RSF 143, Vulnerable Road User Safety Assessment

Abstract RSF 143, Vulnerable Road User Safety Assessment 7/1/23 – 11/30/23 The Highway Safety Improvement Program was authorized as a new Federal-aid funding program beginning in FY 2006, with the objec?ve of achieving a signi?cant reduc?on in tra?c fatali?es and serious injuries on all public roads. The HSIP was intended to emphasize a data-driven, strategic approach (Strategic Highway Safety Plan – SHSP) to improving highway safety with a focus on results. Speci?cally, the HSIP includes safety and opera?onal improvements on all public roads, and elimina?on of hazards at railway-highway grade crossings. The HSIP is also expected to include processes for the planning, implementa?on, and evalua?on of the HSIP and SHSP. The Kentucky Transporta?on Center has provided technical assistance to the Transporta?on Cabinet’s HSIP team beginning in May 2010. Technical assistance during this ?me has included a range of ac?vi?es, with problem iden??ca?on and project evalua?on being the primary tasks accomplished. To ful?ll all requirements for the Vulnerable Road User Safety Assessment mandated by the FHWA by the compliance date of 11/15/23. FHWA has provided a template outlining all the requirements of the ini?al VRU Safety Assessment to ensure all states meet the minimum compliance criteria for the assessment. Kentucky will ful?l the minimum requirements set forth by the FHWA by comple?ng the following tasks: 1. Overview and Summary of Vulnerable Road User Safety Performance • Analyze historical trends for VRU fatalities and serious injuries over the past five years by user type (utilize the most recent SHSP to contribute to VRU safety analysis) • Incorporate demographics as part of the quantitative analysis to determine if underserved areas are disproportionately impacted by VRU crashes. • Compare vulnerable road user safety performance to overall safety performance. • Describe progress towards meeting or making considerable progress toward meeting safety performance targets for nonmotorized users. • Document the data, methodology and time-period of analysis used to identify high-risk areas to vulnerable road users. • Identify high-risk areas to VRUs based on the data analysis. 2. Consult with Local Stakeholders • Facilitate discussions between KYTC and MPOs/ADDs in locations determined to present high-risk to VRUs. • Seek input on local safety concerns and potential solutions to VRU issues. • Emphasize the Safe System Approach throughout these discussions. • Summarize the outcomes for each high-risk area. 3. Program of Strategies • Identify strategies to reduce the safety risks for VRUs in the high-risk areas. • Safe System Approach • Incorporate these findings with the VRU dashboard Ed Harding has created to suggest strategies for a given VRU crash. 4. Draft the VRU Safety Assessment Document • Summarize all data analysis and consultation efforts in one document that fulfils FHWA’s assessment requirements. • Submit the VRU Safety Assessment by November 15th, 2023, to the local FHWA Division Office