Highway Safety Improvement Program–Project Eligibility

The Focus is Results

Federal Highway Administration
Office of Safety
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
www.safety.fhwa.dot.gov

FHWA-SA-15-011

June 2015

The Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) is a core Federal-aid program with the purpose of achieving a significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads. Under the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21^st Century Act (MAP-21), approximately seven percent of total Federal-aid highway funding is provided for HSIP, amounting to $2.2 billion each year. HSIP funds can be used on any public road or pathway, including those owned by local governments and Tribes. The objective is to target resources where they will be most effective–with a focus on performance.

Eligibility Criteria

The HSIP includes the Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP), Railway-Highway Crossing Program, and the resulting program of highway safety improvement projects. Successful implementation of these principles will contribute to a reduction in fatalities and serious injuries consistent with the purpose of the HSIP and the new performance-based program requirements.

Successful implementation of these principles will contribute to a reduction in fatalities and serious injuries consistent with the purpose of the HSIP and the new performance-based program requirements.

Highway safety improvement projects can be either infrastructure or noninfrastructure projects. Noninfrastructure projects include any project that does not result in construction (e.g., road safety audits, enforcement, data improvements). All highway safety improvement projects must meet the HSIP eligibility criteria described in the MAP-21 HSIP Interim Eligibility Guidance. Additional resources describing noninfrastructure project requirements is available here.

To ensure limited HSIP funds are used effectively and efficiently, following is some additional information on the criteria for selecting an eligible HSIP project, strategy, or activity:

Addresses a priority in the State's SHSP. The State SHSP includes strategies and action steps not projects. If a State wants to fund a roundabout, for instance, there should be a corresponding priority in the SHSP for traffic-calming measures or intersection improvements.
Is identified through a data-driven process. Data driven simply means that the project was selected based on crash experience, crash rate, or other data-supported means using either a hot spot analysis or through the risk-based system approach. It is only through a comprehensive program that involves both of these approaches that States will achieve their highway safety goals.
Targets an identified safety problem. The project or program must help solve the safety problem identified through the data-driven process.
Contributes to a reduction in fatalities and serious injuries. There is considerable research that identifies effective countermeasures to reduce fatalities and serious injuries. These research-based, effective countermeasures should guide the selection of HSIP projects and programs.

A Broader Safety Vision

The HSIP legislation under 23 U.S.C. 148 provides a list of example highway safety improvement projects that may be eligible for HSIP funding. However, specific eligibility requirements may differ by State, so it is a good idea to check with the State DOT. In general, if a project meets the eligibility criteria outlined above, then it would be eligible for HSIP funds as long as it also meets general Federal-aid requirements.

The key to funding any highway safety improvement project is identifying individual projects through a data-driven process consistent with the State's SHSP and the true spirit of the HSIP.

Checklist

Use this checklist when considering HSIP project selection.

Is the strategy, activity, or project consistent with the priorities in the SHSP?
Does the project address a serious crash risk (e.g., hot spot, systemic risk factor, road segment, crash type, etc.) identified through a data-driven process?
Is the project likely to contribute to a significant reduction in fatalities and serious injuries?
Have you consulted with the State DOT or FHWA Division Office, as appropriate?

Answering "Yes" to each of these questions is critical to ensuring the best use of HSIP funds consistent with the intent of the law.