Rhode Island

Description

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) implemented a unique process for accelerating the completion of priority signing and striping projects. This process focuses on identifying safety improvements for which in-house staff can execute the project design and was implemented based on the premise that safety improvements made more quickly will begin to reduce fatality and serious injury risks sooner. More complex projects require state procurement procedures, advertising for and hiring a design consultant, and contracting construction, and can take a year or more to complete. By contrast, improvements such as signing and striping projects can be fast-tracked to provide a swifter alternative to addressing safety issues in high-crash areas.

Beginning in 2010, RIDOT developed the Strategically Targeted Affordable Roadway Solutions (RI*STARS) program focused on delivering low-cost and high-benefit safety and mobility improvements. As part of the program, RIDOT developed and implemented a pilot project for accelerating short-term signing and striping improvements. The pilot project was so successful that RIDOT expanded it to include the delivery of quick short-term safety improvements that are part of the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP).

RIDOT now uses this improved procedure to fast-track many signing and striping HSIP projects, particularly those submitted by local jurisdictions. The fast-track approach begins following the identification of safety needs through the HSIP planning process and the completion of a road safety audit (RSA). Those improvements that align with the Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) Emphasis Areas and have a benefit-cost ratio greater than one are deemed eligible for funding. The next step is to prioritize eligible project proposals based on their benefit-cost ratio, alignment with SHSP priorities, project cost range, improvement types, engineering review, and available HSIP funding. After reviewing and ranking all projects in the state, HSIP staff review and advance projects to the design stage, depending on available funding.

Projects are divided into two categories before being advanced. Short-term signing and striping projects can be advanced quickly through the RIDOT In-House Design process. Longer-term improvements are typically advanced through the HSIP Final Design process. Identifying these short-term improvements through the in-house design category enables RIDOT engineers to fast-track projects with high benefit-cost ratios and avoid a more prolonged design process.

Projects assigned to the In-House Design category are sent in the form of a work order to an in-house RIDOT engineer team. RIDOT engineers and interns perform about 30% of the design work. The other 70% is sent to on-call consultants, who have a standing task-performance agreement with RIDOT, so no new procurement process is necessary. After the signage and striping design is complete, it is sent to in-house maintenance staff or on-call striping contractors who complete the improvements accordingly.

Instead of years, the entire process for In-House Design of signing and striping projects typically takes one to two months. Municipalities and other stakeholders have seen this as a positive change, and appreciate seeing their roadway safety concerns quickly addressed. As a result, these stakeholders are more likely to stay involved in these projects, both financially and collaboratively. In addition, the relationships between many municipalities and RIDOT has improved to the point where municipalities are more engaged in reporting safety concerns and more confident that a safety-improvement response will be forthcoming.

Key Accomplishments

• Through the RI*STARS program, the State implemented a process to accelerate the completion of HSIP signing and striping projects by using RIDOT's own staff.
• In-house or on-call consultants complete signing and striping design in as little as a month.
• RIDOT maintenance staff or on-call striping contractors complete the installation.

Results

RIDOT has been able to significantly accelerate the design and construction of HSIP signing and striping projects with high benefit-cost ratios. The use of in-house staff and on-call consultants for the design of these projects has shortened delivery time to one to two months. As a result, RIDOT is able to serve its municipalities and other safety stakeholders much faster and keep them involved in, and more than satisfied with, the safety improvement dialogue and process. Most importantly, it provides the public with potential life-saving safety improvements on the roads sooner.

Contacts

Sean Raymond, P.E.
HSIP Program Manager
Rhode Island Department of Transportation
Two Capitol Hill
Providence, RI, 02903
Phone: 401-222-2694 ext. 4204
Fax: 401-222-3006

Robert Rocchio, P.E.
Managing Engineer
Traffic Management
Rhode Island Department of Transportation
Two Capitol Hill
Providence, RI 02903
Phone: 401-222-2694 ext. 4206
Fax: 401-222-3006