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FHWA Highway Safety Programs

Chapter 6: Training and Technical Assistance

Local roadway safety practices vary widely from one State to another.  Many local agencies are not familiar with procedures that have become standard for addressing common roadway safety issues and have received only minimal exposure to new concepts in roadway safety.  Even States with successful programs require comprehensive training programs to help local practitioners develop safety solutions that move beyond basic improvements.

State DOTs have developed training and technical assistance programs to teach local practitioners and stakeholders about effective techniques for data analysis, project identification, and low-cost safety improvements.   All of the scan States offer training courses through the State Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP), Local-aid division, or affiliated university programs.  The courses address best safety practices and provide the latest guidance to local agencies.  States also provide varying levels of technical assistance to aid local safety practitioners with analyses and countermeasure development.  This chapter describes some safety training and technical assistance programs offered by scan State DOTs to local agencies.

Training

There are many local agencies within each State and many more miles of local roadways than State roadways in most States.  DOTs rely on local agencies to address safety issues on non-State owned roadways.  However, the average local agency engineer or planner performs multiple professional duties and may not focus significant time and attention to roadway safety.  As a result, States often provide training and technical assistance to help local agencies assess critical safety issues and to develop effective projects to reduce crash incidence and severity on local roads.

Local Technical Assistance Programs


All scan States use LTAPs to provide training and outreach to local agencies.
 

Local Technical Assistance Programs were recognized as major hubs for outreach and training in all scan States.  LTAPs are typically housed within State universities or a State DOT office and offer training and assistance programs to local agencies in the entire State.  LTAP training courses are often available at little or no cost to participants.  NJLTAP training includes courses on new guidelines, RSAs, and the use of data analysis software. The Georgia LTAP center is housed within the GDOT and offers many training programs including Road Safety 101, Road Safety Audit, Intersection Safety, Pedestrian Safety (through FHWA Resource Center) and Work Zone Safety.

The training opportunities offered by LTAPs are instrumental in providing the types of educational resources to local practitioners that they would otherwise be unlikely to receive.   LTAPs teach local practitioners to follow State-supported procedures, use data to support decisions, and follow proven techniques to address local roadway safety issues.

Road Safety Audits/Assessments (RSAs)

Local agencies need to identify safety issues and respective countermeasures to improve local road safety.   RSAs are a highly useful tool for assessing roadway safety issues and developing potential hotspot and systemic countermeasures. Several scan States conduct RSAs on State and local roadways, dedicate resources to maintain RSA programs, and offer training on the RSA process. 


New Jersey's advanced RSA program is compiling a network of transportation professionals to serve as peers in RSAs and provide free expert support.
 

The Illinois and New Jersey Departments of Transportation make extensive and flexible use of RSAs, coordinating with local agencies to identify safety issues and address them through effective countermeasures suggested during the RSA process.  RSA programs are established and systematic safety reviews are done on local roadways often as part of the process to identify safety projects.  In Minnesota, the counties work with individual municipalities to conduct reviews of hotspot locations or corridors.  The Illinois LTAP has also created an RSA package, which includes a van, computer and materials for use when conducting an RSA. The RSA package is loaned to local agencies to support RSAs.

RSAs are an opportunity to combine multiple safety disciplines in a common purpose and ensure diverse perspectives are applied to local roadway safety.  MPOs in New Jersey are actively involved in leading or participating in RSAs, which facilitates expanded involvement of participants with diverse local planning experience.  

Law Enforcement

Law enforcement agencies are viewed by the public as highly credible in matters of roadway safety.  Law enforcement agencies can be a particularly strong partner for local transportation agencies when mutual understanding of both agencies' priorities and limitations is achieved. However, law enforcement officers may be unfamiliar with the best practices and most effective approaches to address infrastructure safety issues on local roadways. 

IDOT has found that a key factor in successful HSIP and HRRRP projects is the engagement of law enforcement with State and local transportation engineers to identify safety issues and countermeasures. It is recommended that all RSA teams in Illinois include a law enforcement member.  IDOT and the Illinois State Police now coordinate to provide RSA training for law enforcement officers.  This training ensures that officers are exposed to RSA principles before participation on the RSA team.  Law enforcement officers in Champaign-Urbana also requested and received training in the FHWA's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).   The MUTCD training improved the officers' ability to communicate with local and State engineers about roadway designs and improvements.

The sense of shared responsibility for local roadway safety has helped to facilitate a strong partnership between IDOT and law enforcement.  This initiative has resulted in greater appreciation by IDOT of enforcement capabilities and has developed more effective and targeted strategies to address local roadway safety issues in Illinois. 

Local Public Officials

Local agency officials have many competing demands for their limited resources.  Providing them with road safety resources and training provides tools necessary to make roads safer for their citizens.

Michigan's LTAP offers a safety training program for local public officials to address misconceptions about safety programs and improve cooperation.  The program features two separate courses: Common Sense Solutions for Intersections (a one day course) and What Elected Officials Need to Know about Traffic Safety (a 3.5 hour course).  The program has resulted in increased support for transportation safety projects from elected officials.

Training Prerequisite


Alabama DOT requires all county engineers to participate in safety-related training to be eligible for HRRRP funding.
 

Transportation safety is an evolving field.  To ensure competence throughout the State, ALDOT requires all county engineers to participate in data analysis and low cost safety improvement training in order to be eligible for HRRRP funds.  This requirement teaches the county engineers about approaches to identifying sites with safety issues, low-cost safety countermeasures to address them, and the eligibility and benefits associated with HRRRP projects.

Technical Assistance


Michigan's Local Safety Initiative provides traffic engineering services, enhancements to the RoadSoft safety module and training in safety analysis techniques. 
 

The Michigan Department of Transportation's Local Safety Initiative (LSI) supports local road authorities to reduce the number of fatal crashes and serious injuries on local roadways. Approximately 60 percent of the fatal crashes in Michigan occur on locally-owned roadways.  The LSI addresses safety on the locally-owned roadway system by providing traffic engineering expertise and services directly from MDOT to local agencies.  Typically, LSI staff will analyze crash data, identify candidate locations for study, and assist local practitioners in reviewing and evaluating safety improvements, consistent with the SHSP, on individual corridors.  Local agencies are also trained on basic safety analysis procedures and provide recommendations for enhancements to the RoadSoft safety module. The LSI program also provides local agencies with a resource packet and support in using the RoadSoft safety module in their data analysis software. 

In addition to the initial contact, the LSI establishes a "lifeline" for local agencies through their relationship with the DOT.  Communication and collaboration is fostered for future safety projects.  MDOT endeavors to be responsive and accessible to the agencies, while avoiding an overbearing "big brother" approach.  MDOT has explicitly strived to implement an outreach program that fosters partnerships.

Annual Safety Summit


All scan States engage local agencies during annual meetings.
 

Conferences and summits provide a forum for safety practitioners throughout the State to share knowledge and experience with peers and potential partners.  Collaboration and information sharing is a critical component to advance local roadway safety initiatives across the State. 

All scan States hold a transportation conference or summit at least once a year.  In addition, several States have a transportation safety-specific conference. These gatherings often include classes, forums, and open discussion about funding, low-cost treatments, crash statistics, and other relevant topics.  Participants use the summits as networking opportunities to build partnerships and encourage collaboration.  Most importantly, the annual safety summits are a forum to share information with local practitioners and recognize important achievements in local transportation safety.   

Participation


Michigan provides scholarships for one person from each local agency with a location included in the 5% High Crash Report to attend their Annual Safety Summit. 
 

These broad-based safety meetings are generally conducted annually as a forum for local agencies to meet with State DOT representatives.  The State DOTs use this annual opportunity to answer questions about the application process, respond to technical inquiries, and discuss effective countermeasures.  Annual safety meetings may be co-sponsored by other State agencies, such as planning offices or other safety offices.  The summits typically include a broad spectrum of transportation safety organizations, such as the American Automobile Association (AAA) and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).  Given the unique opportunities afforded by a large gathering of safety practitioners at all levels of the industry, MDOT encourages county and city officials to attend by offering scholarships.  The scholarships cover the full cost of registration, lodging, meals and mileage for one person from each local agency with a location on the HSIP 5 Percent High Crash Report.

Recognition


The New Jersey DOT presents annual awards related to each of the four "E's" (engineering, education, enforcement, and emergency services) and for individual safety champions. 
 

NJDOT uses their transportation safety conference as an opportunity to formally recognize agencies and organizations that have shown safety initiative or achieved crash abatement on local roadways.  Each discipline of the transportation safety realm (engineering, enforcement, emergency response and education) are recognized for their accomplishments.  Awards may also be given to safety champions.  Local media are sometimes invited to attend and press releases are used to inform news outlets about the awards.  This allows local agencies to receive public recognition for successful programs, and gives the State the opportunity to promote community awareness of transportation safety.

Summary

Training programs and technical assistance are critical to developing competent local road safety practitioners and maintaining sustainable safety programs in local agencies.  State DOTs along with State LTAPs have created mechanisms for training local road personnel and providing technical assistance programs.

  • RSAs are a major component of several scan States' safety programs. RSAs provide a tool to identify locations with safety issues and countermeasures, but it also promotes safety awareness through the multi-disciplinary teams.
  • New Jersey has a well developed RSA program that includes RSA Peer-to-Peer assistance.
  • IDOT conducts RSA training for law enforcement personnel.
  • To improve competence at the local level, ALDOT requires local engineers to take training courses in data analysis and low cost safety improvements in order to receive Federal funding. 
  • The LTAPs are the primary source for statewide roadway safety training. LTAPs train local practitioners in State-supported procedures, the use of data to support safety decisions, and to identify proven techniques to address local roadway safety issues. 
  • MDOT has developed courses through the LTAPs for elected officials.
  • Several scan States hold annual safety summits where practitioners and stakeholders from Federal, State, and local levels to share their knowledge of effective safety programs and strategies. 

The training and assistance programs discussed in this section provide States with potential avenues to improve transportation safety proficiency at the local level.  Local practitioners are more likely to develop projects that reduce crashes and minimize injuries with appropriate training and technical assistance.