Why This Work Matters in Livingston County

Traffic crashes have real and lasting impacts on Livingston County residents, families, and communities. Each year, serious injuries and fatal crashes occur on county and local roads—often along routes people rely on every day to get to work, school, healthcare, and essential services.

In a largely rural county like Livingston, crashes can be especially severe due to higher travel speeds, longer emergency response times, and limited roadway lighting in some areas. While these challenges are significant, many serious crashes are preventable.

By identifying where crashes are happening, understanding contributing factors, and focusing on the locations with the greatest risk, Livingston County and its municipalities can take practical, data-informed steps to improve safety.

This effort supports the development of a Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP) for Livingston County as part of the federal Safe Streets for All (SS4A) program. The LRSP provides a clear, strategic approach to identifying high-risk roadway segments and intersections and recommending improvements that can reduce injuries and save lives over time.

Understanding Livingston County’s Roadway Context

Livingston County’s transportation network includes a mix of rural highways, small village centers, and locally maintained town roads. Roadways are owned and maintained by New York State, the County, and local municipalities, each with different roles and responsibilities.

Many roads in Livingston County are two-lane, higher-speed facilities that connect communities across longer distances. Village areas—such as Geneseo, Avon, and Mount Morris—introduce more complex traffic patterns, including pedestrians, cyclists, and on-street parking.

Safety considerations in Livingston County must account for:

• Higher speeds and the risk of run-off-the-road and head-on crashes
• Rural intersections with limited traffic control or visibility
• Agricultural activity and seasonal equipment on roadways
• Pedestrians and cyclists in areas with limited or no sidewalks
• Weather-related conditions, including snow, ice, and reduced visibility

These factors highlight the importance of developing solutions that are tailored to Livingston County’s rural character, travel patterns, and available resources—while improving safety for all users of the transportation system.

Livingston County Project Steering Committee

The Steering Committee is a group of interdisciplinary stakeholders assembled to guide the development of each county’s Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP). Members represent key sectors such as public health, law enforcement, public works, planning, education, community organizations, and local elected officials.

The committee helps shape the project’s safety vision, goals, and priorities, provides local insight throughout the planning process, and ensures that public input is meaningfully incorporated. Steering Committee members also serve as champions for their communities, supporting outreach efforts and building momentum for implementation of the LRSP.

The members of the Livingston County Project Steering Committee include:

Livingston County Planning  Department, Christie Mahany
Livingston County Highway Department,  Jason Wolfanger
Livingston County Sheriff's Office, Ryan Swanson
Livingston County Traffic Safety Board members, Tanner Harvey, Laurie Cosimano, David Marks and Pattie Johnston
Village of Geneseo Mayor's Office, Keith Walters
NYSDOT, Jody Binnix
SUNY Geneseo Parking and Transportation Department, Elizabeth Adams
SUNY Geneseo, Residence Life, Meg Reitz
Cornell Cooperative Extension, Barbara Sturm      

GTC Western Subregion

The Livingston County Local Road Safety Plan is part of the four-county western subregion contract that includes Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties.  GTC has contracted with TYLin and Highland Planning for planning, engineering and data collection/analysis services. The team is led by Evert Garcia and Christine Bianchi and Mary Debree. 

Return to GTC SS4A Western Subregion Local Road Safety Plan Page

Return to GTC Community Engagement Hub