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U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation
FHWA Highway Safety Programs

Executive Summary

The Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) is a core Federal-aid program with the purpose to achieve a significant reduction in fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads. Under the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, Congress authorized approximately $2.4 billion per year for States to achieve this goal through the implementation of highway safety improvement projects, which is nearly double the amount that was authorized under the previous legislative act. The States not only met this challenge, but far exceeded it obligating nearly $3 billion for over 3,200 highway safety improvement projects in 2014.

These highway safety improvement projects come in all shapes and sizes. Some HSIP projects are much bigger in scope than others, while other projects include countermeasure installations across multiple sites. The 2014 HSIP National Summary Report provides an aggregate summary of the type and cost of projects across all States. Highlights of the States' 2014 HSIP implementation efforts are provided below.

  • A majority (roughly two-thirds) of HSIP projects cost less than $500,000 each, with one-third of all projects costing less than $100,000.
  • About 25% of HSIP projects would be considered high cost, coming in at over $1 million each. These projects often include widening shoulders, installing rumble strips, adding auxiliary lanes, improving intersection geometry or modifying traffic signals.
  • Projects associated with a functional class were most often categorized as rural major collector or other urban principal arterial.
  • Projects on urban principal arterial interstates had the highest average total cost per project of $2.73 million; whereas projects on rural local roads or streets had the lowest average total cost per project of $220,000.
  • There are fewer urban projects than rural projects but the average total cost per project of the urban projects is greater than the average total cost per project of the rural projects.
  • Sixty percent (60%) of highway safety improvement projects occur on roads owned by the State Highway Agency.
  • Projects on roads owned by the State Highway Agency had the highest average total cost per project of just over $1.0 million, while projects on roads owned by county highway agencies cost just under $500,000 on average.
  • A majority (70%) of highway safety improvement projects falls into the following categories: roadway, intersection traffic control, intersection geometry, roadside and shoulder treatments.
  • Interchange design, advanced technology and ITS and shoulder treatment projects have the highest average cost per project; whereas roadway signs and traffic control, work zone and speed management projects have the lowest average cost per project.
  • States use HSIP funds to address the predominant infrastructure-related crash types – roadway departure, intersection and pedestrian crashes.

While the number and cost of HSIP projects slightly decreased in 2014 from 2013, the number of HSIP projects under MAP-21 (2013-2014) has increased substantially as compared to 2010-2012. Over the past six years, States obligated $12.6 billion for more than 15,000 highway safety improvement projects.