Winter 2018: Volume 12 Issue 1 Safety Compass Newsletter • 1

A Message from FHWA Associate

Administrator for Safety Beth Alicandri

Happy First Anniversary to the Road to Zero 

Coalition!

October marked the first anniversary of the Road to Zero

(RTZ) Coalition, a key partnership among the FHWA, the 

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Federal 

Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and the National Safety 

Council, which has dedicated itself to eliminating traffic 

fatalities by 2050. The urgency to assemble and grow the 

Coalition increased after the United States began losing momentum on the 

record roadway fatality reductions that had been achieved over the last 

decade. As the Coalition enters its second year, members are working hard to 

honor the 37,461 lives lost in 2016 from traffic crashes and will continue to 

work to prevent similar needless tragedies on our Nation’s roads in the future. 

This dynamic public-private partnership is already making a difference––and 

shortening the road to zero. One of the Coalition’s great achievements is the 

broad, national support it has raised from over 400 members. Their time, 

willingness, energy, and talents are helping to cross-pollinate related 

disciplines at the national, State, and local levels. 

The RTZ Grant Program, another coalition achievement, has dedicated $1 

million to seven innovative grants focusing on research, behavioral 

modification and education, training, and roadway countermeasures. These 

grants will help to stimulate innovation and deploy lifesaving interventions that 

can quickly be replicated nationwide, saturating areas where consistently high 

numbers of transportation-related fatalities persist. 

A third accomplishment is the creation of the RTZ advocacy platform. 

Currently under development, the first platform will include strategies 

stakeholders can implement to increase the use of safety belts in all seating 

positions. Several additional highway safety platforms are being drafted by 

coalition members to address infrastructure, truck underride, and others. 

The Coalition has been hard at work planning our route toward a future 

transportation system in which zero fatalities is the norm. The RTZ Roadmap, 

which will be finalized and released in 2018, will outline the steps we need to 

undertake to reach zero by 2050.

“Some say ending roadway deaths is a moon shot, and it’s impossible,” said 

Debbie Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety Council. “It’s not 

impossible – it just hasn’t been done yet.” 

We agree.

A Publication of the Federal Highway Administration Office of Safety Winter 2018: Volume 12 Issue 1

In This Issue:

Awards News

2017 Road Safety Awards Recognize Nine 

Noteworthy Road Safety Projects .................2

Supporting The States and Tribes: 

Federal Aid Programs

Strategic Safety Plan for Tribal 

Transportation Identifies High Priority 

Needs...................................................................4

By The Numbers: Safety Data and 

Analysis

RSDP—Tool and Toolbox Updates .............5

2017 Version of IHSDM Now Available!.....7

Moving Beyond Crash Data ............................6

FHWA Assists Colorado DOT with Safety 

Analysis Using IHSDM....................................8

More Complete Streets

FHWA Adds Six New Proven Safety 

Countermeasures for 2017...............................9

New FHWA Pedestrian Countermeasure 

Tech Sheets Now Available...........................10

New! Revised Guide on How to Develop a 

Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Action Plan..11

Walk Friendly Communities Program

Advances Pedestrian Safety 

Countermeasures.............................................12

The City of Richmond is a Vision Zero 

City!....................................................................13

Safety Focus Area: Roadway Departure

New Report Details Results of 3D Ultra 

Laser Imaging for Pavement Surface 

Analysis .............................................................14

Learning Together

Attendees at CT Local Safety Data 

Integration Peer Exchange Share Lessons, 

Gain Insight......................................................14

FHWA Holds Second Railway-Highway 

Grade Crossings Safety Webinar Series.......15

Announcements

Seeking Agency Participation – Safety 

Data Business Planning ..................................15

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Winter 2018: Volume 12 Issue 1 Safety Compass Newsletter • 2

AWARDS NEWS

2017 ROAD SAFETY AWARDS 

RECOGNIZE NINE NOTEWORTHY ROAD 

SAFETY PROJECTS

By: Tara McLoughlin, FHWA Office of Safety, and Lisa 

Bedsole, Leidos

On November 15, the 2017 National Roadway 

Safety Awards ceremony was held on Capitol Hill to 

honor exemplary highway safety projects and 

programs from across the country. Judged by a blueribbon panel comprising members from government, 

academia, associations, engineering institutions, and 

industry, this biennial awards competition honors 

noteworthy efforts by public agencies across the 

country to save lives on our Nation’s roadways. The 

awards were conferred in two categories: 

Infrastructure and Operational Improvements and 

Program Planning, Development, and Evaluation. 

“These awards recognize real and innovative 

solutions to some of the nation’s biggest safety 

challenges,” said Acting Federal Highway Administrator Brandye L. Hendrickson. “We commend this 

year’s winners for their efforts in saving lives on our 

nation’s roads, and invite others across the country 

to put these life-saving solutions to work.”

Since 1999, FHWA and the Roadway Safety 

Foundation have partnered to sponsor this 

prestigious, national awards program. “The National 

Roadway Safety Awards are an opportunity to 

recognize the unsung heroes who plan, engineer 

and implement creative measures to help save lives 

on a daily basis and rarely receive credit for doing 

so,” said RSF Executive Director Gregory Cohen.

Winners are selected based on criteria including 

effectiveness, innovation, and efficient use of 

available resources. Brief summaries of each 

winning project follow with more detailed descriptions 

appearing in the National Roadway Safety Awards 

2017 Noteworthy Practices Guide.

Infrastructure and Operational 

Improvements Category

Delaware’s Systemic Safety Improvements Using 

High-Friction Surface Treatment. Roadway departures account for nearly 40 percent of Delaware’s 

fatal crashes, and of these, half occur on curves. 

Focusing on roadway departure crashes on 

wet/snowy/icy pavement for all roadway segments in 

the State, Delaware installed more than 33,396 

square yards of HFST at over 20 locations. Before/

after crash data shows that roadway departure 

crashes decreased by an average of 56 percent.

Florida’s Wrong-Way Driving (WWD) Mitigation 

Initiative. In response to an uptick in WWD crashes,

FDOT developed a high-level framework that 

focused departmental policy on reducing WWD 

crashes, revised design standards to more aggressively discourage wrong-way entry onto limitedaccess facilities, installed and evaluated emerging 

and experimental traffic control devices specifically 

designed to mitigate WWD, and instituted a WWD 

monitoring and tracking system. Preliminary indications show positive results: In Tampa Bay, which 

had experienced 7 WWD crashes and 11 fatalities in 

2014, there were no WWD crashes in 2015 and only 

1 crash resulting in 2 fatalities in 2016. 

Michigan’s Improved Incident Scene Safety with 

Partnerships. In Grand Rapids, MI, firetrucks 

responding to incidents were being struck by passing 

traffic, endangering both responders and the public. 

In response, the traffic incident management team 

established specific strategies to prevent further 

crashes of this type, including creating and deploying 

the Nation’s first dump-truck-mounted crash 

attenuator to protect fire trucks. Instant Dispatch 

Towing, wherein tow trucks are immediately called to 

the scene of a wreck at the same time that other 

emergency vehicles are summoned, has also been 

implemented to facilitate quick clearance. These

initiatives have resulted in a 31 percent decrease in 

the time it takes tow trucks to arrive on scene and a 

45 percent reduction in crashes.

The 2017 Roadway Safety Awards. Source: FHWA.
Winter 2018: Volume 12 Issue 1 Safety Compass Newsletter • 3

Minnesota’s Implementation of Data-Driven 

Safety Solutions. To improve safety on county 

roads in Minnesota, which account for half of all fatal 

crashes, the State embarked on an ambitious undertaking in 2010 to develop County Road Safety Plans 

(CRSPs) for all 87 counties. Using the systemic 

approach to safety, the CRSPs focused on implementing proactive, low-cost safety strategies on a 

systemwide basis rather than reactive, higher cost 

safety projects at fewer locations. For a total of cost 

of $80 million, the Highway Safety Improvement 

Program funded 330 projects, leading to a 25 percent reduction in the county road fatality rate during 

the 4-year period following the CRSP process.

Virginia’s Instant Roundabout. An intersection in 

Northern Virginia had a critical crash problem: as 

many as nine incidents were occurring each year, 

with nearly half involving injuries. The best traffic 

control for the intersection was a full-size roundabout, but this solution was both costly and time

consuming. Instead, engineers developed an “instant 

roundabout” using off-the-shelf markings, tubular 

markers, and plastic curb sections instead of concrete. With community support, VDOT installed the 

instant roundabout in less than 6 days at a cost of 

only $90,000. As a result, crashes dropped by 30 

percent, and the roundabout operated for nearly 3.5 

years without a single injury crash.

Program Planning, Development, and 

Evaluation Category

Alaska’s Safety Corridor Program. To eliminate 

two-lane, high-speed, head-on collisions, Alaska 

established “Safety Zones” on stretches of State 

roads with the highest fatal and major injury crash 

rates and traffic volumes at or near capacity. The 

resulting multi-disciplinary safety program, funded by 

traffic fines, uses the “4E’s” (engineering, education, 

enforcement, and emergency medical services) 

approach to combat high-risk driving behavior and 

mitigate capacity problems within these Safety 

Zones until long-term improvements are built. Since 

2006, fatal and major injury crashes are down in 

Alaska’s four established Safety Corridors by 45 

percent overall. 

Missouri’s “Road to Saving Lives” Design-Build 

Project. Searching for an effective way to implement 

its zero deaths strategy, MoDOT’s St. Louis District 

identified 31 locations with the highest safety 

concerns in 2 counties and invited 5 teams to 

propose ways to address these locations. For this 

invitational bid, MoDOT chose a design-build 

procurement format that emphasized cost-effective 

safety treatments based on Highway Safety Manual

analyses. The chosen team targeted safety improvements at all 31 locations and included a systemwide 

application of high-friction surface treatment, inlaid 

pavement markers, transverse rumble strips, LED 

stop signs, an intersection conflict warning system, 

and a roundabout. Over a period of 10 years, the 

project is expected to prevent 73 fatal and serious 

injury crashes.

New Jersey’s Roundabout Implementation 

Program. The intersection of CR 528 and CR 660 in 

Chesterfield Township had experienced severe 

crashes and had been identified for improvements, 

with a modern roundabout being the preferred 

The “instant roundabout” at the intersection of Poland 

Road and Edgewater Street in Loudoun County, Virginia 

reduced crashes by 89 percent. Image courtesy of

VDOT.

Map showing projected reductions in fatalities and serious 

injuries over a 10-year period in Franklin and Jefferson 

Counties. Image courtesy of MoDOT.
Winter 2018: Volume 12 Issue 1 Safety Compass Newsletter • 4

design alternative. Engineers and local officials were 

able to use innovative data-driven safety analysis 

tools to communicate the benefits of modern 

roundabouts to skeptical citizens, earning their 

support. Since installation, a before-and-after crash 

analysis indicated a 100 percent reduction of rightangle and left-turn crashes on the roundabout, which 

was completed in 2014. Due to the success of this 

installation, construction of modern roundabouts has 

since been approved in nine counties, and several 

others are in the process of submitting applications.

Tennessee’s Safety Projects Evaluation. To 

determine the effectiveness of a variety of safety 

improvements made in recent years, the Tennessee

DOT (TDOT) committed to analyzing the 

effectiveness of safety projects implemented in its 

Highway Safety Improvement Program between 

2011 and 2014 in a two-phase analysis. Using 3 

years of pre-treatment (“before”) crash data and 3 

years of post-treatment (“after”) crash data, the 

Phase One analysis examined 261 sites and found 

that the TDOT safety program has been successful 

in reducing crash frequency by 60 percent. In Phase 

Two, TDOT conducted an Empirical Bayes beforeand-after evaluation of 45 sites and found that 56 

percent of treated sites had seen a reduction in aftercrash frequency compared to before-crash 

frequency.

SUPPORTING THE STATES AND TRIBES: FEDERAL AID PROGRAMS

STRATEGIC SAFETY PLAN FOR TRIBAL 

TRANSPORTATION IDENTIFIES HIGH 

PRIORITY NEEDS

By: Adam Larsen, Office of Federal Lands Highway

Transportation safety issues are overrepresented 

among Native American and Alaska Native 

populations. Based on the available data, which is 

known to be underreported, motor vehicle crashes 

caused an average of 655 fatalities each year in 

Tribal areas.

What causes these fatal 

crashes to happen? To 

answer this question, the 

Tribal Transportation 

Safety Management 

System (SMS) Steering 

Committee researched 5

years of fatality data, 

transportation safety plans 

developed by tribes, and 

other data sources. The 

committee used this analysis to identify seven 

topics to emphasize in a Tribal Transportation 

Strategic Safety Plan (the Safety Plan), which was 

published in August. A follow-on report to Congress 

summarizing this safety plan will be published 

soon. 

The Safety Plan also identifies overall trends, which 

may help to guide national technical assistance 

efforts and may be useful for State and Tribal 

planning efforts. However, each Tribal government 

is strongly encouraged to develop a local road 

safety plan that reflects a local data analysis and 

safety priorities.

The seven topics that the committee identified as 

being of greatest concern in Tribal areas include:

General Topics:

• Decision Making Process – A successful safety 

program must have clear direction. The Safety 

Plan includes resources that can be used to help 

the Tribes develop strategic safety plans and 

use those plans to manage a coordinated safety 

program.

• Crash Data Availability and Limitations – As 

identified in a prior report to Congress, improvements in the quality and types of crash data 

collected are needed in many Tribal areas. 

Emphasis Topics:

• Occupant Protection/Child Passenger Seats –

Over half of all fatalities in the studied Tribal 

areas were not using safety restraints. 

• Roadway Departure – Errant drivers leaving the 

proper lane or roadway represent a large portion 

of fatal crashes in Tribal areas.

• Impaired Driving – Statistics for impaired driving 

are estimated to be slightly higher in Tribal areas 

than in the overall United States. 

• Pedestrian Safety – Many Native American 

communities have citizens walking greater 

distances on a regular basis, and most pedestrian crashes in Tribal areas occur at a location 

other than an intersection or marked crosswalk. 

As a result, pedestrian safety is identified as a 
Winter 2018: Volume 12 Issue 1 Safety Compass Newsletter • 5

top priority in many Tribal transportation safety 

plans. 

• Availability of Public Safety Services – The 

severity of an injury is often directly related to 

the speed with which proper medical attention 

can be provided. The time elapsed from EMS 

notification to arrival at a treatment facility is 

more than an hour in 44 percent of Tribal area 

fatalities compared to 23 percent of all fatal 

crashes in the United States. 

The Safety Plan also provides strategies and 

resources that can be used by Tribal governments 

to address these trends and improve safety within 

these focus areas. 

At present, the SMS Steering Committee is 

identifying and discussing a variety of options for 

supporting the Tribes in improving safety in these 

seven areas. These efforts may include a national 

Tribal safety conference, a webinar series 

dedicated to safety concerns within the focus 

areas, pilot projects, and case studies. In addition, 

the agencies on the committee will continue to 

provide technical assistance in these and other 

areas of concern where Tribes may request 

support. 

Additional resources and information, including a 

copy of the safety plan and a link to listen to live 

SMS meetings are on the SMS Steering Committee 

website. A mailing list is also available to those 

interested in regular updates on committee 

meetings and other items of interest related to 

Tribal transportation safety.

BY THE NUMBERS: SAFETY DATA AND ANALYSIS

ROADWAY SAFETY DATA PROGRAM—

TOOL AND TOOLBOX UPDATES

By: Stuart Thompson and Yanira Rivera (FHWA) 

and Frank Gross and Meg Bryson (VHB)

As any mechanic knows, using the right tools for 

the job is crucial. When the job is collecting, 

managing, and analyzing roadway safety data, 

where do you start? In December 2014, the FHWA 

Roadway Safety Data Program (RSDP) team 

launched a new resource—the Roadway Safety 

Data and Analysis Toolbox—to help users answer 

that question. The virtual Toolbox serves as a 

clearinghouse of roadway safety data and analysis 

tools such as guides, software, and databases from 

diverse sources. A web-based interface helps users 

to search and filter through nearly 200 safety data 

and analysis tools based on self-identified needs, 

capabilities, and resources.

FHWA performs regular maintenance to make sure 

that the Toolbox stays up to date. Since the launch 

of the Toolbox, FHWA has added new tools in 

direct response to States’ requests, updated 

hyperlinks, and removed and replaced obsolete 

tools. The following list highlights the select new 

tools added to the Toolbox in 2017. Users can click 

each tool title to read more and access the tool 

from the Toolbox.

FHWA’s Roadway Safety Data and Analysis Toolbox

New Tools Available

Primary Topic Area

Manage Analyze Collect Research

Roadway Data Extraction Tool User Guide

This application guide introduces users to the importance (and value) 

of high-quality safety data, safety data analysis tools and methods, 

and data-driven decision making. It focuses on the needs of safety 

data collectors and teaches users how to assess equipment, costs, 

and other resources required to collect and manage safety data.

 

Roadway Data Extraction Tool Implementation and Programming 

Guide

This application guide helps users better understand the needs of 

safety analysts and safety data collectors. It can help agencies

measure, maintain, or improve quality safety data by employing either

traditional or state-of-the-art techniques to collect high-quality safety 

data efficiently and cost effectively.

 
Winter 2018: Volume 12 Issue 1 Safety Compass Newsletter • 6

FHWA’s Roadway Safety Data and Analysis Toolbox

New Tools Available

Primary Topic Area

Manage Analyze Collect Research

Bicycle and Pedestrian Data Collection Manual

This application guide offers allows users to improve their 

understanding of safety data collection, management, and 

improvement with a focus on bicycle and pedestrian data.

   

A Performance-Based Highway Geometric Design Process

This information guide supports user understanding of the value of 

high-quality safety data and state-of-the-art safety data analysis tools 

and methods. It also focuses on the importance of safety data 

integration in supporting data-driven decision making in the safety 

management and project development processes as it relates to the 

performance-based design process.

 

Version 2.0 of The Calibrator Is Now 

Available!

In conjunction with the development of the Toolbox, 

FHWA developed several new tools to address 

priority gaps identified by the States. One of these 

is The Calibrator, which will help users calibrate 

safety performance functions (SPFs) and assess 

the compatibility and applicability of SPFs. The tool 

automates the calibration process and provides 

goodness-of-fit measures to assess how the SPF

performs over the range of data. Version 2.0 of The 

Calibrator corrects bugs identified in Version 1.0 

and includes an accompanying user guide and 

training materials on how to use the tool.

FHWA is currently developing Version 3.0 of The 

Calibrator. It will include new material developed for 

the second edition of the Highway Safety Manual. 

Specifically, it will allow users to estimate and 

assess calibration functions. It will also add new 

SPFs that will be included in the second edition of 

the Highway Safety Manual. If you have other 

suggestions for enhancements to The Calibrator, 

now is the time to act. Please click the following link 

to provide feedback or email Stuart Thompson 

directly at stuart.thompson@dot.gov.

MOVING BEYOND CRASH DATA 

The Second State Safety Data Capability 

Assessment 

By: Esther Strawder, FHWA Office of Safety

The foundation for effective highway safety 

decisions is great data. While crash data has 

played a vital role in safety planning to date, 

crashes are only part of the larger safety picture; 

roadway and traffic data are also essential. By 

incorporating roadway and traffic data into network 

screening analysis, prioritization, and countermeasure selection, decision makers can better 

identify safety barriers and prescribe solutions to 

improve safety and make more efficient and 

effective use of safety resources. 

The first State Safety Data Capability Assessment 

contributed to the evolution of more robust roadway 

data systems in each State by helping them identify 

gaps in their own programs while simultaneously 

collecting the information necessary to provide an

understanding of the national state of roadway data 

systems and capabilities. To assist States and 

Division offices in advancing the collection, 

analysis, and management of roadway safety data, 

the Office of Safety, in cooperation with NHTSA, is 

again evaluating the States to reassess their 

current safety data capability with a focus on 

roadway data. This second data capability 

assessment—an essential component of our longterm vision towards zero deaths and serious 

injuries on all public roadways—will identify gaps 

and initiate activities to move the Nation forward in 

safety data analysis.

The first step in the second assessment has been 

to update the process for assessing the data 

capabilities of the States and pilot the new process 

in Arizona, Missouri, Washington, and Louisiana. 

This process is based on the Capability Maturity 

Model (CMM) concept, which originated in the 

information technology arena to track the development of sophisticated software systems. These 

models are now being more widely applied as a 

means for identifying phases of growth and 

development from a combined qualitative and 

quantitative perspective. Using the updated CMM 

platform, each State will be given an objective 
Winter 2018: Volume 12 Issue 1 Safety Compass Newsletter • 7

2017 VERSION OF IHSDM NOW AVAILABLE!

By: Abdul Zineddin, FHWA Office of Safety R&D

On September 15, 2017, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released version 13.0.0 of the 

Interactive Highway Safety Design Model (IHSDM), a suite of software analysis tools for evaluating the 

safety and operational effects of geometric design decisions. With the addition of a new Economic 

Analyses (EA) Tool in this NEW 2017 IHSDM 

release, users can now conduct economic 

analyses within IHSDM using Crash Prediction 

Module (CPM) evaluation results (crash 

frequencies and severities). The initial version of 

the IHSDM EA Tool applies to freeways and will 

be expanded to include all facility types covered 

by Part C of AASHTO’s Highway Safety Manual 

(HSM).

IHSDM supports the Data-Driven Safety Analysis 

initiative as part of FHWA’s Every Day Counts 3 

(EDC3) efforts. The CPM, for example, is a 

powerful tool that implements HSM Part C, 

Predictive Methods, for rural two-lane highways, rural multilane highways, urban/suburban arterials, 

and freeways and interchanges. Typical applications of the CPM include evaluating the safety impact of 

highway improvements, comparing the relative safety performance of design alternatives, and 

assessing the cost effectiveness of design decisions vis-à-vis the safety result. 

IHSDM includes six evaluation modules, which provide quantitative information on the expected safety 

and operational performance of a highway design: Crash Prediction, Policy Review, Design 

Consistency, Traffic Analysis, Intersection Review, and Driver/Vehicle. 

IHSDM software can be downloaded free of charge at the Interactive Highway Safety Design Model 

web site. For more information, contact Abdul Zineddin at abdul.zineddin@dot.gov

review of its current capabilities status and an 

action plan framework that outlines steps for 

moving forward to strengthen less developed data 

capabilities and maintain or advance areas that 

have already achieved higher capability levels. 

Next Steps

Over the next several months, FHWA will compile 

existing information for each of the pilot States to fill 

out as much of the assessment questionnaire as 

possible prior to meeting with agency staff. The 

project team will review all of the resources that 

contain information on a State’s safety data that 

currently exist, including:

• Traffic Records Assessments.

• Strategic Plans for Traffic Records Improvement.

• Strategic Highway Safety Plans.

• Traffic Records Improvement Program Reporting 

System.

• Highway Safety Improvement Program Annual 

Reports.

• Model Inventory of Roadway Elements

Management Information System site visits.

• Highway Safety Information System databases 

and reports.

While the results of this project will serve as an 

important snapshot of the current systems and 

capabilities, they will also serve as an internal 

scorecard by which agencies can measure their 

own improvement and provide a gap analysis for 

future enhancements. Long-term, this effort will 

give FHWA and the pilot States a very valuable 

performance measure for funding future projects 
Winter 2018: Volume 12 Issue 1 Safety Compass Newsletter • 8

that will also be useful in tracking longer 

term economic impacts of data 

investment.

While this project is expected to be 

complete in October 2018 and will inform 

a national report on these important 

State Safety Data Capability 

Assessments, the FHWA’s RSDP will 

also be enhanced to continue advancing

all safety data management practices. 

It’s worth noting that FHWA recognizes 

the importance of confidentiality, so the 

results of individual State assessments 

will not be shared with other States. 

States may do whatever they wish with 

their own results, but FHWA will not 

share these results. 

If you have further questions or 

comments about this project, or if you 

want to learn more about this 

assessment and how your State can

benefit from additional technical 

assistance, please contact: Esther 

Strawder at (202) 366-6836 or via email 

at esther.strawder@dot.gov.

FHWA ASSISTS COLORADO 

DOT WITH SAFETY ANALYSIS 

USING IHSDM

By: Emeka Ezekwemba, FHWA CO Division, 

Jerry Roche, FHWA Office of Safety, and 

Abdul Zineddin, FHWA Office of Safety R&D

I-225 is a 13-mile freeway that links I-70 

and I-25 in the Denver metropolitan 

area. This critical connector provides 

major access to numerous municipalities 

in Denver, Adams, and Arapahoe counties. In 

2016, the Colorado Department of Transportation

(CDOT) started development on an interim project 

to eliminate a 2-mile bottleneck on southbound 

I-225 by restriping the existing facility. Although the 

primary purpose of the project was congestion 

relief, CDOT also wanted to understand how both 

I-225 and the downstream I-25 corridor would 

perform from a safety perspective prior to implementation. There is a great deal of data that 

documents the effects of reducing lane widths from 

12 ft. to 11 ft., but CDOT wanted to understand the 

impacts of reduced lane widths in combination with 

a new travel lane, in conjunction with short sections 

of narrow shoulders, and concurrent with new 

access restrictions. Furthermore, the agency also 

wanted to gauge the corresponding impact to the 

surrounding local roadway network. 

To answer these questions, the Every Day Counts 

(EDC), Data Driven Safety Analysis (DDSA), and 

TFHRC’s Geometric Design Laboratory (GDL) 

teams provided technical assistance to CDOT and 

its partners by developing a Predictive Safety 

Model using the Interactive Highway Safety Design 

Model (IHSDM). 

IHSDM, or specifically the IHSDM Crash Prediction 

Module (CPM), directly implements the Highway 

Figure 1. I-225 / I-25 Study Area in IHSDM
Winter 2018: Volume 12 Issue 1 Safety Compass Newsletter • 9

I want to thank you for all the work on this project. Without your 

help and expertise in the IHSDM software this project would not 

have been able to go to construction.

— Jacob Southard, CDOT Project Engineer

Safety Manual (HSM). Its major benefit is 

that it automates much of the 

segmentation and data entry processes 

by allowing the user to upload design 

files directly (Figure 1). This automation 

then allows more complex data analysis 

and alternatives development to be completed on an accelerated schedule. In 

addition to the geometric design files, two other 

primary sets of data were supplied to run the 

model: historic crash data supplied by CDOT and 

existing and forecasted volumes supplied by the 

Denver Regional Council of Governments 

(DRCOG). 

By using the IHSDM tool, the project team quickly 

analyzed a combination of alternatives and effects. 

The notable features, combinations, and concepts 

that the Predictive Safety Model needed to address 

included: 

• Adding a lane through re-striping (2 lanes vs. 3 

lanes).

• Narrow lanes (12 ft. vs. 11 ft.).

• Narrow shoulders (2 – 4 ft.).

• Restricting the local on-ramp from accessing I25 southbound via I-225 (access to northbound 

I-25 is still allowed).

• Downstream impacts to I-25 from higher 

volumes.

• Local system impacts from local access 

restrictions.

• Providing a new on-ramp upstream (to offset or 

mitigate the local access restriction on the local 

I-25 on-ramp).

The Predictive Safety Model was very helpful in 

eliminating subjective arguments and expediting 

complex decision making to meet CDOT’s project 

schedule. The results of the analysis showed no 

significant adverse impact to safety.

The primary purpose of the project is to provide 

congestion relief, and that goal was supported by a 

traffic operations model that predicted an overwhelming amount of time savings. In the end,

however, the project was enhanced to include 

additional measures that would balance safety with 

operations. As noted in the list above, CDOT 

provided an upstream entry ramp to ensure emergency services could still access SB I-25 via 

I-225 from the restricted on-ramp in the Denver 

Technical Center. Minor shoulder widening was 

also included. In addition, CDOT and its partners 

committed to performing a before-and-after study 

and identified a near-term resurfacing project that 

could be used to implement any additional 

improvements. 

MORE COMPLETE STREETS

FHWA ADDS SIX NEW PROVEN 

SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES FOR 2017

By: Jeffrey Shaw, FHWA Office of Safety

In September 2017, the FHWA Office of Safety 

introduced an additional six proven safety countermeasures to enhance the already robust portfolio of 

safety strategies for State and local transportation 

professionals to consider implementing as part of 

their efforts to improve safety on the Nation’s 

roadways. 

The Proven Safety Countermeasures initiative 

(PSCi) began in 2008 with nine countermeasures 

and strategies. The vision and goal of the PSCi 

established then remains the same today: to 

encourage the widespread implementation of 

select, proven safety treatments and strategies to 

accelerate efforts to save lives and prevent injuries 

on our Nation’s roads. The initiative was updated in 

2012 with five additional countermeasures that 

aligned with the data-driven, focused approach 

pillars of the FHWA Safety Program: Roadway 

Departure, Intersections, and Pedestrians/Bicycles. 

This most recent update of the initiative adds six 

new countermeasures and crosscutting strategies.

The comprehensive list of all 20 Proven Safety 

Counter-measures is diverse and broad, and while 

it aligns with the three FHWA Safety Focus Areas, 

it also includes crosscutting strategies. Visit the 

Proven Safety Countermeasures web page today 

to learn more about these and other effective safety 

countermeasures for rural roads and urban streets 

alike.

For more information or assistance, please contact 

Jeffrey Shaw at jeffrey.shaw@dot.gov.
Winter 2018: Volume 12 Issue 1 Safety Compass Newsletter • 10

FHWA's Six New Proven Safety Countermeasures

Reduced Left-Turn Conflict Intersections Leading Pedestrian Intervals

Systemic Application of Multiple Low-Cost 

Countermeasures at Stop-Controlled 

Intersections

Local Road Safety Plans

Roadside Design Improvements at Curves

USLIMITS2 (a tool to aid 

practitioners in determining 

appropriate speed limit 

recommendations).

NEW FHWA PEDESTRIAN 

COUNTERMEASURE TECH SHEETS NOW 

AVAILABLE 

By: Becky Crowe, FHWA Office of Safety 

The newly released EDC-4 Safe Transportation for 

Every Pedestrian (STEP) tech sheets provide 

information to transportation planners, traffic safety 

engineers, and other decision makers about the 

safety benefits and design considerations for the 

five STEP countermeasures. Each tech sheet is a 

two-page, full-color summary with illustrations and 

safety statistics for the following countermeasures: 

crosswalk visibility enhancements, raised crosswalks, pedestrian refuge islands, pedestrian hybrid 

beacons (PHB), and Road Diets. 

The first page of each tech sheet prominently 

displays the Crash Reduction Factor (CRF) for the 

countermeasure. The CRF is the percentage crash 

reduction that might be expected after implementing a given countermeasure at a specific site. 

PHBs, advance stop/yield signage, and pedestrian 

refuge islands feature updated CRFs from the 

newly published NCHRP Report 841: Development 

of Crash Modification Factors.

1 For example, this 

report found a CRF of 32 percent for pedestrian 

crashes at locations with pedestrian refuge islands. 

The remaining countermeasures include CRFs 

from other sources, including the 2008 report 

“NCHRP Report 617: Accident Modification Factors 

for Traffic Engineering and ITS Improvements”2 and 

the 2012 Accident Prevention & Analysis article 

“Safety Countermeasures and Crash Reduction in 

New York City—Experience and Lessons 

Learned.”

3 The second page provides additional 

photo examples and design considerations 

including AADT, roadway speeds, and long-term 

maintenance concerns. For example, when 

considering crosswalk visibility enhancements, the 

designer should place parking restrictions, advance 

warning signs, and advance stop/yield markings at 

least 20 feet from the crosswalk. When considering 

raised crosswalks, the designer should avoid 

priority transit or emergency routes and consider 

drainage, snow removal, and maintenance of instreet warning signs. 

Each tech sheet also provides helpful graphics, 

such as the rendering of a PHB installation shown 

in Figure 1, which includes an advance stop bar 

and warning sign, overhead lighting placed before 

the crosswalk, and the beacon head. Other 

countermeasure renderings show options for 

parking restrictions, curb extensions, bicycle lanes, 

and other roadway design features. Agencies can 

Figure 1. Pedestrian hybrid beacon tech sheet 

rendering. Source: FHWA.
Winter 2018: Volume 12 Issue 1 Safety Compass Newsletter • 11

refer to these renderings for examples of how the 

countermeasure may appear on a roadway or in 

combination with other safety features, such as 

pavement markings and overhead lighting. 

Illustrations also include signage that may increase 

visibility of the crossing or are recommended per 

the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. 

The tech sheets also include per-unit cost averages 

or ranges to install the countermeasure based on 

the 2013 Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center 

article “Costs for Pedestrian and Bicyclist 

Infrastructure Improvements: A Resource for 

Researchers, Engineers, Planners, and the 

General Public.” 4 For example, the tech sheet for 

pedestrian refuge island explains that the cost to 

install is an average of $10 per square foot, but 

costs can be higher when using concrete instead of 

asphalt.

FHWA is producing additional guidance—planned 

for release by early 2018—to assist agencies with 

the countermeasure selection. The tech sheets are

available on the FHWA STEP website. 

State and local transportation professionals should 

consider sharing the tech sheets as educational 

materials when discussing pedestrian safety and 

design improvements with the public and decisionmakers. The tech sheets’ succinct descriptions, 

updated safety benefits, and illustrations of the 

countermeasures may help agencies take “steps” 

towards a safer pedestrian environment.

For more information, contact your local FHWA 

Division office or Becky Crowe, STEP program 

manager, at rebecca.crowe@dot.gov.

1 C. Zegeer et al., NCHRP Report 841: Development of Crash 

Modification Factors for Uncontrolled Pedestrian Crossing 

Treatments. Washington, DC: Transportation Research Board 

of the National Academies, 2017.

2 D.L., Harkey et al., NCHRP Report 617: Crash Reduction 

Factors for Traffic Engineering and ITS Improvements. 

Washington, D.C.: Transportation Research Board of the 

National Academies, 2008.

3 L. Chen, et al., “Safety countermeasures and crash reduction 

in New York City—Experience and lessons learned.” Accident 

Analysis & Prevention 50 (2012): pp. 312-322. 4 M., Bushell, B. Poole, C. Zegeer, & D. Rodriguez., Costs for 

Pedestrian and Bicyclist Infrastructure Improvements: A 

Resource for Researchers, Engineers, Planners, and the 

General Public. Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, 

2013.

FHWA ISSUES REVISED GUIDE ON 

HOW TO DEVELOP A PEDESTRIAN AND 

BICYCLE SAFETY ACTION PLAN 

By: Tamara Redmon, FHWA Office of Safety

As bicycling and walking both for better health and 

as a transportation mode become more popular 

across the Nation, the number of fatalities and 

serious injuries among this vulnerable user group 

has increased, with 2015 witnessing a 9.5 percent 

surge in pedestrian fatalities and a 2.3 percent rise 

in bicycle fatalities from 2014, according to the 

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Accordingly, the Office of Safety has revised and 

re-issued the guide entitled How to Develop a 

Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Action Plan, which is 

aimed at helping State and local officials decide

where to begin to address pedestrian and bicycle 

safety issues. The newly updated guide, issued in 

the fall of 2017, is designed to help agencies 

enhance existing safety programs and activities, 

including identifying safety problems and selecting 

optimal solutions. The guide also serves as a 

reference for improving pedestrian and bicyclist

safety through a multidisciplinary, collaborative 

approach to safety that includes enhanced street 

designs and countermeasures, policies, and 

behavioral programs. Engineers, planners, safety

Multilane roads developed to prioritize automobiles often 

lack appropriate bicycle facilities. As speeds and 

volumes increase, a simple shared lane does not 

provide bicyclists with a comfortable, safe option. 

Source: PBIC Image Library/ Nicole Schneider.
Winter 2018: Volume 12 Issue 1 Safety Compass Newsletter • 12

professionals, public health and injury prevention 

professionals, and decision makers who have 

responsibility for improving pedestrian and bicycle 

safety at the State or local level will find this guide 

useful. Users will be able to develop Pedestrian 

and Bicycle Safety Action Plans that will:

• Acknowledge the unique needs of pedestrians 

and bicyclists among road users and lay out 

clear, measurable goals for improving their 

safety.

• Be data-driven and based on a complete 

understanding of the safety problem. 

• Take steps to ensure that all members of the 

community have opportunities to provide their 

input, because the plan is a reflection of the 

community’s goals and vision.

• Use audits and crash types to diagnose a safety 

problem accurately so that the policy, design, 

and behavioral interventions selected properly 

address the problem.

• Include specific recommendations for funding 

and supporting those recommendations with 

data or factual information. 

The guide also offers options for funding strategies 

and a variety of other resources for planning and 

implementing identified countermeasures, projects, 

and activities. For more information on the guide or 

for assistance with developing your Pedestrian and 

Bicycle Safety Action Plan, contact Tamara 

Redmon at tamara.redmon@dot.gov. 

WALK FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES 

PROGRAM ADVANCES PEDESTRIAN 

SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES

By: Becky Crowe, FHWA Office of Safety

Walk Friendly Communities (WFC) is a national 

recognition program developed to encourage 

municipalities across the United States to prioritize 

support for safe and comfortable walking 

environments. Supported by the Pedestrian and 

Bicycle Information Center and operated by the 

University of North Carolina Highway Safety 

Research Center, WFC supports the twin goals of 

increasing the level of walking and reducing 

pedestrian crashes through policies, projects, and 

programs. 

Since 2010, over 160 communities have submitted 

applications for assessment and recognition as a 

“Walk Friendly Community.” While every community receives detailed feedback, 64 communities 

have been recognized with a designation of 

Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum. The WFC 

assessment tool was developed through a review 

of relevant programs, guides, and research; collaboration among a diverse group of pedestrian 

experts; and pilot testing among communities. The 

designations are good for 5 years, so communities 

must reapply to maintain their designation or move 

up a level. 

In addition to assessing planning, education, 

encouragement, enforcement, and evaluation 

practices, the WFC assessment tool asks applicants to explain their design guidelines and implementation of proven safety countermeasures for 

both pedestrians and other roadway users. Many of 

these countermeasures used among communities 

recognized as being Walk Friendly are being 

promoted through the Every Day Counts (EDC-4)

Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian (STEP) 

program; for example, crosswalk visibility enhancements, raised crosswalks, pedestrian refuge 

islands, Road Diets, and pedestrian hybrid 

beacons.

Communities that have received a Walk Friendly 

designation have a demonstrated commitment from 

staff, advocates, and elected officials to ensure that 

street projects include safety improvements for 

pedestrians. Some communities have programs 

that support standalone pedestrian improvements 

like sidewalks or the systemic installation of a 

safety countermeasure like high-visibility crosswalks, refuge islands along corridors, or pedestrian 

hybrid beacons.

In October 2017, the WFC program recognized 

eight communities. Columbus, OH, received a 

silver-level designation and seven other 

communities were re-designated: 

Gold: 

• Washington, D.C.

Silver: 

• Long Beach, CA

• Redwood City, CA

Bronze: 

• Essex Junction, VT 

• Gainesville, FL

• Northampton, MA

• Sitka, AK 
Winter 2018: Volume 12 Issue 1 Safety Compass Newsletter • 13

These communities range in size from 8,000 to 

850,000 residents. Regardless of size, however,

they all offer examples of how to make streets safer 

for pedestrians. For example:

Columbus, OH, (pop. 824,000) evaluates locations 

for midblock crosswalks and visibility improvements when roadways are resurfaced or improved, 

when development occurs in the area, and in 

response to safety concerns. The city is currently 

working on a street design manual that will 

formalize many of the city’s practices for installing 

pedestrian crash countermeasures.

Since first applying in 2012, Washington, D.C.

(pop. 674,000), has installed dozens of curb 

extensions and pedestrian refuge islands to 

improve visibility and shorten the crossing distance 

for pedestrians. The city has also installed 16 

pedestrian hybrid beacons in the last 5 years and 

routinely conducts safety evaluations for many of its 

countermeasure projects.

In Northampton, MA (pop. 28,000), the Public 

Works department includes sidewalks and 

pedestrian improvements in their roadwork 

projects, and Northampton is currently transforming 

a gateway road into the city with lane narrowing, 

curb extensions, pedestrian refuge islands, raised 

crosswalks, sidewalks, and a raised intersection.

WFC applications are accepted twice each year, so 

check the WFC website for important information 

about the process and to access an assessment 

tool that helps communities plan for and prepare 

their applications. For more information, please 

send an email to info@walkfriendly.org. For more 

information about STEP or other information on 

improving pedestrian safety, please contact your 

local FHWA Division office or Becky Crowe, STEP 

program manager, at rebecca.crowe@dot.gov.

THE CITY OF RICHMOND IS A VISION 

ZERO CITY!

By: Karen King, FHWA Virginia Division

Embracing the goal of eliminating traffic deaths, 

Mayor Levar Stoney signed a pledge to make 

Richmond, VA, a Vision Zero city on October 27, 

2017. That commitment puts the city in alignment 

with others striving to dramatically reduce and even 

eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries by 

2030. The City’s Safe and Healthy Street 

Commission is charged with developing the Vision 

Zero plan and plan to have it complete by February 

2018. This commission is multidisciplinary with 

active participation from the police department, 

public health, engineering and active citizen 

involvement.

Richmond Major Levar Stoney officially makes 

Richmond, Virginia, a Vision Zero city.

Photo courtesy of the Richmond Times-Dispatch

City leadership is focusing on a different message 

each month for 2018, encouraging discussion and 

awareness of community meeting announcements, 

neighborhood newsletters and social media 

discussion groups. Messages will focus on 

increasing awareness of people who walk; drive 

unbelted, drowsy, or impaired; walk across 

railroads; work on the roads; bike; and ride 

motorcycles, among others. 

Example of a pedestrian refuge island. 

Source: www.pedbikeimages.org/Dan Burden
Winter 2018: Volume 12 Issue 1 Safety Compass Newsletter • 14

SAFETY FOCUS AREA: ROADWAY DEPARTURE

NEW REPORT DETAILS RESULTS OF 3D

ULTRA LASER IMAGING FOR PAVEMENT 

SURFACE ANALYSIS 

By: Joseph Cheung, FHWA Office of Safety

The FHWA Office of Safety – Safety Design Team 

recently completed a Pavement Safety Analysis 

research project entitled “Safety Analysis Opportunities Using Pavement Surface Characterization 

Based on 3D Laser Imaging.” This project demonstrated the use of the state-of-the-art 3D Ultra 

Laser imaging data collection methodology, which 

incorporates an integrated data platform and higher 

data resolution. This technology offers full-width 

pavement coverage, less interruption to traffic, and

more robust software solutions that will result in a 

more efficient and cost-effective data collection 

process. It may also potentially lead to new 

measurement standards that will improve pavement 

safety evaluation, as pavement surface properties 

play critical roles in maintaining proper interaction 

between tire and pavement in addition to allowing 

for the necessary level of drainage for both 

pavement and safety management. 

The project, which collected pavement surface 

characteristic data in several States, also demonstrates the value of continuous friction measurement with state-of-the-art safety analysis tool as 

part of pavement friction management program.

Specifically, three applications based on 3D Ultra 

have been investigated in this study for various 

aspects of pavement surface safety analysis:

• Effectiveness and performance of High Friction 

Surface Treatment (HFST) at the national level.

• Investigation of geometric texture indicators for 

pavement safety with 1mm 3D data.

• Evaluation of pavement surface hydroplaning 

with 1mm 3D data.

The project is now available on the Office of 

Safety’s Pavement Friction Resources page. For

additional questions, please contact Joseph 

Cheung at joseph.cheung@dot.gov.

LEARNING TOGETHER

ATTENDEES AT CT LOCAL SAFETY DATA 

INTEGRATION PEER EXCHANGE SHARE 

LESSONS, GAIN INSIGHTS

By: Stuart Thompson, FHWA Office of Safety

The Connecticut Local Safety Data Integration Peer 

Exchange was held in Wethersfield, CT, on 

September 7, 2017. Sponsored by the FHWA 

Office of Safety’s Roadway Safety Professional 

Capacity Building Program, the peer exchange 

drew participants from Federal, State, and local 

agencies in Connecticut, Kansas, Louisiana, and 

New York. Attendees shared perspectives on data 

sharing systems and data governance related to 

local roadway and crash data. 

The peer exchange is one element of an overall 

technical assistance effort in which FHWA is 

working with Connecticut DOT (CTDOT) to identify 

improvements in safety data integration using 

strategies identified in the Informational Guide for 

State, Tribal, and Local Safety Data Integration. 

With support from FHWA, Connecticut is working 

with groups composed of target agencies to 

develop a data business plan for the integration of 

safety data to improve safety capabilities on all 

public roads. The intent of this peer exchange was 

to review the steps in the safety data integration 

process presented at an earlier CTDOT workshop 

and to assess local agencies’ capability to collect 

integrate, and analyze safety data. The lessons and 

insights gained from the peer exchange will be 

incorporated into the Connecticut Safety Data 

Integration Business plan and shared with local 

participants.

Some overarching takeaways from the event that 

may be applicable to other States include:

• Take the time to build strong communi–

cations channels between the State DOT and 

local agencies. Local peers will work with the 

state DOT on data collection and maintenance 

efforts, but they want to be involved as partners 

with the State. Communication and collaboration 
Winter 2018: Volume 12 Issue 1 Safety Compass Newsletter • 15

could also be strengthened by involving regional

agencies, such as metropolitan planning 

organizations or councils of government, as an 

intermediary partner because they have preexisting, established relationships with local 

agencies. It’s important to keep in mind that, 

historically, efforts led by coalitions of local 

agencies tend to be the most successful, 

whereas efforts that are driven from the top 

down have struggled.

• Local agencies need State and Federal support for integration. Most local agencies lack 

sufficient resources, including both time and personnel, to address data collection or communication tasks adequately. DOTs should, where 

possible, aid local agencies in accessing both 

State and Federal funds for data integration 

efforts. 

• Streamlined tools and processes can ease 

the burden on local agencies. Giving local 

agencies access to tools and systems that 

integrate key linear reference and geospatial 

data sets, and ensuring that analysis and 

visualization interfaces are easy to use and 

navigate, can enable local officials to both better 

understand their local system and the challenges

that they face. It can also create buy in for 

further data integration. 

• FHWA can support both State and Local 

agencies. The Office of Safety is developing 

guidance and tools to provide a framework for

data integration and can also provide technical 

support or resources through HSIP funding.

FHWA's State and Local Data Integration Project is 

designed to help State, Tribal, and local agencies

identify cost-effective ways to develop safety data 

systems that integrate safety data on all public 

roads. For more information or to request technical 

assistance, please contact Stuart Thompson at 

stuart.thompson@dot.gov.

FHWA HOLDS SECOND RAILWAYHIGHWAY GRADE CROSSINGS SAFETY 

WEBINAR SERIES

By: Kelly Morton, FHWA Office of Safety

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and 

the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) held 

their second webinar in a new joint Webinar 

Railway-Highway Grade Crossings Safety Series 

on Wednesday, October 18, 2017. The webinar 

series discusses a variety of highway-rail grade 

crossing issues, as well as tools and strategies to 

enhance safety. This second webinar focused on 

the Grade Crossing Inventory reporting requirements, inventory systems and uses of inventory 

data. There were approximately 150 participants in 

this webinar, which was open to all partners including Federal, State, local, and railroad agencies. 

Recordings of the webinars are posted on the RailHighway Crossings Program webpage under the 

Resources section. The next webinar will be held in 

late January or early February 2018.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

SEEKING AGENCY PARTICIPATION – SAFETY DATA BUSINESS PLANNING

Data business planning helps State DOTs and partner agencies meet the need for safety data collection, 

integration, and analysis to support a safety data system. FHWA is seeking opportunities to work closely 

with agencies to improve safety data management and governance using strategies identified in the

recently published Guide for State Department of Transportation Safety Data Business Planning (FHWASA-17-047). FHWA invites States to request technical assistance in developing their own SDBP. The State 

DOT must be involved, but does not need to take the lead on the technical assistance. Technical 

assistance is available to help agencies produce a fully implementable plan by navigating the seven steps 

of developing an SDBP. If interested, please contact Stuart Thompson stuart.thompson@dot.gov.
Winter 2018: Volume 12 Issue 1 Safety Compass Newsletter • 16

2018 National Bike Summit, March 5–7, 2018, 

Washington, D.C. (http://bikeleague.org/summit).

This year's theme is “Grass Roots Grow Together,” 

and the focus will be on showcasing successes at 

the local level, learning how they happen and 

exploring ways to expand their reach. Peer learning 

is a critical component of growing and strengthening the bicycling movement, and will play an 

important role in this year’s event.

2018 National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 

9-13. The 2018 National Work Zone Awareness 

Week will be hosted by the state of Illinois, with a 

national kick-off event scheduled for Tuesday, April 

10. The proposed location for the kick-off event is 

the Jane Byrne Interchange reconstruction Project 

in the Chicago metro area. Visit https://ops.fhwa.

dot.gov/wz/outreach/wz_awareness.htm to learn 

more about this event and for resources that can 

help you improve work zone safety in your State.

2018 Lifesavers Conference, April 22-24, 2018, San 

Antonio, TX (https://lifesaversconference.org/). The 

Lifesavers Conference brings together a unique 

combination of public health and safety professionals, researchers, advocates, practitioners and 

students committed to sharing best practices, 

research, and policy initiatives that are proven to 

work. Workshops will address a wide variety of 

safety-related issues from across the 4Es of safety. 

NACE, April 22-26, 2018 Annual Meeting/

Management & Technical Conference, Wisconsin 

Dells, WI (http://www.naceevents.org/

about-nace-2018). This annual conference will allow 

attendees to compare competing technologies and 

services, yet spend quality time with the solution 

providers and peers. The conference includes a 

series of sessions on topics related to construction 

and construction management, pavement surfacing 

and preservation, emergency management, local 

road safety plans, and much more.

Visit the FHWA Office of Safety at Booth 422 in the TRB exhibit hall!

If you are attending the 97th Annual Transportation Research Board meeting this January, be sure to stop by 

booth 422 in the exhibit hall to check out all the Office of Safety has to offer.

We will be featuring free materials from all of our program areas, including:

• The Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP)

• Intersection Safety

• Local and Rural Road Safety

• Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety

• Roadway Departure Safety

• The Roadway Safety Data Program

• Speed Management

• Nighttime Visibility

• Highway-Railway Grade Crossings

• Zero Deaths 

• Transportation Safety Planning

• Proven Safety Countermeasures

• Road Diets

• STEP

• DDSA

• Safety Edge

• Safety Performance Targets

• Curves

Exhibit Hours will be as follows:

Sunday, January 7: 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM 

Monday, January 8: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM 

Tuesday, January 9: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

For more information, please contact Tara McLoughlin at 202-366-2176 or tara.mcloughlin@dot.gov
Winter 2018: Volume 12 Issue 1 Safety Compass Newsletter • 17

The Safety Compass Newsletter

is a publication of the U.S. 

Department of Transportation, 

Federal Highway Administration.

The Federal Highway 

Administration publishes the Safety 

Compass newsletter three times a 

year. We can be reached at:

FHWA Office of Safety

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE

Room E71-320

Washington, DC 20590

The Safety Compass is available online at the FHWA Office of Safety 

website at: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/newsletter/safetycompass/.

We welcome your comments and highway safety-related articles. The 

purpose of this newsletter is to increase highway safety awareness and 

information and to provide resources to help save lives.

We encourage readers to submit highway safety articles that might be of 

value to the highway safety community. Send your comments, questions 

and articles for review electronically to Tara McLoughlin at:

tara.mcloughlin@dot.gov.