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presented to

IMPLEMENTING A 

LOCAL ROAD 

SAFETY PLAN

Federal Highway Administration 

Office of Safety 

June 29, 2020

presented by

Background photo courtesy of Molly O’Brien, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. 

Other photos courtesy of Getty Images.
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PRESENTERS 

Molly O’Brien 

Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. 

Pam Beer 

Cambridge Systematics 

Stephen McCall

Champaign County, OH 

Cassie Parker

South Central Regional Safety 

Coalition

Andrew McGuire

Keokuk County, IA

Tracy Shandor

Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. 
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HOUSEKEEPING

› Instructions

» Hour presentation with half hour for Q&A

» All phones are muted 

» Questions

 Q&A session will follow presentation

 If have you have a question, write your question in Q&A (hover your mouse above or 

below your screen. Click on Q&A)

» If you are having audio or video problems, let us know through the chat box

» A recording of the presentation will be made available

» A link to download the presentation will be provided in the chat box

» Webinar evaluation survey will come up in your web browser after the meeting 
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OVERVIEW

› Poll Results 

› Introduction

› LRSP Development

› Steps for Successful 

Implementation

› Conclusion

Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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INTRODUCTION

Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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WHAT IS AN LRSP? 

› FHWA proven safety 

countermeasure

› Tool to improve safety on local 

roads 

» Local roads have a fatality crash 

rate that is 75 percent higher than 

interstate

Photo courtesy of Molly O’Brien, Kimley-Horn and 

Associates, Inc. 
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IMPLEMENTING AN LRSP

› LRSPs

» Provide a framework to identify, 

analyze, and prioritize roadway safety 

improvements on local roads

» Many have adopted this approach

› Purpose of guide 

» Focus on noteworthy practices 

» Strategies for overcoming barriers and 

obstacles to implementation 

Photo courtesy of Molly O’Brien, Kimley-Horn and 

Associates, Inc. 
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SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION

› Approval of an implementation plan 

› Execute safety projects/programs

› Deploy proven countermeasures 

› Integrate 4E solutions 

› Change agency policies and 

practices 

› Reduce fatalities and serious 

injuries

Photo courtesy of Neil Hetherington WTIMSU 
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SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLE 

› Washington State
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LRSP 

DEVELOPMENT

Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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IMPACTS TO IMPLEMENTATION 

› Development activities that make implementation easier

» Obtain support and buy-in

» Find a champion 

» Conduct data collection and analysis 

» Identify funding mechanisms and allocate appropriate resources 

» Determine the level of project detail 

» Develop a clear vision and mission 
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EXISTING PLANS 

› How to jump start implementation for existing LRSPs 

» Reaffirm support from the champion(s) 

» Strengthen support and buy-in from officials and 4E stakeholders

» Engage with others to implement behavioral safety countermeasures

» Clarify funding requirements and allocate appropriate resources

» Review the level of project detail so projects are ready to be submitted for 

funding
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LRSP DIFFERENCES 

› Funding for development 

› Who develops

› Area covered

› Project selection

› Level of project development

Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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STEPS FOR 

SUCCESSFUL 

IMPLEMENTATION 

Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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STEPS FOR SUCCESSFUL 

IMPLEMENTATION 
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STEP 1 – MAINTAIN 

BUY-IN AND SUPPORT 

› Inform leaders and stakeholders

› Address citizen complaints/concerns

› Identify a champion 

› Obtain support from colleagues 

Photo courtesy of Brian Keierleber, Buchanan 

County, IA
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STEP 1 – MAINTAIN BUY-IN AND 

SUPPORT 

Recommendations

› Reach out to new agency and elected officials

› Stakeholder meetings

› Fact sheet

› Share success stories

› Incorporate others (maintenance, development, etc.)
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STEP 1 – LOUISIANA HOUMATHIBODAUX MPO – CASSIE PARKER

› South Central Regional Safety Coalition Regional LRSP 

» Collaboration between Safety Coalition and MPO Technical Advisory 

Committee 

 Joint quarterly meetings to review projects, address safety concerns, monitor 

crash data, evaluate priorities, determine available funding sources, and 

identify best practices and policies 

» Provide periodic updates in presentations to area MPO Policy 

Committee, area MPO Board 

» Provide information on current safety trends 

 Crash data on local roads

 Road safety assessment findings

 Proven effective countermeasures to address specific crash types

 Funding sources 

 Best Practices and policies for local governments to adopt
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STEP 2 – IDENTIFY 

FUNDING MECHANISMS 

› HSIP funding 

» HSIP application process

» HSIP funding availability for local agencies 

» Perception of difficulty using HSIP funds

› Behavioral safety funding 

› Other funding sources Photo courtesy of Neil Hetherington WTIMSU 
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STEP 2 – IDENTIFY FUNDING 

MECHANISMS

Recommendations

› Determine potential funding sources

› Identify HSIP funding opportunities

› Review opportunity for overlap with capital improvement projects

› Verify if public/private partnerships are available
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STEP 2 – CALTRANS

› Local Roadway Safety: A Manual for California’s Local Road 

Owners

» Guidance on the HSIP application process and the types of safety 

improvements that could be funded 

› SSARP (Systemic Safety Analysis Report Program) 

» Address local agency reluctance to apply for HSIP funding

» Assisted local agencies with the information needed for HSIP application

» Name changed to LRSP 
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STEP 3 – IDENTIFY AND 

PRIORITIZE PROJECTS 

› Network screening

› Systemic safety analysis process

› Data analysis

› Benefit-cost analysis

› Cross jurisdictional ownership 

› Link with priorities in other plans

› Other approaches (other planned 

projects or policy/political reasons) 

Photo courtesy of Brian Keierleber, Buchanan 

County, IA
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STEP 3 – IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE 

PROJECTS 

Recommendations

› Utilize appropriate methods to identify projects

› Identify projects that address most serious safety concerns

› Benefit-cost analysis

› Prioritize based on funding application requirements
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STEP 3 – WASHINGTON STATE 

› Provided each county with crash statistics

› Conducted training on systemic safety analysis process 

› Held a workshop on project prioritization 

› Cowlitz County, WA 

» Developed list of prioritized projects with estimated cost 
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STEP 4 – DELIVER 

PROJECTS 

› Design

› Design build 

› Project bundling 

› On-going maintenance 

› Other methods Photo courtesy of Brian Keierleber, Buchanan 

County, IA
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STEP 4 – DELIVER PROJECTS

Recommendations

› State provide assistance to local agencies

› Project bundling

› On-going maintenance
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STEP 4 – KEOKUK COUNTY, IA

› Andrew McGuire, County Engineer 

» Used project bundling to complete multiple projects

» Projects were similar in nature and near each other

» Mainly low-cost safety improvements 

Photo courtesy of Andrew McGuire, Keokuk County, IA
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STEP 5 – EVALUATE 

IMPLEMENTATION 

› Output and outcome evaluation 

› Process evaluation 

Photo courtesy of Molly O’Brien, Kimley-Horn and 

Associates, Inc.
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STEP 5 – EVALUATE IMPLEMENTATION 

Recommendations

› Update the plan

› Identify metrics

› Expand stakeholders
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STEP 5 – MINNESOTA

› 85-90 percent of counties have implemented an LRSP

› DOT receives over 100 applications for funding each year

› St. Louis County, MN 

» Between 2012 and 2017, 35 percent reduction in fatality rate on county 

road system 
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STEP 6 – COMMUNICATION 

& COORDINATION 

› Coordination with State DOT and 

LTAP 

› Outreach to other stakeholders

Photo courtesy of FHWA. 
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STEP 6 – COMMUNICATION 

& COORDINATION 

Recommendations

› Incorporate stakeholders with representation from 4Es

› Promote safety message through marketing success stories

» Social media

» Conferences

» Newsletter

» Presentations 
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STEP 6 – CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OH

› Stephen McCall, County Engineer 

› Champaign County, OH used a unique way to reach out to 

stakeholders called the C-H-A-R-M process: 

» C – Communicate with phone, emails, announcements; follow-up with thank you 

and outcomes

» H – Help, ask for it

» A – Activist – actively participate and volunteer for other groups

» R – Relationships – know who you are talking to and make a connection with 

them

» M – Motivate – make it personal. Worked with Safe Communities Coalition
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CONCLUSION

Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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STEPS TO CONSIDER 

› Engage your stakeholders

› Find a champion 

› Identify funding mechanisms

› Prioritize projects 

› Allocate appropriate resources 

› Determine project development

› Undertake project delivery 

› Conduct evaluation 

› Continue communication and coordination 
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THE 

REPORT

FHWA-SA-20-025
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FOR MORE INFORMATION 

Rosemarie Anderson

Federal Highway Administration 

Office of Safety 

Rosemarie.Anderson@dot.gov

Karen Scurry 

Federal Highway Administration 

Office of Safety 

Karen.scurry@dot.gov
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QUESTION & 

ANSWER

Photo courtesy of Getty Images.