Metropolitan Planning Organization Safety Performance Measures Fact Sheet

Safety Performance Measures

The Safety Performance Management Measures regulation supports the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) and requires State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to set HSIP targets for 5 safety performance measures. This document highlights the requirements specific to MPOs and provides a comparison of MPO and State DOT responsibilities.

How do MPOs establish HSIP targets?

Coordination is the key for all stakeholders in setting HSIP targets. Stakeholders should work together to share data, review strategies and understand outcomes. MPOs must work with the State DOT. MPOs should also coordinate with the State Highway Safety Office, transit operators, local governments, the FHWA Division Office, National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) Regional Office, law enforcement and emergency medical services agencies, and others. By working together, considering and integrating the plans and programs of various safety stakeholders, MPOs will be better able to understand impacts to safety performance to establish appropriate HSIP targets. Coordination should start with the Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP). More information on the SHSP is available at http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/shsp/.

MPOs establish HSIP targets by either:

1. Agreeing to plan and program projects so that they contribute toward the accomplishment of the State DOT HSIP target or
2. Committing to a quantifiable HSIP target for the metropolitan planning area.

To provide MPOs with flexibility, MPOs may support all the State HSIP targets, establish their own specific numeric HSIP targets for all of the performance measures, or any combination. MPOs may support the State HSIP target for one or more individual performance measures and establish specific numeric targets for the other performance measures.

Volumes for HSIP Rate Targets: MPOs that establish fatality rate or serious injury rate HSIP targets must report the VMT estimate used for such targets, and the methodology used to develop the estimate, to the State DOT. For more information on volumes for HSIP rate targets, see https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/processes/tools/technical_guidance/index.cfm.

Roads addressed by MPO HSIP Targets: HSIP targets cover all public roadways within the metropolitan planning area boundary regardless of ownership or functional classification, just as State HSIP targets cover all public roads in the State.

How do MPOs with multi-State boundaries establish HSIP targets?

MPOs with multi-State boundaries must coordinate with all States involved. If an MPO with multi-State boundaries chooses to support a State HSIP target, it must do so for each State. For example, an MPO that extends into two States would agree to plan and program projects to contribute to two separate sets of HSIP targets (one for each State). If a multi-State MPO decides to establish its own HSIP target, the MPO would establish the target for the entire metropolitan planning area.

When do MPOs need to establish these targets?

States establish HSIP targets and report them for the upcoming calendar year in their HSIP annual report that is due August 31 each year. MPOs must establish HSIP targets within 180 days of the State establishing and reporting its HSIP targets. Since FHWA deems the HSIP reports submitted on August 31, MPOs must establish HSIP targets no later than February 27 of each year.

Where do MPOs report targets?

While States report their HSIP targets to FHWA in their annual HSIP report, MPOs do not report their HSIP targets directly to FHWA. Rather, the State(s) and MPO mutually agree on the manner in which the MPO reports the targets to its respective DOT(s). MPOs must include baseline safety performance, HSIP targets and progress toward achieving HSIP targets in the system performance report in the MTP.

Whether an MPO agrees to support a State HSIP target or establishes its own HSIP target the MPO would include in the MTP a systems performance report evaluating the condition and performance of the transportation system with respect to the safety performance targets described in the MTP including progress achieved by the MPO in achieving safety performance targets.

Assessment of Significant Progress

While FHWA will determine whether a State DOT has met or made significant progress toward meeting HSIP targets, it will not directly assess MPO progress toward meeting HSIP targets. However, FHWA will review MPO performance as part of ongoing transportation planning process reviews including the Transportation Management Area certification review and the Federal Planning Finding associated with the approval of the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program.

FHWA-SA-16-084