MDOT

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MDOT Topics in Safety

• Dale Lighthizer, P.E. MDOT
• Tracie Kalliainen, P.E. MDOT
• Dean Kanitz, P.E. MDOT
• Gary Osminski, P.E. HCRC

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Today - SAFETY

• The 5 Report
• Local Safety Initiative An Update
• A Local Perspective
• Safety Funding Sources
• Local Safety Initiative
• Local Agency Programs
• High Risk Rural Roads

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5 Report
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SAFETEA-LU

• Signed into Law August 10, 2005
• Effective through 2009
• Authorizes Federal Surface Transportation
  Programs
• Emphasizes Highway Safety
• 836 Page Document

www.fhwa.dot.gov/safetealu/index.htm
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THE 5 Report

• SAFETEA-LU Requirement
• Highway Safety Improvement Program
• 23 U.S.C 148(c)(1)(D)
• States are required to submit an annual report
  describing not less than 5 percent of their
  highway locations exhibiting the most severe
  safety needs.

safety.fhwa.dot.gov/safetealu/fiveguidance.htm
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5 - Requirements

• The 5 Worst Locations Statewide
• No Min/Max
• Potential Remedies 4Es
• Estimated Costs for Remedies
• Implementation Impediments
• Other than Costs
• To be made Public

safety.fhwa.dot.gov/fivepercent/06mi.htm
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5 - Issues

• Short Lead Time
• What defines a severe safety need?
• What data is available for use?
• How to develop an initial list?
• How should locations be targeted?

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5 - Methodology

• FY 2006 First Year
• The initial list
• Intersections
• Segments
• Crash data
• Crash severity
• Fatal crashes
• Incapacitating injury crashes

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5 - Methodology Cont

• Intersection Segment Lists
• Every location with a K/A Crash
• Mathematical Magic
• Ranking, Score, 3SD, Top 5
• Most Severe Locations
• 18 Intersections
• 13 Segments

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5 - Methodology Cont

• Data Gathering
• Crash Reports
• Location
• Jurisdiction
• Field Reviews
• Remedies
• Impediments

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5 - Reporting
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5 - What Others Did

• Other focuses include
• Fixable Locations
• SV ROR
• Median Penetration
• Seatbelt use, Alcohol/Speed involved
• Minimum Crashes
• State Routes Only (Data Limitations)
• Etc.

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5 - Field Review Issues

• Problems weve encountered
• Locations That Were Fixed
• Pedestrians on freeways
• Obvious fix BIG

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5 - Process Revision

• The process can be revised
• Focus on fixable locations
• Target certain crash types
• Intersections
• Human Behaviors

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Local Safety Initiative
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Other Safety Initiatives

• AASHTO
• Michigan SHSP
• Michigan Intersection Action Plan
• Crash Data
• Legislation

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What is LSI?

• Developed for Local Agencies
• MDOT Personnel to Provide Assistance in Reducing
  Crashes
• Provide Traffic Engineering Services
• Data
• Enhance RoadSoft Safety Module
• Projects

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Safety Goals

• AASHTO Safety Goal
• 1.0 Fatalities per 100 MVMT by 2008
• Michigan Safety Goal
• 1.0 Fatalities per 100 MVMT by 2008
• To meet this goal in 2005
• 1,032 Fatalities
• We had 1,133 Fatalities

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Michigan Statistics - 2005

• 121,000 Miles of Roads
• 103.2 Billion Vehicle Miles Traveled
• 351,000 Crashes
• 1,034 Fatal Crashes
• 1,133 Fatalities

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Fatality Rates
1.28
1.10
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How We Stack Up - 2005

• MDOT
• 8 Road Mileage
• 51 VMT
• 39 Crashes
• 43 Fatalities

• Local Agencies
• 92 Road Mileage
• 49 VMT
• 61 Crashes
• 57 Fatalities

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Changing the Stats

• How can we better those statistics?
• 4 Es
• Partnerships
• GTSAC
• Standing Committees
• Traffic Advisory Groups

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Our Process

• An Agency gets started
• Voluntary
• High Level Analysis
• Crash Analysis RoadSoft
• Field Reviews Countermeasures
• Projects Funding (to be discussed)
• High Risk Rural Roads (to be discussed)

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LSI Focus

• Low Cost Improvements
• Moderate Cost Improvements
• NCHRP 500 Reports

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Post-Field Review

• Select Countermeasures
• Perform/Contract Design
• Funding
• Implement Countermeasures
• B/A Analysis

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LSI Successes

• 35 Counties have Volunteered
• 10 under analysis
• 13 Cities/Villages
• Funding for 2 projects
• To be discussed
• Increased Safety awareness

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Where the LSI is Going

• Process Revisions
• New Recruits
• Rolling
• Project Issues
• Environmental
• Coordination Issues
• Subcontracting

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To Achieve 1.0 by 2008

• Continue
• 4 Es
• Partnering
• Volunteer to be part of LSI

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LSI Examples

• Scenario 1
• Intersection
• Scenario 2
• Intersection
• Scenario 3
• Horizontal Curve
• Scenario 4
• Tangent/Horizontal Curve
• GAME TIME!

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How to Play

• A scenario is presented
• .. Then
• You suggest the countermeasures
• This situation is similar to field reviews

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Scenario 1

• 2-way stop controlled intersection,
• There is a history of users failing to observe
  the stop sign(s).

• What could you do?

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Possible Solutions

• Supplemental Signing
• Situational
• Exceed Expectations
• Sign Clutter
• Signs
• Placement
• Size
• Bottom Height
• Lollipops
• Flavor
• Placement
• Segments

• Rumble Strips
• Situational
• Placement
• Warrants
• Types
• Sight Distance
• Alignment
• Vertical
• Horizontal
• Brush / Trees
• Access Management

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Supplemental Signing Example
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Signs Example
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LollipopsExample(securing reflective sheeting
to sign posts)
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Rumble Strips Example
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Sight Distance Example
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Scenario 2

• Users on the minor approach stop at the
  intersection for the stop control.
• There is a history of users proceeding into the
  intersection and getting hit.
• What could you do?

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Possible Solutions

• Supplemental Signing
• Cross Traffic Does not Stop W4-4p
• Intersection Warning W2-1 W2-6 with an Adv.
  St Name Plaque (W16-8)

• Sight Distance
• Clear brush
• Remove/Relocate fixed objects
• Access Management
• Increase horizontal alignment radius (widen
  curve)
• Increase vertical alignment radius (lower hill or
  raise valley)

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Scenario 3

• Seemingly normal paved horizontal curve in a
  rural setting with a relatively flat vertical
  profile.
• A history of vehicles leaving the roadway on a
  curve.

• What could you do?

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Possible Solutions

• Curve Signing
• Additional Signs
• Larger Signs
• Upgraded Sheeting
• Bottom Height
• Placement
• Delineation
• Pavement Markings
• Standard
• Wet / Night
• Width

• Chevrons
• Target Arrows
• Delineator Posts
• Slope
• Fatten
• Delineation
• Guardrail

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Curve Signing Example
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Delineation Example
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Slope (Tangent or Curve) Example
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Scenario 4

• Paved tangent section with minor vertical curves
• Vehicles are running off the road and hitting
  fixed objects.

• What could you do?

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Possible Solutions

• Fixed Objects
• Remove Lone trees
• Relocate utility poles
• Mailbox installation
• Delineation
• Rumble Stripes

• Roadside Protection
• Bridges/Culverts
• End Treatments
• Upgraded Rail
• Delineation

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Roadside Protection Example

• Not so good.

So good.
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Other Common Situations

• Hidden Intersections
• Parking Conflicts
• Signalized Intersections
• Traffic Control
• Pedestrians/Bicycles

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A Local Perspective

• Successful local safety program
• Board Support
• Trained Employees
• Local safety investigations
• Always looking to improve
• Listen
• Working with LSI
• LSI Projects

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Being Proactive

• Directional Signs
• Delineator Posts
• Curves
• Culverts
• Lollipop Signs
• Rumble Strips
• Flashing Beacons

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Intersection Warning Study

• Remove Emotion
• Hazard Rating Non-Stop Accidents Total Rating
• Total Rating 8 Warrants Rumble Strips
• Total Rating 8 plus 3500 Intersection
  ADT
• Warrants Flashing Beacon

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Hazard Rating Criteria

• High Traffic Count
• -Intersection ADT Average is 1000 and
• -Each Road ADT Average is 500
• Speed Limit 55 m.p.h. or not posted
• Rural Intersection
• Paved all four directions
• Primarily through traffic on both roads
• All five criteria must be met to have the
  potential of being a hazardous intersection.

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EXCEPTIONS

• Any intersection with more than two non-stop
  accidents is automatically give a hazard rating
  of 5.

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Non-Stop Accidents

• Those accidents caused by the yield vehicle
  making no attempt to stop
• Accidents caused by a vehicle pulling out in
  front of another vehicle after stopping, are not
  included in the count.

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Formulas

• Total Rating gt 8 rate
• Rumble Strips
• Total Rating gt 8 3500 ADT
• Flashing Beacon

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An Example

• Intersection ADT (1000 500) 1500
• Speed limit un-posted - 55 mph
• Rural
• All intersection approaches are paved
• Through traffic on both roads
• At this point the hazard rating is 5
• Then look at crash history
• Intersection has 8 crashes
• 3 were Non Stop Crashes
• TOTAL RATING 8

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Working on LSI

• Looking for the problems
• Another set of eyes
• Exchange Ideas
• Funding Options

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Projects with LSI

• Lollipop Program
• Intersection Improvement
• Sight Distance
• Guard Rail

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Funding Options -
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LSI Funds - 2 Types

• Demonstration Projects
• 100 LSI
• Specific Project Types
• 50k to 75k
• Major Projects
• Construction - 80/20
• Up to 200k LSI share

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LSI Funds - TOR

• Time of Return (TOR) Analysis
• Major projects require a TOR analysis and
  justification
• LSI Staff to complete TOR
• MDOT safety criteria will be used
• Local Data

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Local Agency Programs

• James DLamater, P.E.
• 517.335.2224
• dlamaterj_at_michigan.gov
• Local Agency Safety Funds
• High Risk Rural Road Funds

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Local Agency Safety Funds

• Call for projects Project Application
• Any road classification under local road
  jurisdiction
• 80 Federal/20 Local Funding Split
• Max 400,000 Federal Funds

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High Risk Rural Road Funds

• Call for projects Project Application
• Agencies submit projects back
• Projects are selected
• Funding Splits
• 100 Federal on certain projects (USC 23)
• 90 Federal/10 Local
• Max 500,000 Federal Funds

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HRRR - Requirements

• Most recent 5 years of crash data
• At least 1 K or A crash
• Certain National Functional Classes
• Rural Local
• Rural Minor Collector
• Rural Major Collector

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Safety Funds

• The fix must mitigate the crashes
• Tree clearing for run off road fixed object
  crashes
• Centerline rumble strips for head on crashes
  involving distracted drivers
• Additional curve signing for run off road crashes
  in curves
• LSI is non-competitive
• LAP Safety Funds HRRR are competitive