States allocate HSIP funds to local projects in different ways. Some use a centralized process to identify and develop 

projects, while others do this at a district (or regional) level. Colorado solicits local agencies to apply for HSIP funds. 

Florida has districts handle the application process and sometimes the construction. Vermont conducts an analysis 

of risk factors, engages regional planning commissions to select projects, and implements projects with State 

contractors. Seventy percent of the fatal and serious injury crashes occur on local roads in Washington, so the State 

distributes 70 percent of HSIP funding to local safety projects. Idaho's Local Highway Technical Advisory Council 

plans and prioritizes local safety projects. Some States have programs for local agencies to exchange Federal funding 

for State funding to avoid the time and costs of navigating unfamiliar Federal processes and requirements.2

BUILDING A SAFE ROAD NETWORK

In 2019, approximately 24 percent of all fatal motor vehicle crashes 

in the United States occurred on local and Tribal roadways.1 The 

Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) aims to significantly 

reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads, 

including non-State-owned roads. Non-State-owned roads are a vital 

component of a safe transportation system, and HSIP funds can 

support improvements to these local and tribal road networks. 

Making HSIP funds available for highway safety improvement projects on 

city, township, county, and Tribal roadways helps save lives. Because safety 

issues on a non-State-owned road network may be spread over a larger 

area, systemic safety improvements are a particularly effective approach. 

The data-driven and strategic decisionmaking process for HSIP funding 

can help local and Tribal jurisdictions better identify and solve safety 

problems on their road networks. Some jurisdictions may need additional 

support to navigate application requirements and access data sources.

1

 USDOT and NHTSA, Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), https://bit.ly/3GUwplq.

2 FHWA, Local Road Safety: A Framework for Local Safety Programs and Policies, December 2019, https://bit.ly/351Mw1S.

In 2020, HSIP 

funded 898 projects 

on local roads 

for a total cost of 

$389 million.

This figure represents roughly 16% of 

the $2.4 billion total HSIP funding.

HSIP in 2020

34 States obligated at least part 

of their HSIP funds to safety 

projects on local roadways.

10 States obligated at least 25 percent 

of their funds to projects on local 

roadways, and three obligated more 

than half of their funds.

The average amount of HSIP funds used 

per local roadway project ranged from 

about $100,000 to $700,000, depending $ on improvement category. 

The more expensive local HSIP projects 

were generally intersection traffic control 

or roadway improvements, with average 

costs between $586,000 and $634,000.

$$$

Lighting, roadway delineation, noninfrastructure (e.g., safety data collection and 

analysis), and speed management projects 

were generally less expensive, with average 

costs between $206,000 and $224,000.

FHWA-SA-22-019

35

$

This information comes from 2020 State HSIP reports. For individual reports, visit https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/reports/.

 States with local road projects

 States using 25% or more of HSIP 

funds for local road projects

Improving Local Road Safety with HSIP—2020

Saving Lives by Spending Safety Funds on Non-State-Owned Roads
KEY PARTNERS FOR LOCAL HSIP PROJECTS

• State departments of transportation

• State highway safety offices

• Local public works agencies

• Local technical assistance programs

• Regional and metropolitan planning 

organizations and coalitions

• Law enforcement agencies

• Emergency services disciplines

• Public health departments

• Public education organizers

• Tribal agencies

• Local elected officials

• Community activists

To find out how HSIP can help 

save lives in your community, 

contact your State DOT:

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/about/webstate.cfm

2020 HSIP-FUNDED

LOCAL ROAD PROJECTS

• Intersection Traffic Control

• Roadway

• Pedestrian & Bicyclists

• Roadside

• Roadway Signs & Traffic Control

• Intersection Geometry

• Shoulder Treatments

• Roadway Delineation

• Railroad Crossings

• Non-infrastructure

• Access Management

• Lighting

• Alignment

• Interchange Design

• Advanced Technology & ITS

• Speed Management

HSIP in Action

Georgia

Crashes on Georgia’s local road network account for more than 40 

percent of the State’s crash fatalities.3 To address this critical issue, 

the State established the Off-System Safety (OSS) Program, which 

sets aside $1 million of its HSIP funds for each of its seven districts to 

apply toward safety projects on its local road network. Using a datadriven approach, district coordinators work with the Office of Traffic 

Operations in the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and 

local governments to identify safety issues and potential solutions. 

Together, they identify projects through crash frequency and a 

relative severity index and then submit those projects to a selection 

committee for implementation.4

Proven Safety Countermeasure

Local Road Safety Plans

By setting a framework for identifying, analyzing, and 

prioritizing safety improvements for local roads, local 

road safety plans (LRSPs) help match projects to local 

issues and needs. Many LRSPs include actions to:

• Engage stakeholders in engineering, enforcement, 

education, and emergency medical services.

• Foster collaboration among municipal, county, 

Tribal, State, and Federal organizations.

• Identify crash types and risk factors 

as well as potential countermeasures 

and strategies to address them.

• Set timelines, goals, and performance measures.

For more information about LRSPs, please see:

https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/provencountermeasures/local_roads.cfm.

3 GDOT, "Local Government," Off-System Safety Program, http://www.dot.ga.gov/PS/Local#tab-1. 4

 FHWA, Georgia Highway Safety Improvement Program 2020 Annual Report, 7. https://bit.ly/3HYuVpB.

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