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American Traffic Safety Services Association
SMARTER
WORK ZONES
Smarter Every Day Counts safety initiatives
In 2009, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) launched Every
Day Counts (EDC) in cooperation with the American Association of
State Highway and Transportation Officials to speed up the delivery of
highway projects and to address the challenges presented by limited
budgets. EDC is a state-based model to identify and rapidly deploy
proven but underused innovations to shorten the project delivery
process, enhance roadway safety, reduce congestion and improve
environmental sustainability.
As 2016 drew to a close, the FHWA sponsored a series of regional
summits on the EDC program. ATSSA staff participated in one of the
summits, where state departments of transportation were asked which
of the various EDC initiatives they were most likely to adopt. The two
most frequently mentioned were “Data-Driven Safety Analysis”
(DDSA) and “Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian.” These
programs may directly impact ATSSA members, so we are
reproducing the two FHWA program summaries here.
Data-Driven Safety Analysis (DDSA)
Using tools to analyze crash and roadway data to predict the safety
impacts of highway projects allows agencies to target investments with
more confidence and reduce severe crashes on the roadways.
Traditional crash and roadway analysis methods mostly rely on
subjective or limited quantitative measures of safety performance. This
makes it difficult to calculate safety impacts alongside other criteria
when planning projects. DDSA employs newer, evidence-based models
that provide state and local agencies with the means to quantify safety
impacts similar to the way they do other impacts, such as
environmental effects, traffic operations and pavement life.
The analyses provide scientifically sound, data-driven approaches to
identify high-risk roadway features and execute the most beneficial
projects with limited resources to achieve fewer fatal and serious injury
crashes. Through round four of Every Day Counts (EDC-4), this effort
focuses on predictive and systemic analyses—two types of data-driven
approaches that state and local agencies can implement individually or
in combination. To read more about Predictive and Systemic Analyses
and their benefits, visit www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/everdaycounts/
edc_4/ddsa.cfm.
Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian (STEP)
Cost-effective countermeasures with known safety benefits can help
reduce pedestrian fatalities at uncontrolled crossing locations and
un-signalized intersections.
Pedestrians account for more than 17.5 percent of all fatalities in motor
vehicle traffic crashes, and the majority of these deaths occur at
uncontrolled crossing locations, such as mid-block or un-signalized
intersections. These are among the most common locations for
pedestrian fatalities generally because of
inadequate pedestrian crossing facilities and
insufficient or inconvenient crossing
opportunities, all of which create barriers to safe,
convenient and complete networks.
Expecting pedestrians to travel significantly out
of their way to cross a roadway to reach their
destination is unrealistic and counterproductive
to encouraging healthier transportation options.
By focusing on uncontrolled locations, agencies
can address a significant national safety problem
and improve the quality of life for pedestrians of
all ages and abilities.
The FHWA promotes pedestrian safety
countermeasures, including:
•
Road Diets
•
Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacons
•
Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons
•
Pedestrian Refuge Islands
•
Raised Crosswalks
•
Crosswalk Visibility Enhancements
For more information about STEP and pedestrian
safety countermeasures, visit www.fhwa.dot.gov/
innovation/everydaycounts/edc_4/step.cfm. For more
information about the Every Day Counts program,
visit www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/everydaycounts
and enter the term in your search engine.