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MEMORANDUM

TO: Wendall L. Meyer – FHWA Division Administrator

FROM: Steve S. Salwei - NDDOT Transportation Programs Director

DATE: August 31, 2013

SUBJECT: State Fiscal Year 2013 HSIP (Highway Safety Improvement Program) 

Annual Progress and Evaluation Report

The information in this report is provided in accordance with Section 148 of the Title 23, 

United States Code (23 U.S.C 148). This report includes information on the following 

four items:

A. Program Structure

B. Progress in implementing the HSIP (Highway Safety Improvement Program) 

C. Assessment of the effectiveness of the improvements

D. High Risk Rural Roads Program

This report covers implementation during the 2013 state fiscal year (July 1, 2012 to June 

30, 2013), and evaluation of projects completed in the 2010 state fiscal year (July 1, 2009 

to June 30, 2010).

A. Program Structure

i. Program Administration

HSIP funds are administered centrally from the NDDOT Central Office in Bismarck. 

Potential HSIP projects are studied and selected for implementation by the NDDOT 

Traffic Operations Section. Projects on State owned and non-State owned roadways are 

identified by high crash annual listings and solicitation of local agencies. Highway safety 

improvement projects are selected for implementation by determining which projects 

have the greatest potential for reducing crashes and providing the most safety benefit to 

the public. This includes a competitive application process, crash analyses, and Road 

Safety Reviews (RSR). Once a project has been selected for implementation the NDDOT 

Central Office collaborates closely with local agencies in developing the project.

ii. Program Methodology 

Potential HSIP projects are submitted by the District Engineers and Local Agencies in 

response to areas of concern they have identified. Projects are also initiated from the 

Central Office, with input from the Districts and Local Agencies, as countermeasures to 

locations identified from the annual High Crash Analyses. Crash history or potential for 

crash reduction are used in justifying projects. 

23 USC § 409 Documents 

NDDOT Reserves All Objections
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Lane Departure crashes were addressed by a Statewide Rumble Strip Project that 

installed centerline and edgeline/shoulder rumble strips/stripes on all rural state-owned 

roadways, as well as transverse rumble strips at all stop conditions on state roads.

The HSIP projects align with the NDDOT SHSP as described in Section B of this report. 

B. Progress in Implementing the HSIP Projects

i. HSIP Funds Available

Approximately $11.9 million in HSIP funds were available at the beginning of state fiscal 

year 2013.

ii. General Listing of Projects

The following is a list of the HSIP projects that were obligated using HSIP funds during 

state fiscal year 2013. The improvements identified in the FY 2013 HSIP are consistent 

with the emphasis areas identified in the North Dakota SHSP (Strategic Highway Safety 

Plan) and most are directly aligned with the potential strategies identified in the SHSP. 

 

Emphasis Area Strategy

19 1 156 Loc. $1,481,896.05 Improve Intersection 

Safety

Install turn lanes, Provide 

more sight distance, 

3 3 599 mi. $1,480,330.22 Address Lane Departure 

Crashes

Install shoulder and edge line 

rumble strips

2 5 12 Loc. $40,622.40 Improve Intersection 

Safety Improve pedestrian facilities

3 10 9 mi. $5,213,416.14 Address Lane Departure 

Crashes NA

9 11 137 Loc. $2,262,887.67 Address Lane Departure 

Crashes

Enhance marking on sharp 

curves

4 14* NA $1,739,705.91

Address Lane Departure 

Crashes, Improve 

Intersection Safety

NA

Total Cost $12,218,858.39

*Crash Reports and SHSP Stakeholders Planning

Projects Improvement 

Category Output Cost Relationship to SHSP

23 USC § 409 Documents 

NDDOT Reserves All Objections
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C. Assessment of the Effectiveness of the Improvements

i. Overview of General Highway Safety Trends

The following data provides an overview of the state’s crash data statistics for the past 

five years.

The trend for the state’s total crash rate has been decreasing since 2009. The trend for the 

state’s total number of crashes has been variable over the past 5 years. The trend for the 

state’s injury crash rate has been decreasing since 2010. The trend for the state’s number 

of injury crashes has been increasing over the past 5 years. The trend for the state’s fatal 

crash rate has been variable over the past 5 years. The trend for the number of fatal 

crashes has been increasing since 2010.

23 USC § 409 Documents 

NDDOT Reserves All Objections
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ii. Description of Overall HSIP Effectiveness

The summary of the evaluation of projects completed during state fiscal year 2010 is described in the below table. Projects in 

Improvement Category 1 demonstrated an increase in the total number of crashes and a decrease in the average severity of each crash. 

The project in Improvement Category 2 demonstrated no change in the total number of crashes and an increase in the average severity 

of each crash. Projects in Improvement Category 3 demonstrated an increase in the total number of crashes and a decrease in the 

average severity of each crash. The project in Improvement Category 4 demonstrated no change in the total number of crashes and no 

change in the average severity of each crash. Projects in Improvement Category 10 demonstrated a slight decrease in the total number 

of crashes and an increase in the average severity of each crash. 

*Improvement Category 1 included 3 projects, Improvement Category 2 included 1 project, Improvement Category 3 included 6 projects, Improvement 

Category 4 included 1 project, Improvement Category 10 included 4 projects

**Crash Weights: Fatal = 12, Injury = 3, PDO = 1

Year Submitted: 2013

Emphasis Area Strategy Fatal Injury PDO Total Average Crash 

Severity** Fatal Injury PDO Total Average Crash 

Severity**

1 14 Loc. $8,133,602.94 Improve 

Intersection Safety Install Turn Lanes, Signing, Flashing Beacon 2 16 39 57 1.95 1 45 109 155 1.65

2 1 mi. $865,755.90 Roadway 

Departure Crashes Widen Roadway 0 2 4 6 1.67 0 6 0 6 3.00

3 76 mi. $1,319,232.25 Roadway 

Departure Crashes Install Rumble Strips 5 32 56 93 2.28 5 40 99 144 1.94

4 1 Loc. $86,930.48 Roadway 

Departure Crashes Install skid resistant treatment 0 1 2 3 1.67 0 1 2 3 1.67

10 7 mi. $6,455,446.92 Roadway 

Departure Crashes

Prevent Edge Dropoffs, Clearzone 

Improvement, Surface Improvement 0 22 130 152 1.29 2 13 136 151 1.32

3 yr Crash History "Before" Projects 

Initiated

3 yr Crash History "After" Projects 

Completed

Evaluation of Projects Completed During: 7/1/2009 - 6/30/2010 (State Fiscal Year 2010)

Relationship to SHSP Improvement 

Category* Output Cost

23 USC § 409 Documents 

NDDOT Reserves All Objections
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D. High Risk Rural Roads Program (HRRRP)

i. Basic Program Implementation Information

There are three HRRR projects that were obligated funding in FY 2013. The following is 

a list of projects that were obligated using HRRRP funds during Fiscal Year 2013.

At the time of this report, a funding total of $1.1 million is available for this program.

ii. Methods Used to Identify HRRR Locations

A High Risk Rural Road is any roadway functionally classified as a rural major or minor 

collector or a rural local road:

1. On which the crash rate for fatalities and incapacitating injuries exceeds 

the statewide average for those functional classes of roadway; or

2. That will likely have increases in traffic volume that are likely to create a 

crash rate for fatalities and incapacitating injuries that exceeds the 

statewide average for those functional classes of roadway. 

iii. Overall HRRRP Effectiveness

No assessment can be made since no projects have been completed under this program.

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Emphasis Area Strategy

1 2 8 mi. $70,080.67 Address Lane 

Departure Crashes NA

1 3 27 mi. $360,000.00 Address Lane 

Departure Crashes

Install shoulder and 

edge line rumble strips

1 11 1 Loc. $2,735,476.79 Address Lane 

Departure Crashes 

Provide enhanced 

delineation for curves

Total Cost $3,165,557.46

Projects Improvement 

Category Output Cost Relationship to SHSP

23 USC § 409 Documents 

NDDOT Reserves All Objections