ORLANDO, Fla. – As roadway deaths continue at alarming rates in the United States, designing safer, more resilient transportation systems is critical. DRMP Planning Group Leader Alia Awwad, PE, will join national experts at the 2025 Joint Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) International and Florida Puerto Rico District Annual Meeting and Exhibition to explore the intersection of safety/Vision Zero strategies and infrastructure resiliency.
Vision Zero is a global movement aimed at eliminating all traffic-related deaths and serious injuries.
Awwad, who recently joined DRMP, will present during the conference, themed “Innovative Pathways to Safer Transportation,” on Aug. 13 at the Hyatt Regency Orlando.
“I'm excited to debut my presentation at DRMP, focusing on safety, a subject I’m passionate about,” Awwad said.
Her work within DRMP’s Project Development and Environmental Services (PDES) group centers on integrating safety into transportation planning and design from the outset to ensure safer multimodal systems.
“Addressing traffic fatalities requires a holistic, collaborative approach that integrates safety with resilient design,” she said.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 39,345 people died on U.S. roads in 2024. With increasing federal funding through programs such as Safe Streets for All (SS4A), agencies are prioritizing safety improvements alongside efforts to build infrastructure that withstands climate impacts, including sea-level rise and rising temperatures.
“Safety and resiliency must be addressed together,” Awwad said. “This means designing for all road users, understanding human behavior, and applying best practices across planning, design, and implementation.”
Awwad previously presented on Vision Zero at last year’s ITE conference and was invited back to discuss the important link between safety and resilience.
“I look forward to connecting with fellow transportation professionals, both familiar faces and new connections, dedicated to safer transportation,” she said. “I believe that getting together to affirm that we are all working toward the same cause is essential. Through our industry, we have the power and responsibility to learn, plan, design, and implement safer transportation systems.”
About DRMP
DRMP is a multi-discipline firm serving clients in the public, private and industrial sectors in the development of infrastructure and has been in business since 1977. DRMP currently employs 700 professionals in 23 office locations spread strategically across our service area. Today, DRMP is ranked among Engineering News-Record’s “Top 500 Design Firms” in the United States. For more information, please visit www.drmp.com.
