Problem

Many agencies do not participate in the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) process because they have not previously (or regularly) prepared the complex environmental documentation required for federally funded projects.

Noteworthy Solution

Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) streamlined the environmental documentation process for low-cost safety countermeasures designed for minimal environmental impacts, including:

• Enhanced pavement markings
• Upgraded traffic signs
• Street lighting
• Edge and centerline rumble strips

These countermeasures do not require reconstruction and are typically confined to the existing roadway. If outside the road edge, they do not require grading. Even though the list of project types is short, it represents the majority of projects proposed by local agencies for implementation through the state's HSIP.

This practice is from the FHWA publication "Noteworthy Practices Manual - For Local Agencies Implementing Federal-Aid Highway Safety Improvement Program Projects." Download a PDF of the entire manual or view the HTML version.