Site visit preparation: (left to right) Deirdre Paiva, Kristen Capaldi, 

Wellington Hall.

IMAGE COURTESY of Town of Tiverton, RI.

Background

One of the most problematic intersections in Tiverton, Rhode Island is 

located in Bliss Four Corners. Unfortunately, there was no bliss at this location 

as seventy crashes occurred from 2007 to 2009. Twenty percent of the 

crashes involved injuries, with rear-end and angle as the most common 

crash-types. Bliss Four Corners is comprised of residential and commercial 

developments, as well as a new elementary school. To reduce the high 

number of injury crashes and focus on access management issues at 

the intersection of State Route 81 and State Route 177, Tiverton decided 

to perform a Road Safety Audit (RSA). Since this was going to be their first 

RSA, the town submitted a request to FHWA for peer assistance. A Peer was 

selected based on experience performing RSAs at intersections as well as 

knowledge of the Safe Routes to School Program. 

The RSA was performed by a multi-disciplinary team of local, state, and 

federal stakeholders from organizations such as the planning department, 

police, school, as well as the Rhode Island Department of Transportation 

(RIDOT) traffic engineering unit. After several weeks of phone calls, the Peer 

assisted the RSA team onsite with performing the RSA. The team identified 

22 suggestions for improvements. Audit recommendations included 

refurbishing pavement markings, ensuring consistent sign placement, 

replacing signs in poor condition and upgrading signs to MUTCD 

standards, and relocating existing curb cuts further from intersections. 

Since completing the RSA, Tiverton has applied for funding under the State 

Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) to improve curves, sidewalks, striping, 

traffic signals, ADA-compliance, and signage. Additionally, the planning 

board required a new development neighboring Bliss Four Corners to 

address sidewalk issues identified in the RSA.

Benefits of the Peer Assistance

One key piece of Peer advice was to include key stakeholders during the 

RSA, such as law enforcement and local business owners. At the suggestion 

of the Peer, the RSA team asked the local police chief to join the crash data 

discussion and visited local businesses during the field review to hear safety 

concerns. “Cooperation is key,” says Kate Michaud of the Tiverton Planning 

Department when explaining the importance of agencies working together 

to make the area safer for drivers and pedestrians. The Peer also provided 

guidance on preparing for the RSA and detailed how her locality identifies 

its most problematic intersections every year and then performs an RSA 

at each one. Tiverton is now considering using a similar process and is 

already identifying the next intersections where they would like to perform 

RSAs. The Peer also shared how the locality could monitor results of the RSA 

recommendations. Michaud summarized that, “Having the Peer there was 

invaluable. She helped lead the project and taught everyone the basics 

of the RSA program. Having someone in town who had completed an RSA 

before was of the most importance.”

To reques

Road safety au

Peer assistanc

call: (866) P2P-FH

email: SafetyP2P@dot.

Online: http://rspcb.safety.fhwa.dot.gov/p2p

p2p_app.aspx

Vertical curve in roadway at RSA location.

IMAGE COURTESY of Town of Tiverton, RI.

Roadway Safety Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Program

Peer Assists with Intersection RSA

In Tiverton, Rhode Island

What is the Road

Safety P2P Pro

In order to reduce fatalities and serious 

injuries on our Nation’s road network, highway 

practitioners routinely integrate Road Safety 

Audits (RSAs) into their projects and programs. 

FHWA established the P2P Program to provide 

technical assistance on a broad range of 

safety topics including RSAs. For example, RSA 

experts volunteer their time to serve as Peers 

and provide guidance to agencies requesting 

assistance. Short term technical assistance 

may be provided through phone calls, email 

exchanges, or on-site assistance. 

For more information on the program, or to submit a request for assistance, visit http://rspcb.safety.fhwa.dot.gov/p2p/p2p_app.aspx.