The Local Safety Initiative is a state-funded program that allows us to provide direct technical assistance to local agencies on transportation safety planning and project development. This includes facilitating Road Safety Audits, funding Safety Studies, and implementing Systematic Safety Improvements – all in an effort to reduce crashes on our local roads.
ODOT Local Safety Assistance Program
ODOT’s Highway Safety Program is providing free consultant assistance to local agencies and regional planning organizations to assist with safety project development and funding applications. This could include:
SYSTEMIC SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS: ODOT team can help local partners develop a systemic safety project and secure resources for implementation.
ROAD SAFETY AUDITS & SAFETY STUDIES: ODOT team can help local partners complete a road safety audit or safety study, identify countermeasures and apply for HSIP funds.
The formal application window opens every May and November, but it is available for submittals year-round. MORPC staff can provide assistance to local agencies interested in applying for the program.
Basic Requirements:
- Locations should be on the locally-maintained roadway system
- Locations should have a documented history of crashes (for RSAs and Safety Studies)
- Locations would ideally be ranked on a priority safety list (e.g., MORPC Regional High Injury Network)
Local Safety Assistance Options
Road safety audits (RSAs) have become a proven countermeasure for improving safety on roadways. The RSA process is a formal, independent safety evaluation of an existing roadway by an experienced and multidisciplinary team of specialists. The team looks for existing and potential safety hazards that may affect any type of road users and identifies possible countermeasures to address those safety issues. Our team will perform this process on behalf of our local partners and work with them to implement recommended countermeasures.
A formal safety study is an analysis of roadway and traffic-related data to determine the contributing factors to an identified crash pattern at an intersection or highway section. A safety study also identifies potential alternative countermeasures meant to reduce crash frequency or severity at the study site. These studies are typically required when seeking Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funding. Our team will work with local partners to identify the resources necessary to complete a safety study as part of applying for HSIP funding.
Certain crash types, such as angle, fixed object, or pedestrian crashes, frequently result in fatalities or serious injuries. To systemically address these crash types, our team identifies the locations that exhibit a high risk of these crash types. In working with our local jurisdictions and ODOT, these locations are then targeted for low-cost safety improvements, such as better signage, LED signal heads with reflective backplates, or better crosswalk markings and signage to reduce these types of crashes from happening.
