USA Banner
  U.S. flag
              An official website of the United States government Here's how you knowOfficial US Government Icon
              **Official websites use .gov**A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
            Secure Site Icon
              **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                  A **lock** ( A locked padlock ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 
 U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation
 Search DOT
            Search
                    About FHWAFHWA Organization
                Headquarters Offices
                Field Offices
                Strategic Plan
                Business Opportunities
                Staff Directories
                Careers
                Highway History
                Contact UsProgramsAcquisition Management
                Civil Rights
                Federal Lands Highway
                Infrastructure
                Innovative Program Delivery
                Operations
                Planning, Environment, and Realty
                Policy
                Research, Development, and Technology
                Safety
                Browse by TopicsResourcesCore Highway Topics
                Federal Aid Essentials
                Automation
                Complete Streets
                Laws and Regulations
                Policy & Guidance Center
                Section 508
                Publications and Statistics
                Professional Development
                National Highway Institute
                Resource Center
                Accessibility Resource Library
                FHWA Research LibraryNewsroomPress Releases
                Speeches & Testimony
                Photos
                Videos
                Media ContactsMenu FHWA Highway Safety Programs Home
                        Safety
                        Learn Safety


            
            In This Section
        Learn Safety
                About RSPCB
                Road Safety Fundamentals
                Roadway Safety Noteworthy Practices
                                Search Noteworthy Practices
                Resources
                Training and Education
                                Overview
                Training Opportunities
                Road Safety Course Finder
                NHI Courses
                Roadway Safety Champions
                Get Help
                                Overview
                Technical Assistance Guidelines
                Technical Assistance Online Application
                Safety Data Dashboard
                
                Improving Safety in Connecticut through increased Data Capabilities and Transparency
    

    
    
          **Safety Data | November 2021**

*“Successful DOTs see data as a managed asset that can leverage the potential for better and smarter decision making.”*
- Robbin Cabelus, Transportation Planning Director, CTDOT

CHALLENGE

Driven by the mantra that better data makes better decisions and better decisions make transportation safer, the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) identified a need to leverage the vast amounts of data created daily by the DOT. It set out to consolidate the siloed data asset repositories to improve its ability to analyze system performance, perform safety analysis, as well as to increase transparency, accessibility and data sharing capabilities.

ACTION

CTDOT initially developed a newly digitized geospatial LRS (linear referencing system). CTDOT leveraged cutting edge LRS management software and critical flexibility needed to transition from its legacy LRS and roadway data model as well as necessary scalability for CTDOT to seize an opportunity to enhance its roadway data attribution to support evolving safety analysis needs. Then CTDOT utilized a combination of consolidated in-house GIS resources, University of Connecticut (UConn) development expertise, open source software and state of the art enterprise data technology to develop a centralized Data Mart and enterprise GIS-based platform to be able to access, view, and extract information, as well as publish mapping products. This solution helped to increase data transparency and accessibility, initiated a significant culture shift in how CTDOT considered and managed its data, and also ensured consistency by providing a singular network representation. The enterprise system that CTDOT developed, the Transportation Enterprise Database (TED), and many of the applications and solutions designed to feed the enterprise system was developed in partnership with UConn. CTDOT also partnered with UConn to develop a new safety analysis tool, known as the Connecticut Roadway Safety Management System (CRSMS) to enable it to be more proactive with safety countermeasures selection and to “fine tune” safety performance measurement and management from existing national or default values to more specific Connecticut based ones. The CRSMS is a data-driven, enterprise-level web application that implements the latest Highway Safety Manual (HSM) methods.

RESULT

Through these data centric projects, CTDOT has fostered a new data culture that recognizes, manages, and values data as an extremely critical decision-making asset. The enterprise data products have been embraced within CTDOT and have aided the development of new in-house capabilities to collect, maintain and visualize data. The expansion of roadway data sets has greatly supported safety analysis and other core business functions. This work was a result of collaboration across organizational lines as well as identifying new ways to leverage existing partnerships such as the one with UConn. These partnerships and data initiatives have allowed CTDOT to gain trust and confidence in its data quality enough to develop a new Open Data Portal that allows partner agencies and the general public to access their roadway and asset data.

RESOURCES

Connecticut DOT Open Data Portal

Connecticut Roadway Safety Management System

FHWA’s Roadway Safety Data Program
              
      
    
          Last updated: Wednesday, September 7, 2022 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

**Federal Highway Administration**

1200 NEW JERSEY AVENUE, SE

WASHINGTON, DC 20590

202-366-4000Subscribe to email updates
                    About
  

        
              About FHWA
                Careers
                Org Chart
                Staff Directories
                Work with UsPrograms
  

        
              Acquisition Management
                Civil Rights
                Federal Lands Highway
                Infrastructure
                Innovative Program Delivery
                Operations
                Planning, Environment, and Realty
                Policy
                Research, Development, and Technology
                SafetyPolicies, Rights, Legal
  

        
              About DOT
                Accessibility
                Budget and Performance
                Civil Rights
                FOIA
                Information Quality
                No FEAR Act
                Office of Inspector General
                Privacy Policy
                USA.gov
                Web Policies and Notices
                Web StandardsNews & Events
  

        
              Newsroom
                Press Releases
                Speeches & Testimony
                Media Contacts
                Connect with Us