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HSIP Project Identification

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About the HSIP Noteworthy Practice Series

The Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) is a core Federal-aid highway program with the primary purpose of achieving a significant reduction in fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads. Many states and local agencies are successfully implementing innovative approaches to HSIP planning, implementation, and evaluation. The HSIP Noteworthy Practices Series presents case studies of these successful practices organized by specific HSIP topics. The individual case studies provide summaries of each practice, key accomplishments, results, and contact information for those interested in learning more.

HSIP Project Identification

States are required (23 U.S.C. 148) to perform safety project identification and analysis as part of the HSIP. However, the law does not specify the methodologies states shall use. The HSIP Manual (FHWA-SA-09-029) outlines the following steps for project identification: collect and analyze data; identify crash types and contributing factors; establish a crash pattern; conduct field reviews; identify countermeasures; assess countermeasure effectiveness; and use the current science (e.g., crash modification factors) to determine and prioritize project selection. The goal is to use data-driven decision making to identify and prioritize projects with the greatest potential for reducing deaths and serious injuries on all public roadways.

In practice, methods used to identify candidate project locations vary significantly from state to state. Many states identify potential locations for safety improvements based on crash frequency or rate, while some have begun to use more advanced methods that incorporate safety performance functions (SPFs) or the Empirical Bayes (EB) method. In addition, some states are changing focus from “hot spot” improvements to a systemic approach. Qualitative information commonly used to identify candidate safety projects include panel reviews, input from public and law enforcement, field reviews, and road safety audits (RSA).

Some state departments of transportation (DOT) select projects at the state level while others distribute funds to DOT District offices to use at each district’s discretion. Many states selecting projects at the state level solicit projects from DOT District offices and local agencies for consideration. States commonly conduct benefit-cost analyses to select and prioritize projects and rank them first using the highest benefit-cost ratio or net present value.

One of the biggest challenges to effective project identification is the lack of data, particularly for local roadways. Even when quality data are available, many states do not have the training, resources, or tools to apply the more advanced and rigorous data analysis methods necessary to use them effectively. In addition, competing political or institutional realities could impose non-data driven factors on the decision-making process, making it difficult to select those HSIP projects with the greatest potential to improve safety.

While many considerations enter into project selection, quantitative analysis should be used whenever possible in the prioritization process (e.g., comparing cost, effectiveness, and lifespan of the project). Quantitative information lends objectivity to the decision making process and helps maximize the safety benefit for the resources invested.

Noteworthy Practices

The following cases demonstrate noteworthy practices several states are using in HSIP project identification:

To access these full case studies, click on the individual links above or visit the FHWA Office of Safety on-line at: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/.

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Page last modified on June 17, 2011
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