State Action Plans.

Debra (Dee) Chappell James (Jim) Dahlem FRA Office FHWA Office

of Safety of Safety

2015 National Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety Training Conference

Agenda

• What is an Action Plan?

• Recent History of State Action Plans

• Resource Guide

• Progress of the 10 State Action Plans

• Model Grade Crossing Action Plan

• Wrap Up

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ACTION PLANSWhat is an Action Plan?

An Action Plan is the mechanism to implement an organizational strategy or goal.

How is it different from a Program Plan or Strategic Plan?

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Program Plan (or Strategic Plan)

Action Plan

Describes what will be done.

Describes how it will be done.

History•The Railroad Safety Improvement Act

(RSIA) of 2008

• Required the 10 States with the highest number of grade crossing collisions during 2006, 2007, 2008 to develop a State highway-rail grade crossing actin plan

• AL, CA, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, LA, OH, TX

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History• According to the Railroad Safety

Improvement Act (RISA) of 2008• The action plans shall:

i. Identify specific solutions for improving safety at crossings, including highway-rail grade crossing closures or grade separations;

ii. Focus on crossings that have experienced multiple accidents or are at risk for such accidents; and

iii. Cover a five-year time period

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History•The Railroad Safety Improvement Act

(RISA) of 2008

• The 10 State Action Plans are linked from FHWA’s website at: https://www.safety.fhwa.dot.gov/xings

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History

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June 24, 2011 a westbound Amtrak train crosses US-95 near Miriam, NV

History

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• A truck drove through the crossing and struck the side of the train

• The flashing lights were activated and gates were down

History

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Six people diedSixteen were injured

History

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The NTSB concluded that the crash was the result of “the truck driver's delayed braking and the failure of John Davis Trucking to adequately maintain the brakes on the accident truck.”

The NTSB also recommended the FHWA and FRA develop a Model Grade Crossing Action Plan in response to this crash.

Model Grade Crossing Action Plan

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• Interim resource document on FRA’s website:

https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/Details/L16854

• Developed by FRA and FHWA for use by agencies wishing to update or create a State Action Plan

Some Thoughts…

• RSIA: The Action Plan may coordinate with other State/Federal planning requirements

• Establishment of FRA-approved metrics

• Coordinating effort will reduce level of effort/uneasiness by the States…not exactly true

• Crossing closures

• Crossing separations

• Multiple incidents at a crossing

• High-risk crossings

• High speed rail corridors

RSIA – Section 202

• Efforts to analyze data to strategically pinpoint safety needs

• Pedestrian issues (including ADA)

• Implementation/Experimentation of innovative technologies

• Education efforts

• Enforcement efforts

• What we heard…

• Great idea!

• We’ve been thinking/working on this for a while

• About time folks take rail seriously

• So all we have to do is use part of the HSIP report and respond to the Regulation?

• We are updating the SAP we sent you…should we forward this on to you as well?

• Team FRA: Supportive, yet Proactive to Get the Job Done!!

• What ELSE we heard…

• Unfunded mandate, and besides, we’re understaffed

• Hey, FRA…we’re not in the Top Ten

• We’re not interested in HSR funds

• We’ve done this report already…talk to FHWA, not us!

• CEBACOG!

• Team FRA: Supportive, yet Proactive to Get the Job Done!!

…and many more…

Suggested SAP Development Steps

•Pre-planning

•Planning

•Post-planning

• Implementation

•Plan review

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SAP Pre-planning

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• Create team• Plan review (current, surrogate

plans, other States, etc.)• Generate data for review• Identify goals/objectives• Identify scope• Brainstorm!

SAP Planning

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• Establish scope, goals and objectives• Generate additional data/metrics needed for

plan• Identify SAP resources (funding, manpower, etc.)• Determine implementation strategies and

priorities• Decide next steps, options, contingencies• Review and Modify…possibly over and over again

SAP Post-planning

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• Plan review/modification• Evaluate measures of success• Communicate• Communicate• Communicate• Prep for next iteration of SAP

SAP Implementation

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• Manage action items as planned

• Implement contingency plans as needed (and document)

• Review effectiveness and success of item in meeting SAP goal(s)

SAP Review (1/2)

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• Modify SAP due to changes in (examples):• Other Federal/State plans• Program mission statement• Legislative/Regulatory requirements• Funding• Data• Technology• Manpower• Other

SAP Review (2/2)

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• If modified, share with SAP Team!

• Share UP, DOWN and ACROSS!!!

• TEAM – Together Everyone Achieves More!

SuggestedPrograms/Projects for the SAP

• Roadway Approach Improvements

• MUTCD-type improvements

• Highway User Visibility

• Roadway Geometry

• Crossing Elimination

• Data Acquisition and Assessment

• Education and Awareness Efforts

• Communications

• Other

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Consider Sharing With Others

•Other States

•Stakeholders

•MPOs

•Counties, States, communities

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Our Wish…

• Utilize efforts to make efforts less challenging, but informative

• Maintain focus-it is an Action Plan

• Realistic

• Accountable

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Model Grade Crossing Action Plan

•Anticipated completion in first half of 2016

•Being developed by FHWA and FRA

•Developed with input from the States

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Model Grade Crossing Action Plan

Will include information on how to update or develop an Action Plan:

• Selecting appropriate stakeholders

• Gathering data and information

• Framework / Outline of sections of an Action Plan

• Implementation the Action Plan

• Evaluation and revisions29

Model Grade Crossing Action Plan

• For those States that have an action plan, what has been the most beneficial and what has been an area they’d like to change?

• For those States with an action plan, are they monitoring it, evaluating it, and / or planning on updating it?

• For those States without an action plan, do they see a benefit in developing one or do they think they will develop one if there is a model action plan?

• What kind of features/assistance/examples would they like to see in a model action plan?

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Questions?

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