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 Intersection Safety in Massachusetts
    

    
    
          ****Intersection Safety** | April 2022**

CHALLENGE

In 2020, fatalities at intersections made up nearly a third of all motor vehicle fatalities and serious injuries in Massachusetts.1 Additionally, more than 27% of all non-motorist fatalities and serious injuries occurred at intersections (“Marked crosswalks at intersection” or “At intersection but no crosswalk”).2 In recognition of the safety issues at intersections, Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has taken several steps to increase safety at intersections including selecting appropriate countermeasures through the adoption of Intersection Control Evaluations (ICE) and piloting the Safe System for Intersection (SSI) methodology. Additionally, MassDOT has also developed comprehensive guidelines for select intersection alternatives.

ACTION

To help reduce fatalities at intersections, in 2021 MassDOT implemented the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) ICE framework, a three-stage approach to develop traffic control alternatives for intersections (see Figure 1). ICE considers potential safety impacts, operational impacts, and multimodal factors for each alternative. The result of the ICE procedure is a lifecycle cost for each feasible intersection control strategy.

MassDOT’s ICE Process Diagram showing the three stages: Stage 1: Screening, Stage 2: Initial Assessment, and Stage 3: Detailed Assessment

Figure 1. ICE Process Diagram
Source: MassDOT

*“The SSI method, along with other approaches such as road safety audits and video analytics using drone technology, can help us gain a more complete safety performance picture to help us identify a preferred alternative that reduces risk and minimizes the potential for harm.”*
-Bonnie Polin, MassDOT State Safety Engineer

Additionally, in 2021, MassDOT piloted other intersection assessment methodologies, including the SSI, for alternative analyses for intersections that were atypical and did not have safety performance functions that could be used in the ICE tool. The SSI methodology was used as an additional metric to inform alternative analysis and identify optimal improvements for an intersection. The overall framework and components of the SSI method are based on conflict point identification and classification, exposure, severity, and complexity. With these inputs, it is possible to quantify the degree to which a given intersection alternative is consistent with Safe System principles and then contrast different alternatives. The SSI methodology can also be used as a complement to video analytics and a road safety audit to get a fuller understanding of an intersection and select an effective design alternative to enhance safety.

To aid in ensuring selected alternatives are properly planned, designed, and constructed, MassDOT has developed guidelines. Of note, MassDOT published in 2020, a comprehensive guide book on the planning, outreach, analysis, design, and construction of roundabouts.

RESULT

While it is still early to see quantifiable results from the implementation of ICE and piloting SSI, MassDOT has identified, through the SSI pilot, a need to revise their network screening to more heavily weigh crash severity to focus intersection improvement efforts more on reducing fatalities and serious injuries. By leveraging these new and innovative approaches demonstrates MassDOT’s commitment to improve intersection safety.

RESOURCES

**Safe System for Intersections**

**MassDOT Intersection Control Evaluation (ICE)**

**MassDOT Alternatives Analysis Guide**

**MassDOT Guidelines for the Planning and Design of Roundabouts**

**Roundabouts Proven Safety Countermeasure**

1Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), NHTSA https://www.nhtsa.gov/research-data/fatality-analysis-reporting-system-fars

2IMPACT, MassDOT https://apps.impact.dot.state.ma.us/cdv/
              
      
    
          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