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Integrating Safety in the Rural Transportation Planning Process

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Federal Highway Administration
Office of Safety

FHWA-SA-14-102

November 2014

Notice

This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the use of the information contained in this document. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers' names may appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the objective of the document.

Quality Assurance Statement

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides high-quality information to serve Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. Standards and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of its information. FHWA periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs and processes for continuous quality improvement.

Technical Report Documentation Page

1. Report No.

FHWA-SA-14-102

2. Government Accession No.

3. Recipient's Catalog No.

4. Title and Subtitle

Integrating Safety in the Rural Transportation Planning Process

5. Report Date

November 2014

6. Performing Organization Code

7. Author(s)

Nicole Waldheim, Susan Herbel, Ph.D., Carrie Kissel

8. Performing Organization Report No.

9. Performing Organization Name and Address

Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
4800 Hampden Lane, Suite 800
Bethesda, MD 20814

with

National Association of Development Organizations
400 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 390
Washington, DC 20001

10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)

11. Contract or Grant No.

DTFH61-10-D-00020-T-14-001

12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address

Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
Office of Safety
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590

13. Type of Report and Period Covered

Technical Report

December 16, 2013 through December 31, 2014

14. Sponsoring Agency Code

FHWA

15. Supplementary Notes

FHWA Project Manager (COTM), Rosemarie Anderson

Technical Oversight Working Group: Raymond Concho, Pueblo of Acoma; Jesse Day, Piedmont Triad Regional Council; Lisa Davey-Bates, Lake County/City Area Planning Council; Dave Harris, FHWA Office of Planning; Amy Kessler, North Central Regional Planning and Development Commission; Lorrie Lau, FHWA Office of Planning; Chimai Ngo, FHWA Office of Safety; Garrett Pedersen, Iowa Department of Transportation; Rita Seto, Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commissions; Andrew Shepler, Ohio Department of Transportation; Andrew Smith, Central Arizona Governments; Joan Walton, Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments

16. Abstract

Rural areas consistently experience higher numbers of crash-related fatalities and serious injuries than urban areas. Regional planning organizations (RPO) are poised to assist state departments of transportation (DOT) and local officials in addressing the safety needs in nonmetropolitan areas in accordance with statewide safety goals. RPOs in general engage in a planning process to understand the regional issues and needs, and identify strategies to address them through coordination with regional stakeholders. The opportunity exists to incorporate safety into this existing process.

This Technical Report provides methods for integrating safety into each step of the RPO planning and programming process, to assist in addressing rural roads multimodal safety needs.

17. Key Words

Transportation safety planning, regional planning organizations, rural safety, planning process

18. Distribution Statement

No restrictions

19. Security Classif. (of this report)

Unclassified

20. Security Classif. (of this page)

Unclassified

21. No. of Pages

100

22. Price

N/A

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72)   Reproduction of completed pages authorized

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Project Objective

1.2 Target Audience

1.3 Research Approach

2.0 Safety and Transportation Planning

2.1 Legislation and Requirements

2.2 Planner's Role in Transportation Safety Planning

2.3 Defining Safety in the Rural Planning Context

2.4 Transportation Safety Challenges

2.5 RPO Transportation Planning Process

2.6 Fitting Safety into the RPO Transportation Planning Process

2.7 Committing to RPO Planning – Iowa Example

3.0 Methods for Integrating Safety into the Transportation Planning Process

3.1 Planning Worksheets

3.2 Public Involvement/Outreach

3.3 Multidisciplinary Coordination

3.4 Data and Analysis

3.5 Goals and Objectives

3.6 Safety Performance Measures and Targets

3.7 Project Prioritization and Programming

3.8 Monitoring and Evaluation

3.9 Developing a Safety Plan

4.0 Linking RPO Planning Documents

4.1 Strategic Highway Safety Plans

4.2 Local Comprehensive Plans

4.3 Other Modal Plans

5.0 Conclusion

Appendix A. Case Studies

Appendix B. Resources

Appendix C. Implementation Plan

C.1 Introduction

C.2 How to Use This Tool

C.3 Instructions

List of Tables

Table 2.1 Elements of the Transportation Planning Process

Table 2.2 Elements of the Transportation Planning Process

Table 3.1 Priority Planning Area Work Sheet, Public Involvement

Table 3.2 Priority Planning Area Work Sheet, Multidisciplinary Committees

Table 3.3 Priority Planning Area Work Sheet, Data and Analysis

Table 3.4 Priority Planning Work Sheet, Safety Goals and Objectives

Table 3.5 Priority Planning Area Work Sheet, Performance Measures and Targets

Table 3.6 Priority Planning Area Work Sheet, Project Prioritization and Programming

Table 3.7 Sample Tracking Template for Individual Safety Objectives

Table 3.8 Priority Planning Area Work Sheet Monitoring and Evaluation

Table A.1 Weighted Transportation Attributes Used for Ranking Recommended Projects in the Prioritization Matrix

Table B.1 Key Resources to Advance RPO Transportation Safety Planning

Table C.1 Implementation Worksheet

List of Figures

Figure 3.1 SeeClickFix Web Mapping Tool

Figure 3.2 Basic Crash Data Shown at South Central Planning Development Commission Transportation Planning Meeting, Annual Data for Fatalities and Serious Injuries

Figure 3.3 Basic Crash Data Shown at South Central Planning Development Commission Transportation Planning Meeting, Contributing Factors Data

Figure 3.4 Rappahannock-Rapidan Regional Commission (Virginia) Spatial Analysis

Figure 3.5 Survey Output from the Iowa Northland Regional COG

Figure 3.6 Iowa Northland Regional COG Crash Frequency Data by Jurisdiction, Number of Fatal Crashes per County, 2001-2010

Figure 3.7 Iowa Northland Regional COG Crash Frequency Data by Jurisdiction, Number of Fatal, Major Injury, and Minor Injury Crashes in Bremer County, 2001-2010

Figure 3.8 East Central Intergovernmental Association Crash Density Data

Figure 3.9 Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Planning Commission Contributing Factors Data

Figure 3.10 Florida-Alabama TPO Bicycle and Pedestrian Emphasis Area Data

Figure 3.11 Sample Data to Depict Crash Data Trends to Set Performance Targets

Figure 3.12 Sample Fatality and Serious Injury Data for Evaluation Purposes

Figure 3.13 Sample Data for Goal Area Monitoring and Evaluation

Figure 3.14 Piedmont Triad Speed Management Study Results

Figure A.1a Vermont Highway Safety Forum Registration Flyer

Figure A.1b Vermont Highway Safety Forum Registration Flyer (continued)

Figure C.1 Example Completed Implementation Worksheet

Figure C.2 Sample Blank Action Plan Worksheet for Opportunity/Strategy #2

Figure C.3 Sample Blank Action Plan Worksheet for Opportunity/Strategy #3

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Page last modified on February 10, 2015
Safe Roads for a Safer Future - Investment in roadway safety saves lives
Federal Highway Administration | 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE | Washington, DC 20590 | 202-366-4000