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The Kansas Department of Transportation’s (KDOT) Vulnerable Road User Safety Assessment (VRUSA) Tool has been named one of 12 national finalists in the 2025 America’s Transportation Awards (ATA), competing for the People’s Choice Award and the Grand Prize.
The People’s Choice Award is decided by public vote, and KDOT is encouraging Kansans and road safety supporters to vote daily at americastransportationawards.org through 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 17. The Grand Prize is selected by a panel of transportation experts. Winners in each category receive a $10,000 award to donate to a charity or transportation-related scholarship of their choice.
The VRUSA Tool is a big step for road safety, using data to find dangerous areas for pedestrians, cyclists, and people with disabilities. Communities can use it to improve sidewalks, crossings, and bike lanes, making travel safer for everyone.
Since it started, VRUSA has guided over $40 million in safety projects and targets a serious problem—between 2014 and 2021, more than 1,000 pedestrians and cyclists were killed or seriously injured.
The ATA program is run by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), a nonprofit group representing state transportation departments nationwide.
