VOLUME 2, ISSUE 2
Improving transportation safety for Texans is a goal long shared by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI). In 2016, two projects are continuing that tradition of making the roadways in the Lone Star State safer for everyone.
TTI Develops Assessment Methodology for Rural Texas
Armed with a new approach for saving lives on rural roadways, TxDOT has launched an extensive pavement-widening program using a risk assessment methodology developed by researchers at TTI.
Previously, roadway improvements were made solely based on crash frequency. TTI researchers have developed a new way to identify roadway features that indicate where crashes are likely to occur. The methodology has never been used before in Texas.
“This systemic approach will allow TxDOT to improve roadway safety proactively by identifying a particular roadway based on its risk factors that have potential for crashes,” says TTI Crash Analysis Program Manager Troy Walden, principal investigator on Developing Methodology for Identifying, Evaluating and Prioritizing System Improvements. Wider pavement on rural roadways reduces the number of crashes and fatalities.
After a thorough examination of crashes on rural Texas highways from 2009 to 2013, researchers analyzed the numerous features of the roadways where the crashes occurred, including lane and shoulder width, the amount of truck traffic, and the degrees of curvature. Each factor was assigned points.
“By using this weighted method, TxDOT can add the details associated with each individual roadway and rank them,” Walden explains. “Once the roadways in question are compared to each other, TxDOT can prioritize its road-widening projects.”
Each TxDOT district has begun the ranking process using the new TTI methodology. Soon, those roadways will be prioritized for their pavement-widening needs, with work beginning next year. TxDOT plans to spend $15.5 million a year to widen rural roadways through 2019.
“I see this as an opportunity for us to get ahead of the crashes, to prevent them from happening,” says Safety Engineer Darren McDaniel of TxDOT’s Traffic Operations. “This method allows us to compare risk factors of roadway characteristics that tell us where the best opportunity is for improving safety.”
Helping TxDOT Understand Motorists’ Attitudes, Awareness and Behaviors Towards Traffic Safety
How often do Texans drive after drinking alcohol? How often do they drive over the speed limit? Do Texans know that everyone riding in a vehicle is required to buckle up?
Since 2010, those have been among the questions answered each year by at least 2,000 respondents in a traffic safety survey commissioned by TxDOT and distributed and analyzed by TTI.
“The anonymous survey is one of the ways in which TTI works with TxDOT to refine its highway safety program,” explains Katie Womack, manager of the Behavioral Research Group in TTI’s Center for Transportation Safety. “It’s a valuable tool designed to measure and track Texans’ attitudes and awareness of traffic safety programs, proposed policy changes, current laws, and behaviors related to issues such as impaired driving, distracted driving, safety belt use and others.”
Ten of the 25 survey questions are performance metrics specified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, ten are traffic safety related and of specific interest to TxDOT, and five are designed to obtain background and demographic information. The 2015 Traffic Safety Attitude and Awareness Survey was conducted during the summer and is currently being analyzed. The final report will be released in 2016.
Armed with a new approach for saving lives on rural roadways, TxDOT has launched an extensive pavement-widening project.
Risk Factors for Crashes
lane and shoulder width
amount of
truck traffic
the degrees of curvature
“The anonymous survey is one of the ways in which TTI works with TxDOT to refine its highway safety program,” explains Katie Womack, manager of the Behavioral Research Group in TTI’s Center for Transportation Safety.
For More Information
Robert Wunderlich
