprehensive safety improvements across six high-crash intersections and two roadway segments along the U.S. Highway 45 Bypass.
"Every driver, pedestrian, and family navigating Jackson deserves safe, dependable roadways," said Mayor Scott Conger. "Securing this highly competitive federal grant is a major milestone for our city. The U.S. 45 Bypass is one of our most traveled arteries, but it has historically seen far too many severe crashes. By implementing proven, data-driven safety infrastructure along this corridor, we are directly investing in the protection of our residents and working to prevent future tragedies."
Targeting Jackson’s High-Injury Network
The locations selected for improvements accounted for 11.11% of all traffic fatalities and 9.4% of serious traffic injuries citywide, between 2020-2024. For a city with 1,300 lane miles of roadways, having this large a percentage of fatalities and serious injuries within these specified intersections and segments indicates an acute need for safety improvements.
Hwy 45 Bypass in Jackson, and the intersections along it represent the most travelled non-interstate roadway through our city, carrying more traffic than any other state route in Madison County. It accommodates between 11,773 and 57,235 vehicles daily.
Between 2020 and 2024, the corridor experienced repeated collisions, including:
- 143 crashes at the intersection of Casey Jones Lane and Carriage House Drive.
- 110 crashes along the corridor segment connecting Airways Boulevard and Commerce Center Circle.
- Multiple fatal and serious injury crashes across key access points.
Comprehensive Infrastructure Countermeasures
The project will implement safety measures proven to reduce severe and fatal collisions.
Safety projects funded through this grant include:
- Traffic Signal & Visibility Upgrades: Installation of signal backplates with reflective yellow borders, flashing yellow arrows, and signage and pavement marking upgrades at various intersections.
- Traffic Pattern Protections: Channelization modifications to eliminate dangerous turning conflicts and lane departures, rumble strips, and cable median barriers to prevent crash occurrences.
- Pedestrian Safety Infrastructure: New sidewalk construction at specified locations, upgraded pedestrian signals, and high-visibility crosswalks to protect non-motorized travelers and transit users crossing along bypass intersections.
About the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Program
Established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the SS4A program supports the USDOT National Roadway Safety Strategy by funding local, regional, and Tribal initiatives aimed at reaching zero roadway fatalities. In fiscal year 2026, USDOT awarded $1.013 billion across 297 projects nationwide. Jackson was selected among the elite tier of just 100 communities nationwide to receive full implementation funding, which totaled $683.6 million of the national allocation.
Additional engineering timelines, construction schedules, and public notices regarding the U.S. 45 Bypass safety improvements will be announced as project phases advance.