Systemwide Safety Initiative 10/16/2018

SYSTEM SAFETY INITIATIVESProject Safety Assessment Tool

10/16/18

Systemwide Safety Initiative 10/16/2018

US Traffic Fatalities

Safety is a National Issue

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Systemwide Safety Initiative 10/16/2018

Texas Traffic Fatalities

Safety is a Texas Issue

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Systemwide Safety Initiative 10/16/2018

AASHTO

National Safety Efforts

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FHWA

Vision Zero Road to Zero

Every Day Counts - 4

Data Driven Safety Analysis

Texas Cities:

Austin

San Antonio

Umbrella Coalitionled by theNational Safety Council

Systemwide Safety Initiative 10/16/2018

Safety Bonds – 2005 and 2009

Texas Safety Efforts

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Highway Safety Improvement Program

$775 Million invested in Safety Projects

20:1 Benefit to Cost

Avg. $150 M – FY ‘10 to ‘16Avg. $300 M – FY ‘17 to ‘28

CAVS – Visualization Tool

Data Driven Safety Analysis (FHWA EDC-4)

Applies Safety Analysis Tools

to target safety investments

Integrate safety evaluation into all

projects

Beaumont District Pilot

TxDOT Funded Safety Programs

Systemic Median Barriers

Systemic Widening

Systemwide Safety Initiative 10/16/2018

The Texas Strategic Highway Safety Plan

Texas Together on the Road to Zero

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7 Emphasis Areas Distracted Driving Impaired Driving Intersection Safety Older System Users Pedestrians Lane Departure Crashes Speeding

Provides a Menu of: Strategies Countermeasures Action Plans

For All Texas Roads - On- and Off-System

Diverse and Extensive Input

Systemwide Safety Initiative 10/16/2018

Commission Initiated Effort - 2016

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$2.7 Billion over 5 yearssaves 540 lives per year

Engineering

•Rumble Strips•Urban Intersections•HFST•Median Barriers•Bridge Rail•Widening Narrow•ATMS

Education andEnforcement

•Safety Belts•Impaired•New Safety Campaign•Motorcycle•High Schools

Systemwide Safety Initiative 10/16/2018

Texas Transportation Commission

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“Each and every time there is a fatality on Texas roadways multiple lives are impacted. And put yourself in the shoes of those lives.”

Commissioner Laura Ryan

Systemwide Safety Initiative 10/16/2018

Transportation Planning Relationships

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Systemwide Safety Initiative 10/16/2018

Project Level Design Decisions

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2 – Year Letting

Planning Level Design

Detailed Design

Side Slope

• Shoulder Width• Lane Width• Median Width• Clear Zone• Roadside and Median

Barriers• Curvature• Superelevation• Sight Distance• Delineation

Design Decision Examples

Systemwide Safety Initiative 10/16/2018

Nominal vs Substantive

A different Way to View Safety

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Nominal Safety Substantive

Safety

STANDARDS, WARRANTS, ANDGUIDELINES

CRASH FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY

Building to Standard Safety Performance

Systemwide Safety Initiative 10/16/2018

Sideslope Example

Basic Design Elements have Safety Implications

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% Reduction in crashes by decreasing the slope from 2:1 to flatter

% Reduction in crashes by decreasing the slope from 4:1 to flatter

% Reductions in crashes by decreasing the slope from 6:1 to 7:1

Optimal design for Safety is not necessarily the alternative with the minimum up-front cost

Systemwide Safety Initiative 10/16/2018

Maximize System Safety

Design Philosophy Shift

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TO

Pennies to the Pavement

Maximizing Safety Benefits

to thePublic

FROM

Systemwide Safety Initiative 10/16/2018

Project Safety Score Tool - Purpose, Scope and Deliverables

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To maximize the overall safety of the TxDOT system and to institutionalize safety considerations in the planning and design process.

Develop a methodology and tool to evaluate and score a project’s existing design, from an overall safety perspective, as a basis for comparing the score of the proposed design.

Interactive spreadsheet tool used to calculate the safety score for projects with instructions and how-to video.User-friendly guidebook and PowerPoint for the final scoring and evaluation methodology.Branding and Communication plan to help institutionalize message on including safety considerations in the planning and design process TxDOT.

Purpose Scope Key Deliverables

Systemwide Safety Initiative 10/16/2018

Council on System Safety - Work Group Members

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Cheryl Flood (LFK)Rebecca Wells (ATL)Dwayne Halbardier (AUS)Mark Woolridge (HOU)Doug Marino (BRY)Ciro Baeza (ODA)Casey Dusza (TPP)Ken Mora (DES)Khalid Jamil (DES)Jessica Butler (DES)

Jerral Wyer (ADM)Bob Ratcliff (ADM)Michael Lee (ADM)Camille Thomason (DES)Gina Gallegos (CST)Graham Bettis (BRG)Michael Chacon (TRF)George Villareal (TRF)Dan Stacks (MNT)James Stevenson (MNT)Buddy Williams (MTD)

Systemwide Safety Initiative 10/16/2018

Draft Schedule and Milestones

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Jan – March 2019

Develop & Demonstrate Prototype Tool

Refine & Test Working Prototype

Finalize Methodology and Tool

Develop Reference MaterialsFinalize User Req. & Scope

Project Management & Communications and Branding

Finalize Communic-ations Plan

April – June 2019Oct – Dec 2018 July – Sep 2019 Oct – Dec 2019

Systemwide Safety Initiative 10/16/2018

Project Safety Score Tool- What it IS and what it is NOT

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Purpose is to assess how varying basic design elements influences system safety

• Increase awareness of how design changes can affect safety

• Identify and evaluate design component effect of safety

• Simple and straight-forward decision aid

What IS intended

• A final decision-making tool• Requirement for project approval• Substitute for engineering judgement• Mandate for over-design

What is NOT intended

Systemwide Safety Initiative 10/16/2018

Questions?

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