SPR 14-482: Roadside Analysis Rating

A significant portion of fatalities and serious injuries on Kentucky’s highways result from run-off-the-road crashes where roadside slopes, fixed-objects and other roadside hazards often dictate crash outcomes. With MAP-21 legislation calling for safety analysis on all public roads, there is an increased need for accurate and complete roadway data. The objective of this project is to develop procedures and tools to quantitatively assess the risk associated with the roadside along Kentucky highways. Existing efforts underway in other states will be identified and evaluated for possible contribution to the methodology developed for use in Kentucky. A pilot study will be conducted on a sample of roadways to evaluate the quantitative methodology as well as options for data storage and accessibility. Every effort will be made to collect data in a manner that is compatible with existing data structures in use by the Transportation Cabinet. An accurate cost per mile will be calculated for data collection and analysis and the fully developed procedure will be employed statewide as funding allows. The resulting dataset will be used to prioritize roadside safety improvement projects based on objective assessment of risk.