SAFE TRANSPORTATION FOR EVERY PEDESTRIAN CASE STUDY

ODOT Designs Pedestrian Safety Program 

to Fast-Track Project Construction

Ohio Department of Transportation 

KEY ELEMENTS:

Incorporating STEP Countermeasures

Implementation Focused

The Ohio Department of Transportation created the 

Pedestrian Safety Improvement Program to rapidly 

implement low and medium-cost countermeasures 

along arterials and collectors. The program 

incorporates STEP countermeasures at midblock 

locations and intersections.

INTRODUCTION 

The Ohio Department of Transportation 

(ODOT) developed the Pedestrian Safety 

Improvement Program (PSIP) in 2019 to 

address increasing pedestrian crashes in 

cities and towns. The Mid-Ohio Regional 

Planning Commission (MORPC) provided 

an example for how ODOT could construct 

pedestrian safety improvements at high 

risk locations utilizing Highway Safety 

Improvement Program (HSIP) funds. After 

analyzing its roadway network for high risk 

locations, MORPC successfully upgraded 

100 crossing locations with improvements 

like high visibility crosswalks, Rectangular 

Rapid Flashing Beacons, and pedestrian 

signal head countdown timers. ODOT 

recognized the success of the MORPC 

program and decided to scale it statewide.

To determine the PSIP’s direction, ODOT 

conducted a systemic analysis of 

pedestrian crashes on all state and nonstate maintained roads. ODOT learned that 

over 54 percent of fatal and severe injury 

pedestrian crashes occurred on arterials, 

but that arterials represented only 7 percent 

of the total roadway system’s miles. Further, 

cities and municipalities maintained most 

of these facilities. This over representation 

focused ODOT on non-system arterials, 

specifically 4-lane facilities, and ODOT later 

included collectors to allow for program 

flexibility. Crash typing also indicated 

midblock crossings as the most common 

fatal pedestrian scenario. 

For more information, please contact:

Jeremy Thompson, Highway Safety Program 

Jeremy.Thompson@dot.ohio.gov | 614466.7045

©ODOT

Figure 1. Graphic. Pedestrian fatalities by county.
STEP: https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/step/

Case Study: ODOT Designs Pedestrian Safety Program to Fast-Track Project Construction

PROGRAM APPROACH 

ODOT understood that it could not 

extend the PSIP to the State’s 2,000 local 

governments, so it crafted the initial 

program to address eight high-crash cities. 

First, ODOT held preliminary discussions 

with the cities to gauge program interest 

and gather feedback. After incorporating 

comments, ODOT formally extended 

invitations to the eight cities to join the 

program; all eight accepted. 

ODOT designed the PSIP to reduce the 

administrative and project development 

burden on municipalities wherever possible. 

These steps included structuring the 

program funding as budgets instead of a 

funds transfer, ODOT selecting the high-risk 

corridors, and ODOT assuming engineering 

and construction. The municipalities were 

responsible for proposing the specific 

project locations and appropriate 

countermeasure packages. 

COUNTERMEASURE SELECTION

The PSIP incorporated a menu of low and 

medium-cost countermeasures to both 

expedite project delivery and stay within 

budget constraints. ODOT incorporated 

most of the Safe Transportation for Every 

Pedestrian (STEP) countermeasures as part 

of the approved countermeasure list.

Participating cities received site selection 

criteria and a cost estimator tool to 

help guide their project selection. These 

resources supported a standardized 

approach for identifying countermeasures. 

City staff then prepared their project 

recommendations and submitted for ODOT 

review. 

ODOT received over 500 project location 

requests during the program's first round. 

After vetting right-of-way impacts and other 

feasability metrics, there were 455 project 

locations. Projects included Pedestrian 

Hybrid Beacons (PHB), high visibility marked 

crosswalks, pedestrian signal heads, raised 

crosswalks, and curb extensions, among 

others.

FUNDING AND IMPLEMENTATION 

Initial PSIP funding was $10 million for a 

two-year cycle, with the majority from the 

HSIP and supplemented by toll revenue 

credit. Cities were allocated base funding 

of approximately $500,000 each with 

additional funding correlated to their share 

of fatal and serious injury crashes. Once 

ODOT approves submitted projects, the 

streamlined program allows projects to 

proceed from planning to construction 

within an anticipated 12-18 months. ODOT 

plans to review the program’s performance 

and consider expanding the program to the 

next tier of high-crash cities.

Figure 2. Graphic. PSIP program schedule and responsibilities. 

©ODOT