2013 National Roadway Safety Awards

SOUTH CENTRAL PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION OF LOUISIANA RECEIVES NATIONAL HONORS

Proactive Traffic Safety Plan Recognized

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 6, 2013 CONTACT: Cathy Gillen desk (202) 857-1203 cell (443) 463-4449 cathygillen@roadwaysafety.org

(Washington, DC) — at an awards ceremony on Capitol Hill, the Roadway Safety Foundation (RSF) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) today recognized the South Central Planning & Development Commission (SCPDC) for its proactive data-driven action plan, the South Central Regional Transportation Safety Plan (SCRTSP), which is a product of collaboration between member agencies of the 14-year-old coalition, the South Central Safe Community Partnership (SCSCP).

Funded by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD), this living document follows through the same goals and strategies set by the Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP), whose mission is Destination Zero Deaths. It primarily seeks to implement road safety projects at the regional and local levels and reduce the number of roadway fatalities in the region by 50% in 2030.

The plan, which is supported by the Houma-Thibodaux Metropolitan Planning Organization, concentrates on four emphasis areas including: Occupant Protection; Alcohol Related Driving; Crashes Involving Young Drivers; and Infrastructure & Operations.

"We are proud to honor the South Central Planning & Development Commission for creating a path towards zero deaths by developing such a comprehensive traffic safety plan," said Gregory M. Cohen, P.E., Executive Director of the Roadway Safety Foundation. "The South Central Planning & Development Commission plan can serve as a model for other jurisdictions as they put their traffic safety plans to paper."

"Our coalition has been in existence for over a decade, and we've managed to maintain the momentum of collaboration. I'm happy to accept this award on behalf of the team," said Captain Darrin Naquin, Commander of Louisiana State Police Troop C and Chairman of the South Central Safe Community Partnership. "This shows that all the hard work and dedication of our partners is creating an impact. It's nice to be recognized at a national level. We will continue to work collaboratively towards saving lives."

National Roadway Safety Award recipients were evaluated on three criteria – innovation, effectiveness, and efficient use of resources. Program categories included infrastructure improvements, operational improvements, and program planning, development, and evaluation.

Blue Ribbon Panel Judges included: Philip J. Caruso, Deputy Executive Director for Technical Programs, Institute of Transportation Engineers; Gregory M. Cohen, P.E., Executive Director, Roadway Safety Foundation; William A. Crank, Senior Community Relations Manager, Michelin North America; Anthony Giancola, P.E., Consultant, formerly of the National Association of County Engineers; Michael Griffith, Director, FHWA Office of Safety Technologies; Tony Kane, Consultant, formerly of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and Richard Pain, Transportation Safety Coordinator, Transportation Research Board.

Roadway safety programs are a critical part of the nation's solutions to saving lives and preventing injuries on our nation's highways. There were 32,367 people killed in traffic crashes on U.S. roads in 2011.

The Federal Highway Administration and the Roadway Safety Foundation present the biennial National Roadway Safety Awards to programs and projects across the nation exhibiting excellence in roadway design, operations and planning. The RSF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable and educational organization solely dedicated to reducing the frequency and severity of motor vehicle crashes by improving the safety of America's roadways.

For additional information on RSF, please visit www.roadwaysafety.org; on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/roadwaysafetyfoundation; and on Twitter at @roadway_safety, #RoadwaySafetyAwards.

For additional information on FHWA safety programs, please visit http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov; on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/pages/Federal-Highway-Administration; and on Twitter at @USDOTFHWA, #RoadwaySafetyAwards.

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ATTENTION EDITORS – Digital photographs of the award winners at the luncheon in Washington, DC will be available. Detailed information on the award winning programs can be found at www.roadwaysafety.org.