Easton, MD - The Town of Easton is proud to announce the launch of the Easton Interactive Traffic Dashboard (EITD), a new web-based interface that allows easy access to traffic data from local law enforcement agencies, including citations and crashes, from 2018 to the present. The Easton Interactive Traffic Dashboard is live now and is available to the public for use on the Easton Police Department website at https://eastonmd.gov/196/Police.
The EITD is a free, user-friendly interface that utilizes Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to give quick, sortable data on all types of traffic incidents from local law enforcement agencies. Information can easily be sourced by type (speeding, impaired, bicycle, etc.), location, date range, and even by agency (Easton Police Department, Talbot County Sheriff’s Office, Maryland State Police).
Once parameters are selected, the data is shown in very easy to read breakouts with accompanying charts and graphs for reference. From this data page, parameters can be further adjusted to narrow in results or to display a different data set.
The crash data for the EITD is sourced from the Maryland State Police Automated Crash Reporting System, which utilizes the Maryland Crash Data Tool for the years 2018-2023 and the Maryland Crash Data Dashboard for the years 2024-present.
The dashboard was created not only as a tool for residents and employees, but as a significant addition to the Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) currently being developed for the Town of Easton.
The SHSP follows the MDOT’s “Zero Deaths Maryland” initiative, aiming to put strategy in place to improve traffic safety with the ultimate goal of reaching zero traffic fatalities. Easton’s SHSP is being helmed by Ron Engle, whose experience spans eight years in Virginia law enforcement (including three years as a State Trooper), 32 years with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and eight years served as a Council Member for the Town of Easton.
Engle has been working closely with Mayor Megan Cook and Easton Chief of Police Alan Lowrey on the creation of the SHSP. Lowrey said, “From my experience in law enforcement and municipal government, I know that how the Town envisions people safely traveling in our town, should drive the Town’s decisions in many other areas. We need a strategic transportation plan to identify our goals and help us make consistent decisions for Easton.”
Lowrey continued, “Ron Engle and I have shared roots as law enforcement officers in Virginia and with his work at NHTSA, so I knew he would be a valuable asset to the police department and town for making this plan a reality. In Easton, as in other communities, vehicle crashes are one of the most likely ways community members may suffer serious injury. The aim of this plan is to take a comprehensive approach to mitigating that.”
Once finalized, the plan will go to the Easton Town Council for approval. If approved, it will result in the creation of a supporting resolution. This new resolution will be included in the finalized plan which will serve to provide important insight on how to create safer roadways for our Town. Additionally, once approved this plan will open up new avenues for state and federal grants to achieve those goals.
Engle has been impressed by the dashboard and sees it as a strong complement to the developing SHSP. Engle said, “The Dashboard is a spectacular new tool that provides instant information to officials who are trying to identify traffic crash patterns within their community and enables them to create strategies to eliminate them.”
The dashboard was created for the Town of Easton by the Washington College GIS Program in partnership with the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration’s Highway Safety Office.
A live demonstration of the dashboard can be seen at the Easton Town Council meeting taking place on Monday, July 15, at 5:30p.m. This event will be live-streamed and recorded for online viewing. It can be streamed on the Town of Easton’s website at https://eastonmd.gov/129/Agendas-Minutes.
