Traffic Safety Initiative

NextGen volunteers partnered with SEMCOG and Canton Township to promote traffic safety awareness

Inspiration

This project was inspired in part by Evan’s participation in the National Civics Bee, a nationwide competition that challenges students to identify community problems and propose civic solutions. As Michigan’s 2024 Civics Bee State Champion and National Finalist, Evan focused on pedestrian safety in his competition essay. That experience sparked a desire to move beyond ideas into action. He launched this Traffic Safety initiative to address real-world safety challenges in his community, focusing on raising awareness and advocating for safer conditions for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers across southeast Michigan.

Why Does Traffic Safety Matter?

Every year, more than 40,000 people die in traffic crashes in the U.S. In Michigan alone, there were over 282,000 traffic crashes in 2023, resulting in more than 1,100 fatalities.

Pedestrians, cyclists, and young drivers are especially vulnerable:

🚶‍♂️ Pedestrian deaths have increased by over 60% in the last decade.
🚲 Children ages 10–14 are among the most at-risk groups for bike-related injuries.
📱 Distracted driving caused over 14,000 crashes in Michigan in 2022.

These aren't just numbers. They represent lives lost, families impacted, and communities changed . This is why we started this initiative: to help prevent these injuries before they happen and make our streets safer for everyone.

Community Outreach & Engagement

Through these events, we engaged thousands of residents, promoted safer behaviors, and brought community voices into local safety planning.

2025 Events

Summit on the Park (April 19, 2025): Hosted a traffic safety outreach table, engaging community members through safety videos, Safe Streets materials, and interactive discussions to raise awareness.
Public Library Display (May 27 - June 10, 2025): Reached a broad audience through a multi-week display featuring traffic safety materials, campaign visuals, and a civic pledge, extending awareness to thousands of visitors.
National Trails Day (June 7, 2025): In partnership with SEMCOG, led interactive activities and distributed safety materials to promote safe walking and biking practices.
Liberty Fest (June 12–13, 2025): Our largest outreach event, engaging hundreds of residents through interactive traffic safety games and conversations in a community tent.
Corewell Heath 2025 Wayne Safety Day (June 25, 2025): Expanded our initiative into the City of Wayne, partnering with Corewell Health to promote injury prevention and community safety.
National Night Out at Heritage Park - Canton (August 7, 2025): Partnered with the Canton Police Department to engage residents, share safety resources, and encourage community action toward safer streets.
Ypsilanti District Library - Ypsilanti (December 13, 2025): Expanded our initiative into the City of Ypsilanti, engaging residents in conversations about traffic safety, distributing materials, and collecting input to inform future efforts.

2026 Events

National Trails Day (June 6, 2026): Partnered with Canton Township during National Trails Day to engage residents in conversations about traffic and pedestrian safety, distribute educational materials, collect community feedback through surveys, and promote safer streets.
Canton Farmers Market TSAP Outreach (June 14, 2026): Partnered with Canton Township to gather resident feedback on transportation safety concerns and potential improvements.
Liberty Fest TSAP Outreach (June 19–20, 2026): Engaged residents in conversations about transportation safety concerns, multimodal safety improvements, and targeted safety countermeasures; distributed 500+ safety pamphlets and 100+ safety items.
Corewell Health Wayne Safety Day (June 24, 2026): Returned to Corewell Health Wayne Safety Day for the second year, continuing NextGen’s traffic safety outreach in the City of Wayne. Volunteers engaged residents in conversations about pedestrian, bike, and driver safety, distributed safety items, collected Safe Streets pledges, and gathered community input through safety surveys.

Supporting Transportation Safety Planning (2026)

In 2026, NextGen Community Builders partnered with Canton Township to support public engagement for the Transportation Safety Action Plan (TSAP), a community-wide effort focused on improving transportation safety and reducing serious traffic injuries and fatalities.

NextGen volunteers supported outreach activities at the Canton Farmers Market and Liberty Fest, helping residents share transportation safety concerns, identify multimodal safety improvements, and provide feedback on potential safety countermeasures.

Through these conversations, residents shared valuable input that can help identify transportation safety priorities and inform future transportation safety planning efforts throughout Canton.

In addition to facilitating community engagement, NextGen volunteers distributed more than 500 transportation safety information pamphlets and over 100 safety items during Liberty Fest to help promote safer walking, biking, and driving habits.

Impact & Achievements

Overall Impact

Engaged over 3,700 community members
Distributed more than 1,400 safety materials
Collected over 600 Safe Streets pledges
45+ survey responses from Canton/Wayne outreach
Expanded outreach across multiple communities, including Canton, Wayne, and Ypsilanti

Community Engagement

Liberty Fest (largest event): Engaged 1,600+ residents, distributed 600+ safety items, and collected 200+ pledges through interactive traffic safety activities
National Night Out (Canton): Engaged 700+ residents, distributed 400+ safety resources, collected 250+ pledges, and gathered 18 survey responses
National Trails Day: Reached 300+ residents, distributed 220+ safety items, and collected 200+ pledges
Summit on the Park: Engaged 150+ residents, distributed 100+ safety items, and collected 80+ pledges
Wayne Safety Day: Expanded into a new community, engaging 250+ residents, distributed 100+ safety materials, and collecting 50+ pledges
Ypsilanti District Library: Engaged 100+ residents, distributed 75+ materials, collected 30+ pledges, and gathered 20+ survey responses
Canton Public Library Display: Reached over 10,000 community members through a multi-week awareness campaign
Corewell Health Wayne Safety Day (2026): Returned for a second year, engaging 200+ residents, distributing 100+ safety items, collecting 50+ Safe Streets pledges, and gathering 25+ survey responses.

Policy Impact & Recognition

Contributed to securing $908,626 in federal Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding to improve sidewalk infrastructure near Canton schools
Recognized by SEMCOG Executive Director Amy O’Leary and Canton Township Supervisor Anne Marie Graham-Hudak for leading a youth-driven traffic safety initiative

Transportation Planning Support

Supported Canton Township Transportation Safety Action Plan public engagement efforts
Gathered resident feedback on transportation safety concerns, multimodal improvements, and safety countermeasures
Helped engage residents in transportation safety planning through Farmers Market and Liberty Fest outreach events

Recognition & External Validation

This initiative has been recognized by local government leaders and regional organizations, including SEMCOG, for its impact on community safety and engagement.