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Safety Programs

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FDOT Local Technical Assistance Program

2021 Road Safety Award

Local transportation agencies are vital in the effort to improve roadway safety in Florida, because they design, operate, and maintain their own roadways and assist the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) toward achieving our collective target of zero serious injuries and fatalities. FDOT uses its Florida Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) to improve the skills and increase the knowledge of local and transportation workforces on roadway safety via training and technical assistance.

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Whitefish Bay, WI Community-Wide Safety Improvements

2021 Road Safety Award

The Village of Whitefish Bay is an active community near Milwaukee, WI with a population of approximately 14,000. Since 2010, the Village had been experiencing a trend of increasing crashes, including numerous right-angle collisions, run-off-the-road incidents, and many crashes involving non-motorists. In 2015, a woman was killed when a vehicle was rear-ended and pushed into a crosswalk.

Prior to the fatal crash, the Village had been evaluating safety improvement strategies. In 2015, many were set into motion. First, the Village implemented low-cost treatments to make an immediate impact on safety and change the driving culture to be more aware of the presence of—and need to yield to—pedestrians and bicyclists. Improvements included installing dynamic speed feedback signs, supplementing "yield here to pedestrian" signs with $250 fine plaques, and placing the "yield here" signs in advance of crosswalks.

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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.

Local Road Safety Plans

Problem

While local agencies support safety initiatives, they have limited experience and few resources for conducting system-wide, data-driven crash analysis.

Noteworthy Solution

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) pioneered new methodologies to supplement their traditional hot-spot/high-crash location analysis based on crash frequency using a systemic analysis based on crash potential. These methodologies were first described in MnDOT's 2008 Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP). North Dakota DOT (NDDOT) adapted the Minnesota process to fit North Dakota's needs and developed a Local Road Safety Program (2013-2015). The system-wide crash analysis processes can be applied to other local agencies if their crash analysis experience and resources are limited.

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.

Local Agency Safety Program

Problem

Local agencies often do not have the resources/expertise to conduct in-depth crash analyses and/or identify traffic safety solutions.

Noteworthy Solution

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District 7 (Tampa Bay region) has developed the Local Agency Safety Program to assist local agencies without the resources to identify, develop, and implement safety improvements on local roadways as part of their Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) process.

The Local Agency Safety Program includes:

  • A yearly traffic safety summit
  • Access to Safety Ambassadors
  • A Local Agency Traffic Safety Academy (LATSA)
  • Project delivery assistance

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.

Local Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Advisory Committee

Problem

Despite a notable percentage of fatalities occurring on local roads, there is low county, city, and local agency participation in the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP).

Noteworthy Solution

In 2014, California formed a local HSIP Advisory Committee to increase local agency participation in California's HSIP and to support the state€™s goal to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries on California public roads. The Advisory Committee provides California's local HSIP and other safety programs with safety guidance on California's local roadways. Committee members include the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) - Division of Local Assistance, U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Local Technical Assistance Program, and local agencies throughout California.

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.

Strategic Highway Safety Plan Involvement

Problem

Local agencies implement few Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP)-funded safety projects because project funding applications are seen as too complex and difficult.

Noteworthy Solution

To increase local participation in the HSIP process, the Minnesota and North Dakota DOTs developed Local Road Safety Plans (LRSPs) for each of the state counties (Refer to Case Study 10 for detailed information). To expedite project development, they provided local agencies with the HSIP project forms and required data for projects identified in the two state safety plans (approximately 14,000 specific actions at individual locations in Minnesota [Leuer, 2016, pers. comm.] and 3,000 actions in North Dakota [Kuntz, 2016, pers. comm.]).

The purpose of the Manual is, "to provide documentation and guidance to NHDOT staff and other safety stakeholders involved with implementing the HSIP in New Hampshire." The Manual was developed by an HSIP Committee directed by NHDOT staff and includes representatives from NHDOT, U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), local state agencies, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and regional development commissions.

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.

HSIP Application Guidance Document

Problem

The Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funding application process is a barrier for local agency staff due to the information required, a lack of prior experience with the process, limited resources, and competition for limited funds.

Noteworthy Solution

A funding process that considers the constrained resources of local public agencies and simplifies the funding applications is critical to enabling local agencies access to HSIP funds. One solution is to provide guidance to local agencies to help them successfully complete the application. The New Hampshire Department of Transportation€™s (NHDOT) HSIP Manual and Guidance (2013) document is a good example of this approach.

The purpose of the Manual is, €œto provide documentation and guidance to NHDOT staff and other safety stakeholders involved with implementing the HSIP in New Hampshire.€ The Manual was developed by an HSIP Committee directed by NHDOT staff and includes representatives from NHDOT, U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), local state agencies, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and regional development commissions.

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.

Crash Mapping Analysis Tool

Problem

A lack of accessible/user-friendly data prevents local agencies from participating in statewide safety planning efforts.

Noteworthy Solution

Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) developed the Minnesota Crash Mapping Analysis Tool (MnCMAT) to increase the accessibility and user-friendly features of its crash data. MnDOT's Division of State Aid for Local Transportation partnered with the Minnesota Local Road Research Board and the Minnesota County Engineers Association to develop the analysis tool. MnCMAT is a web-based application that provides 10 years of crash data for public roads in Minnesota. Individual crashes are spatially located along public roadways and up to 67 pieces of information are provided for each crash.

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.

Strategic Highway Safety Plan Involvement

Problem

A local agency has not participated in statewide safety planning efforts. The agency would like to participate but is unsure how to begin.

Noteworthy Solution

A state DOT's collaboration with local agencies who have successfully implemented safety measures is critical to planning efforts. Frequently, local agencies are not sufficiently engaged during project identification and development to effectively implement the recommended measures. This case study shows how North Dakota DOT (NDDOT) and New Jersey DOT (NJDOT) are addressing this issue by including commitments in their Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP).

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.