2013 National Roadway Safety Awards

RUTGERS UNIVERSITY RECEIVES NATIONAL HONORS

Rutgers' Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) Recognized in Washington, DC

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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 Rutgers' Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) for its road safety audit program that they offer as a free service to New Jersey counties and municipalities.

The Transportation Safety Resource Center (TSRC) at CAIT, sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Transportation, is New Jersey's one-stop traffic safety resource center for local, county, and state government organizations. TSRC collaborates on safety initiatives with engineering guidance, crash data analysis, and free, on-site road safety audits (RSA).

The RSA program aims to reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries with site evaluations and recommended countermeasures that can significantly improve safety. They're also data-driven; TSRC's RSA sites are identified through crash data in partnership with metropolitan planning organizations and roadway owners.

"Rutgers' Transportation Safety Resource Center has provided a valuable tool to their community with their on-site road audits," said Gregory M. Cohen, P.E., Executive Director of the Roadway Safety Foundation. "There is no doubt that the expertise they offer to state and local governments can save lives on New Jersey's roadways."

"The Transportation Safety Resource Center's valuable programs and services help improve roadway safety in New Jersey communities," CAIT director Ali Maher, Ph.D. said. "As a U.S. Department of Transportation National University Transportation Center, Rutgers' Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation has a responsibility to keep U.S. infrastructure in good repair, fiscally efficient, and safe. The Transportation Safety Resource Center is one of our most important programs because safety is so fundamental to mobility and a healthy economy."

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.

FHWA 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.