Planning and Safety: A Comprehensive and
Collaborative Process
Michael D. Meyer, P.E., Professor
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology
Institutionally, we often meet challenges through mode-oriented
organizational, process & funding silos
Highway Trust Fund
Sec 148
DOTLocal
Is this any way to develop the best comprehensive safety program?
And, even inside SDOT’s……
My ThesisAlthough the focus of this meeting and your
professional interest is mostly on how to
develop a comprehensive highway safety
plan, you can have strong leverage in
influencing larger levels of investment that
occur through the transportation planning
and programming processes.
What skills do transportation planners
bring to the table?
-- Know the transportation process and the
funding “system”
-- Usually have good outreach and public
information capabilities
-- Comfortable with analysis and modeling
-- Good at providing the larger context
-- Tend to have a longer term vision
-- Many are entrepreneurial and willing to be
innovative
Generic Steps in Planning
EnvironmentalQuality
Economic Development
Mobility and Accessibility
VisionGoals and Objectives
PerformanceMeasures
Long- Range Plan
Implementation of Strategies
Short- (3-5 year) Range Program
AlternativeImprovement
Strategies
DataAnalysis Methods
Other Sources for Project
Ideas
SystemOperations
Evaluation
Policies
Operations strategies
Infrastructure projects
Studies
Regulations
Education and awareness
Enforcement
Financing strategies
Partnerships
Collaborative undertakings
Policies
Operations strategies
Infrastructure projects
Studies
Regulations
Education and awareness
Enforcement
Financing strategies
Partnerships
Collaborative undertakings
Understanding the Problem
Steps in Transportation Planning
EnvironmentalQuality
Economic Development
Mobility and Accessibility
VisionGoals and Objectives
PerformanceMeasures
Long- Range Plan
Implementation of Strategies
Short- (3-5 year) Range Program
AlternativeImprovement
Strategies
DataAnalysis Methods
Other Sources for Project
Ideas
SystemOperations
Safety Included in Vision
Policies
Operations strategies
Infrastructure projects
Studies
Regulations
Education and awareness
Enforcement
Financing strategies
Partnerships
Collaborative undertakings
Evaluation
Long- Range Plan
Implementation of Strategies
AlternativeImprovement
Strategies
Policies
Operations strategies
Infrastructure projects
Studies
Regulations
Education and awareness
Enforcement
Financing strategies
Partnerships
Collaborative undertakings
Steps in Transportation Planning
EnvironmentalQuality
Economic Development
Mobility and Accessibility
VisionGoals and Objectives
PerformanceMeasures
Long- Range Plan
Implementation of Strategies
Short- (3-5 year) Range Program
AlternativeImprovement
Strategies
DataAnalysis Methods
Other Sources for Project
Ideas
SystemOperations
Policies
Operations strategies
Infrastructure projects
Studies
Regulations
Education and awareness
Enforcement
Financing strategies
Partnerships
Collaborative undertakings
Evaluation
Long- Range Plan
Implementation of Strategies
AlternativeImprovement
Strategies
Policies
Operations strategies
Infrastructure projects
Studies
Regulations
Education and awareness
Enforcement
Financing strategies
Partnerships
Collaborative undertakings
Safety Performance
Measures
Safety Statedin Goals
Steps in Transportation Planning
EnvironmentalQuality
Economic Development
Mobility and Accessibility
VisionGoals and Objectives
PerformanceMeasures
Long- Range Plan
Implementation of Strategies
Short- (3-5 year) Range Program
AlternativeImprovement
Strategies
DataAnalysis Methods
Other Sources for Project
Ideas
SystemOperations
Safety Data Continuously
Collected
Safety Included in Analysis
Policies
Operations strategies
Infrastructure projects
Studies
Regulations
Education and awareness
Enforcement
Financing strategies
Partnerships
Collaborative undertakings
Evaluation
Consider Education Enforcement and
Emergency Response
Safety StrategiesConsidered
Steps in Transportation Planning
EnvironmentalQuality
Economic Development
Mobility and Accessibility
VisionGoals and Objectives
PerformanceMeasures
Long- Range Plan
Implementation of Strategies
Short- (3-5 year) Range Program
AlternativeImprovement
Strategies
DataAnalysis Methods
Other Sources for Project
Ideas
SystemOperations
Safety Strategies Included
Safety Partof Criteria Set
Policies
Operations strategies
Infrastructure projects
Studies
Regulations
Education and awareness
Enforcement
Financing strategies
Partnerships
Collaborative undertakings
Policies
Operations strategies
Infrastructure projects
Studies
Regulations
Education and awareness
Enforcement
Financing strategies
Partnerships
Collaborative undertakings
Evaluation
Steps in Transportation Planning
EnvironmentalQuality
Economic Development
Mobility and Accessibility
VisionGoals and Objectives
PerformanceMeasures
Long- Range Plan
Implementation of Strategies
Short- (3-5 year) Range Program
AlternativeImprovement
Strategies
DataAnalysis Methods
Other Sources for Project
Ideas
SystemOperations
Safety Integrated within Plan
Safety Projects
Programmed
Safety ExplicitlyPart of Project
Implementation
Policies
Operations strategies
Infrastructure projects
Studies
Regulations
Education and awareness
Enforcement
Financing strategies
Partnerships
Collaborative undertakings
Evaluation
Steps in Transportation Planning
EnvironmentalQuality
Economic Development
Mobility and Accessibility
VisionGoals and Objectives
PerformanceMeasures
Long- Range Plan
Implementation of Strategies
Short- (3-5 year) Range Program
AlternativeImprovement
Strategies
DataAnalysis Methods
Other Sources for Project
Ideas
SystemOperations
Continuous Monitoring of Safety in Operations
Policies
Operations strategies
Infrastructure projects
Studies
Regulations
Education and awareness
Enforcement
Financing strategies
Partnerships
Collaborative undertakings
Evaluation
Steps in Transportation Planning
EnvironmentalQuality
Economic Development
Mobility and Accessibility
VisionGoals and Objectives
PerformanceMeasures
Long- Range Plan
Implementation of Strategies
Short- (3-5 year) Range Program
AlternativeImprovement
Strategies
DataAnalysis Methods
Other Sources for Project
ideas
SystemOperations
Policies
Operations strategies
Infrastructure projects
Studies
Regulations
Education and awareness
Enforcement
Financing strategies
Partnerships
Collaborative undertakings
Policies
Operations strategies
Infrastructure projects
Studies
Regulations
Education and awareness
Enforcement
Financing strategies
Partnerships
Collaborative undertakings
Collaboration with safety stakeholders and the public
Safety Included in Vision
Safety Statedin Goals
Safety Performance
Measures
Continuous Monitoring of Safety in Operations
Safety Integrated within Plan
Safety Projects
Programmed
Safety ExplicitlyPart of Project
Implementation
Safety Strategies Included
Safety Partof Criteria set
Safety Data Continuously
Collected
Safety Included in Analysis
Consider Education Enforcement and
Emergency Response
Evaluation
Safety StrategiesConsidered
Assessing Your Planning Process…..
Does the vision statement for the planning process include safety?
Is there at least one planning goal and at least two objectives related to safety?
Are safety-related performance measures part of the set being used by the agency?
Are safety-related data used in problem identification and for identifying potential solutions?
Are safety analysis tools used regularly to analyze the potential impacts of prospective strategies and actions?
Are the evaluation criteria used for assessing the relative merits of different strategies and projects include safety issues?
Do the products of the planning process include at least some actions that focus on transportation safety?
To the extent that a prioritization scheme is used to develop a program of action for an agency, is safety one of the priority factors?
Is there a systematic monitoring process that collects data on the safety-related characteristics of transportation system performance, and feeds this information back into the planning and decision-making process?
Are all of the key safety stakeholders involved in the planning process?
HSIP
PL
SPR
NHS
STP
Minimum Guarantee
Planning Funds
Insurance industry
Automobile manufacturers
Private companies
Foundations
Non Traditional Planning Funds
Some State Examples
Minnesota’s Statewide Plan Policy Direction
Supporting each Policy:Outcomes ExpectedPerformance MeasuresPerformance TargetsGuidance for Use of PolicyExample Strategies for Policy
Implementation
Policy 7: Increase the Safety andSecurity of the TransportationSystems and their Users
Outcomes Reduce crash rates, fatalities and
personal injuries for all modes of transportation.
Maintain the security of travelers, freight and transportation systems.
Measures
Trunk Highway Crash Rate
Total Crashes - aviation - at-grade railroad crossings
Total Fatalities
Safety Relationship to Business Activities
Target:ReduceFatalities
Target:Reduce # of
High Crash Locations
Target:Replace 100% of striping on
schedule to achieve 365-day reflectivity
Action:Adjust signal phasing
Statewide Plan
District Plans & ATIP
Business Plan
Operations
Minnesota’s Prioritization Process
Minnesota’s Critical Strategy Categories
The 2005 update to the Washington Transportation Plan (WTP) is “a blueprintfor transportation programs and investments.”
State of Washington Laws and Regulations Directing State Action
Florida Short Range Component and Performance Report: Focus Area--Safety
By 2011, reduce the highway fatality rate on all public roads to or below 1.3 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.
By 2011, reduce the highway fatality rate on the State Highway System to or below 1.5 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.
By 2011, reduce the bicyclist fatality rate to or below 0.19 fatalities per 100,000 population.
By 2011, reduce the pedestrian fatality rate to or below 2.35 fatalities per 100,000 population.
Goal: A safer and more secure transportation system for residents, businesses, and visitors
Improve the safety of all modes of transportation comprising Florida’s transportation system, for all users, including roadway intersections and locations where modes intersect. Reduce the rates of motor vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries through design techniques and the application of the “4 E’s” engineering, education, enforcement, and emergency response strategies.
Goal: A safer and more secure transportation system for residents, businesses, and visitors
Focus resources proactively where opportunities for safety improvements are greatest, as identified by best available data and trends. Improve the security of Florida’s transportation system to deter and respond to attacks on transportation facilities or domestic targets, while ensuring mobility for all users.
Implementation Responsibility
--- Involves entities outside of the transportation field and require close coordination and effective working relationships with adequate support at all levels.
--- Safety lead roles involve FDOT and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (Florida Highway Patrol) at the state level and local governments and metropolitan planning organizations at the local level.
Implementation Responsibility, cont’d
--- Security lead roles involve the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Transportation Security Administration, other designated federal agencies, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, with FDOT and other transportation partners in a shared role focused on improving security of the transportation system.
Key Implementation Strategies
Include a safety improvement element with accountability measures in all aspects of transportation, from planning through implementation and operations.
Implement security policies and strategies to deter and respond to attacks on the transportation system and to deter use of the system to carry out attacks against domestic targets, while maintaining the intended function of the system.
Key Implementation Strategies, cont’d
Improve the safety of roads in rural and economically distressed areas.
Increase the use of intelligent transportation systems technology as a tool to improve transportation safety and security.
Improve compatibility of communications and other critical equipment used by FDOT and federal, state, and local safety and security responders.
Key Implementation Strategies, cont’d
Support safe and effective emergency management all levels – statewide, regional, and local – through appropriate connectivity among all elements of the transportation system and through coordinated planning among all partners.
Ensure that national security transportation needs involving Florida’s military facilities can be met during normal and elevated periods in future planning for the Strategic Intermodal System.
Key Implementation Strategies, cont’d
Coordinate with the U.S. DoD and other partners in planning for Strategic Highway Network (STRAHNET) and Strategic Rail Corridor Network (STRACNET) facilities that are also part of the Strategic Intermodal System (SIS) or provide direct connections between military facilities and the SIS.
Implement GIS capabilities for plotting crash data and provide statewide access to all safety partners.
Consider the travel information needs of Florida’s foreign visitors and non-English speaking residents where appropriate.
Road fatalities per head of population:Queensland, 1967-1998
6768
6970
7172
7374
7576
7778
7980
8182
8384
8586
8788
8990
9192
9394
9596
9798
99200
201202
203204
0
10
20
30
40F
ata
litie
s p
er
10
0,0
00
pe
op
le
0.10BAC
(1968)
Front seatbelts
(1969)
0.08 BAC(1974)
0.05 BAC(1982)
RBT(1988)
RID scheme(1986)
Qld Road SafetyStrategy (RRW,
bicyclehelmets,
etc (1993)
SpeedManagement
Strategy(1997)
Qld RoadSafety
Action Plan(1996) Qld Road
SafetyAction Plan(1997-98)
Steady improvements in road & vehicle engineering and emergency & medical procedures throughout the period
IncreasedRBT
(1997)
Creating Knowledge from Data
Pavement ConditionRoad Inventory DataBridge inventory
Travel InformationTravel TimeTraffic counts
Freight RoutesLightingTraffic SignalsPole locationsSpeed ZonesPublic TransportRoutes
Crash DataData MatchingCrash MapsCrash RatesBlackspots
Road Safety
Strategies & Policies
What can transportation planners do for
safety planning?
-- Data collectors and analyzers
-- Synthesizers and problem identifiers
-- Liaison with locals
-- Help establish goals/objs
-- Provide a forum for discussions and
decisions on priorities
-- Ties to funding
-- And most importantly, they plan….
The key issue is howto cross functional responsibilities andalign resources toactually implementimprovements.
Finding a common ground for communication
Planning can provide a forum and a “push”...otherwise the silos will have a gravitational attraction