FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Cathy Gillen

 (202) 857-1203 

 (443) 463-4449 

 cathygillen@roadwaysafety.org

November 15, 2011

ROADWAY SAFETY FOUNDATION, FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION

HONOR INNOVATIVE, LIFESAVING SAFETY PROGRAMS

States, Local Governments and Private Sector Organizations from

Across the Country to Receive Awards

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Roadway Safety Foundation (RSF) and the Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA) today recognized nine exemplary highway projects and programs from 

across the country as winners of the biennial National Roadway Safety Awards. Recipients of 

awards included State and local departments of transportation (DOT), a State department of 

public safety, a local technical assistance program and a private firm. The award winners are 

credited for reducing fatalities and injuries on our Nation’s roadways through excellence and 

innovation in operations, planning, and design. 

“It is a privilege to formally recognize the localities and agencies that were selected for the 2011 

National Roadway Safety Awards,” said John Porcari, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of 

Transportation. “Each one of this year’s entries demonstrated a commitment to saving lives by 

improving our nation’s roadways.”

"The lifesaving projects honored here today are noteworthy because deficiencies in the roadway 

environment contribute to roughly one-third of traffic deaths," said Greg Cohen, Executive 

Director of the Roadway Safety Foundation. "The best and brightest safety professionals who 

plan, engineer, and implement innovative solutions rarely get public recognition or the 

opportunity to know whose lives they have saved. These awards are an opportunity to thank

those who increase our odds of getting home safely each day."

Each of the National Roadway Safety Award recipients was evaluated on innovation, 

effectiveness, and efficient use of resources. Project categories included infrastructure 

improvements; operational improvements; and program planning, development, and 

evaluation. 

This year’s honorees include 

 Minnesota DOT’s Micro Surfacing to Reduce Wet Weather Crash Rates Program

 Mississippi DOT’s Cable Median Barrier Safety Initiative

 Jones/Linn County (Iowa) Portland Cement Concrete Pavement Overlay With Safety 

EdgeSM
 Florida DOT’s Making Roadways Safer for Motorcycles Program

 Utah DOT’s Evaluation of Moveable Barriers in Construction Work Zones Program

 Travelers Marketing’s Safety Patrol Sponsor-Partnership (Maryland, Florida, 

Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Georgia, New York and Kansas)

 California DOT’s Highway Safety Improvement Program Application and Evaluation 

Tool for Local Roadways

 New Mexico Department of Public Safety’s Smart Roadside Inspection Program

 Minnesota DOT’s County Roads Safety Plans Program/Wright County’s (Minnesota) 

Roadway Safety Program (joint award).

There were two honorable mentions –

 Texas DOT’s FM-1960 Median Improvements Program

 New Jersey Local Technical Assistance Program’s Work Zone Safety Education 

Program. 

The Federal Highway Administration and the Roadway Safety Foundation present these

biennial awards to agencies and organization across the country who exhibit excellence in

roadway design, operations, planning and safety. 

For complete details on each of the winners, and for more information on the national awards 

program, visit http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/roadwaysafetyawards.

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