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                        Addressing Safety on Locally-Owned and Maintained Roads - A Domestic Scan


            
            In This Section
        Local and Rural Road Safety Program
                Training, Tools, Guidance and Countermeasures for Locals Practitioners
                Crash Facts
                
                Executive Summary
Locally-owned roadways in the United States are operated by more than 30,000 local jurisdictions covering approximately three million miles of roadway. The Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) indicates that approximately 40 percent of all fatal crashes on the nation's highways occur on local roads. The amount of local roadway mileage and diversity of authority over local roadways create challenges for Federal, State, and local safety stakeholders to effectively direct funding and resources to mitigate safety issues on these roadways. Safety improvements at the local road level must be addressed methodically along with those efforts at the State level in order to significantly reduce the number of roadway related crashes on the nation's network.  However, in many States local road safety still remains an afterthought due to lack of communication and/or resources.

The Federal Highway Administration conducted a Local Road Safety Domestic Scan of seven States to identify and highlight some of the most noteworthy programs, practices and procedures used by State and local agencies to address local roadway safety.  The Local Road Safety Domestic Scan identified practices in funding, coordination, and technical assistance between State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and local agencies with other States.  States can use this information to launch a local road safety program; or identify practices that will improve an established program.

Six common themes emerged from the Local Road Safety Domestic Scan: data collection and analysis, local project identification, local project administration, funding, training and technical assistance, and outreach and partnerships.

Crash data remains the foundation of roadway safety management programs. Local road agencies need access to a comprehensive crash database to identify locations with safety issues to inform countermeasure selection. In an effort to build a comprehensive crash database that includes local road data, the Illinois DOT allocated Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funds to county governments to collect and geo-code their roadway crash data.  The development of data analysis software with tools providing local agency access and training have proven effective in encouraging local road practitioners to take an active role in identifying safety issues and seeking resources to address them.

The scan States allocated all of their High Risk Rural Road Program (HRRRP) funds to the local road network; however, they all varied in how other Federal and State safety funds were used for local road projects. Washington State DOT dedicated all their HSIP funds to the local road network in the State. Minnesota DOT distributes their HSIP funds based on the distribution of fatal and serious injury crashes regardless of road ownership. Scan States also provided some extra financial incentives to local agencies to solicit their participation in the safety programs.

Several of the scan States have streamlined the process by which local agencies obtain safety funds. For example, Minnesota DOT requires only one application for all sources of safety funds. Additionally, Minnesota DOT uses visual reference tools to assist applicants in the selection of eligible projects for funding. Illinois DOT developed an online HSIP application tool to reduce preparation time and provide quick feedback to applicants regarding application status. Additionally, Illinois DOT provides workshops during their application process to train local agency personnel on safety priorities and techniques as well the application process. Many of the scan States have instituted other time-saving procedures including the use of force account, categorical exclusions and lump sum programming.

The main driving force behind methodologies used in the scan States to target local road projects was to identify projects that will most effectively address the State's safety goals. Often States require local road safety projects to address key area strategies or actions in the State DOTs Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) or County Road Plans. Washington DOT uses a corridor approach, where corridors are identified through their data-driven Corridor Safety Program. Both systemic and hot spot projects were encouraged by scan States.

Training, as well as partnership and outreach efforts targeted for the local practitioner are an integral part of the scan States' safety programs. The Local Technical Assistance Programs in all the scan States played a major role in offering safety training to local practitioners. Alabama DOT requires all county engineers to participate in data analysis and low cost safety improvement training to be eligible for HRRRP funds. In addition, the Illinois DOT provides road safety audit training for law enforcement officers.

Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) are intimately involved in the transportation safety programs in New Jersey, Michigan and Illinois. The MPOs foster partnerships and outreach with local agencies. This is accomplished by providing training and technical assistance programs to afford local agencies the knowledge and technical ability to develop successful local roadway safety programs.

Many State DOTs have dedicated personnel that provide oversight and assistance to local agencies, particularly with administration of Federal-aid projects. Visible local-aid divisions within the State DOT ensure relatively consistent coordination and collaboration between DOT personnel and local practitioners. Washington State DOT, Minnesota DOT and Alabama DOT each have a safety engineer dedicated to local agency technical assistance. In the other scan States, the safety office works closely with the local-aid division to promote and encourage local agency safety activity.

A local safety program can be used to advance State and regional priorities. A safety program that actively integrates local road safety improvement through funding of local safety projects, training for local practitioners, and outreach and coordination can assist States in achieving their safety goals.
      
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      ‹ Addressing Safety on Locally-Owned and Maintained Roads - A Domestic Scan
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                    Chapter 1: Introduction ›
                
                Book:Addressing Safety on Locally-Owned and Maintained Roads - A Domestic Scan
              Executive Summary
                Chapter 1: Introduction
                Chapter 2: Data Collection and Analysis.
                Chapter 3: Local Project Identification
                Chapter 4:  Local Project Administration
                Chapter 5: Funding
                Chapter 6: Training and Technical Assistance
                Chapter 7: Partnerships and Outreach
                Chapter 8: Local Agency Success Stories.
                Chapter 9: Observations and Conclusions
                Appendices U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

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