SANDY SPRINGS, GA — In response to an alarming number of traffic crashes over the past five years, the Sandy Springs City Council has approved a new Safety Action Plan aimed at eliminating fatal and serious injury crashes by the year 2040.

The plan focuses on improving safety for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit riders, with proposed measures including additional sidewalks, mid-block crossings, and other infrastructure improvements. The initiative follows a study that revealed more than 27,000 crashes occurred in Sandy Springs between 2018 and 2023.

Originally, city staff had suggested setting the goal for 2050, but some council members pushed for a more urgent timeline. “2050 is just too long,” one member said during the vote. The council ultimately agreed to advance the deadline to 2040.

City officials say roughly one-third of fatal or serious injury crashes in Sandy Springs occurred along State Route 400, a key area of focus in the long term plan.

The 15 year effort aims to make Sandy Springs one of the safest cities in the region for all modes of transportation.