Boone County’s Local Road Safety Plan

Summary

The systemic approach is particularly apt for specific crash types that occur less regularly or in areas where crashes are more widespread, as opposed to clustered. The systemic approach uses site characteristics to evaluate risk despite limited crash numbers. This is especially applicable for Kentucky’s Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP) program due to the lack of sites with a history of severe crashes. As one example, Boone County’s LRSP sought to reduce deaths and serious injuries within the county by recognizing and prioritizing roadway safety improvements through the systemic approach.

Video-Based Network-Wide Speed and Speeding Analysis, Bellevue, Washington Case Study

Summary

Speeding, exceeding the posted speed limits, or traveling too fast for conditions was a contributing factor in almost 29 percent of all fatalities in 2021. Of the 42,939 fatalities that occurred on our Nation’s roadways that year, 12,330 were speeding-related—an increase of 7.9 percent from 2020 (Stewart 2023). Speed is fundamental in dictating injury risk for all road users in any crash, especially for vulnerable road users (VRUs) such as pedestrians and bicyclists (Corben 2020).

This is one of ten case studies accompanying the Safe System Approach for Speed Management Report. Read the full report here. 

Automated Speed Enforcement, Montgomery County, Maryland Case Study

Summary

Speeding, exceeding the posted speed limits, or traveling too fast for conditions was a contributing factor in almost 29 percent of all fatalities in 2021. Of the 42,939 fatalities that occurred on our Nation’s roadways that year, 12,330 were speeding-related—an increase of 7.9 percent from 2020 (Stewart 2023). Speed is fundamental in dictating injury risk for all road users in any crash, especially for vulnerable road users (VRUs) such as pedestrians and bicyclists (Corben 2020).

This is one of ten case studies accompanying the Safe System Approach for Speed Management Report. Read the full report here. 

Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Vision Zero Rapid Response Program

Summary

This document highlights Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) Rapid Response program (RR Program or RR team) and shows how the program takes a systemic approach to safety and aligns with the Safe System principles to achieve Vision Zero in Denver.

Texas Department of Transportation and Texas A&M Transportation Institute: TXDOT Safety Scoring Tool

South Carolina Department of Transportation – South Carolina’s SC 61 Rural Road Safety Project

This purpose of this case study is to present an example application of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Highway Safety Manual (HSM) to support a rural road corridor analysis. The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) Rural Road Safety Program (RRSP) focuses on improving, “safety on SC’s rural roadways through engineering solutions identified to reduce the frequency of fatal and serious injury crashes occurring on these roadways” (South Carolina Department of Transportation 2020). SCDOT used HSM spreadsheets to apply HSM predictive methods from chapter 10, Rural Two-Lane, Two-Way Roads (AASHTO, 2010), to assess alternative designs. The spreadsheets allowed SCDOT to apply an Empirical-Bayes (EB) analysis that compared the observed crash frequency with the expected crash frequency based on the corridor’s characteristics. Context and the preference of the public and local stakeholders were the governing challenges of this analysis. The historical context, Scenic Byway designation, and other natural barriers required SCDOT to consider numerous, slightly different alternatives. The goal, as well as the key challenge of the public engagement, was to present the HSM analysis as clearly and concisely as possible. The general public appreciated seeing the differences in crash prediction associated with changes to the cross-section relative to the “No-Build” option, and it demonstrated that SCDOT had taken the time to consider stakeholder input. This helped make the case that the surrounding landscape should be gently modified to improve safety.

Speed Management Action Plan Implementation – The Oregon Experience

Background

States across the Nation are experiencing increases in speeding-related fatalities. In 2014, Oregon reported 105 speeding-related fatalities, which accounted for nearly 30 percent of total traffic fatalities in the State. In an effort to take a broad look at their speeding-related policies, safety plans, and programs, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), with assistance from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), developed a Speed Management Action Plan (SMAP). The plan integrates opportunities for speed management statewide, suggests guidance for setting effective and appropriate speed limits, and promotes strategies and countermeasures to reduce speeding-related crashes.

Ohio Department of Transportation Data Governance Ohio’s People, Processes, and Technology

This case study documents the institutional advances of the Ohio Department of Transportation’s (ODOT’s) data governance program. In 2020, ODOT is in the final year of the agency’s Data Governance Plan established in 2017; ODOT’s latest Data Governance Strategic Roadmap plans activities through 2025. While this effort began as an undertaking by the Division of Planning, the agency has since established an independent Data Governance Office (DGO) that oversees ODOT’s Data Governance Committee and Data Governance Framework. The DGO is headed by the newly created Chief Data Officer (CDO) position, and the CDO is responsible for executing data governance policies, strategic planning, and institutional change management. ODOT uses Prosci’s Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement model for organizational change management related to data governance. ODOT has committed to demonstrating the effectiveness and benefits of data governance to the organization by calculating the return on investment that data governance provides to ODOT’s daily business practices. By incorporating people, processes, and technology into its approach, ODOT continues to successfully implement data governance as part of its overall institutional strategy.

Speed Management Action Plan Implementation – Partnerships Help North Carolina Manage Speed

Background

In 2015, North Carolina was among the States that reported the highest percentage of speeding related fatalities; 40 percent of traffic fatalities in North Carolina involved a speeding vehicle. To tackle this problem, North Carolina safety stakeholders partnered with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to develop a Speed Management Action Plan (SMAP) for Randolph County. The plan assessed speeding and speed management issues in the county, identified appropriate countermeasures and strategies, and outlined actions steps the State, county, and other partners could take to reduce speeding and prevent speeding-related crashes on Randolph County’s roadways.

New York Department of Transportation Data Integration in CLEAR New York State’s Safety Management Tool

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) has a broad-reaching goal to provide safe and efficient roadways throughout the State. This case study presents NYSDOT’s significant advancement in safety data integration and analysis. NYSDOT is developing a State-specific safety management system known as the Crash Location and Engineering Analysis Repository (CLEAR). Funded through State Planning and Research funds, CLEAR will replace three existing legacy systems, meet all safety performance legislation and federal standards for reporting, and support the six-step roadway safety management process outlined in the Highway Safety Manual. A geographic information systems-enabled crash geocoding engine will automate several steps in the geolocation process, as well as support accurate and timely delivery of crash data between the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and NYSDOT. CLEAR will enhance safety analysis workflows, reinforce existing safety analysis standards, and increase user access to advanced analytical tools.