DATA

How To Get A Safety Project Funded

In 3 Easy Steps

Step 1: Pre-Requisites for Eval. • Purpose & Need focused on Safety

• Aligned with Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) Emphasis

Area • High Potential for Safety Improvement (PSI)/Abnormal

OR; Systemic Approach (Risk factors identified through data analysis) AND/OR; Benefit Cost Ratio ≥ 1

• Safety Effectiveness (Do the recommended alternatives

address crash history or potential for reducing crashes?)

Step 2: Safety Evaluation Factors

• Crash History (56 max pts)

• Potential Safety Risks Based On Existing Condition (24 max pts)

• Potential Safety Risks Reduction Based On Proposed Project Scope (40 max pts) (Should include FHWA Proven Countermeasures)

Score: Total Potential Points=120 BONUS POINTS (RSA/HSM analysis) = 10 max pts

Step 3: Feasibility Eval. Factors

• Safety Benefit Cost Ratio (20 max pts) • Stakeholder Support (Dist., MPO, LPA, Reg. Safety Coal.) (12

max pts) • Sponsor’s Commitment to previous HSIP projects (12

max pts)

• Right-of-Way Required (12 max pts) • Utility Relocation(s) Required (12 max pts) • Construction Cost (8 max pts) • Other (Environ. Impacts, Permits, Railroad) (8 max pts) • Consistent with Plans for Other Nearby Proj. (8 max pts)

Feasibility Evaluation Score: Total Potential Points 92

What happens to a project if the cost goes up? Rescope to address the safety issue only, if utilities, R/W, or Envir. cost increase drastically, then project could be cancelled b/c it isn’t feasible. Maybe consider low-cost safety improvements.

What if my project total is $4M but it is a district wide project? Could my project still get funded? Yes, it can still get funded if it is a true safety project, each site will be individually evaluated for cost. We need a traffic light at our intersection! How many people have to die before we can get one? Many feel a signal is a safe alternative to no signal. A traffic analysis must be performed to warrant the signal. Other alternatives could be to install J-Turns and RCUTs, roundabout or even stop signs. Can I call the Safety Section to request safety funds as a supplement to other funding on an existing project? As much as we would love to help all projects with safety there are steps that must be followed. First is to provide a stage 0 to the safety section. Second, it must meet the qualifications. Third, if we have the funds available for the year you are wanting them. The safety program keeps 2 years fully funded with safety projects so at times it may be difficult to have access to the funds because other projects are already on the schedule. Can I incorporate cutting edge/new technology into safety projects? How do I get approved? Once again, a stage 0 must be submitted to the safety section for review. The new technology must provide some data to support how this will prove to save lives, reduce a specific crash type and FHWA must approve the use.

Why are they putting sidewalks on the interstate? Those are not sidewalks, that is the pad used for the supports for the cable barriers. The cable barriers prevent cross-over crashes which have a high likelihood of head on collisions and fatalities. What does the score mean on the evaluation and how is it used? The score and the B/C ratio are used for prioritizing safety projects. At the current time we have enough money to fund our safety projects but in the future it could come down to setting priorities and the scores will be used. Currently the scores are used for moving project up in the program.

What happens to a project if the cost goes up?

What if my project total is $4M but it is a district wide project? Could my project still get funded? We need a traffic light at our intersection! How many people have to die before we can get one? Can I call the Safety Section to request safety funds as a supplement to other funding on an existing project? Can I incorporate cutting edge/new technology into safety projects? How do I get approved? Why are they putting sidewalks in the middle of the interstate? Where do I access the Stage 0 Form and who do I send it to? How are we going to maintain these additional safety measures? Cable barriers, extra signs, etc. What does the score mean on the evaluation and how is it used?