Assessment of Local Road Safety Funding, Training, and Technical Assistance

A. Appendix

A.1 Assessment of Local Road Safety Funding, Training, and Technical Assistance Questionnaire Respondents

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Hawaii
Illinois
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Mexico
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin

A.2 Assessment and Delivery of Safety Funding at the Local Level Questionnaire

OMB approval #201207-2125-001.

Instructions

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is examining State department of transportation (DOT) practices for providing resources to local agencies (including Tribal Governments) for road safety improvement projects. The purpose of this effort is to identify noteworthy practices that can be implemented in other States. While this survey is primarily directed at State departments of transportation, respondents are encouraged to reach out to local agency contacts to assist with answering the questions. These might include regional planning organizations, Local Technical Assistance Programs (LTAP), and/or local public agencies. Please answer the following questions related to the identification, prioritization, selection, development, implementation, and administration of safety projects on local roads. It might be helpful to first identify the information you will need to gather, including funding amounts for State or Federal Fiscal Years 2009, 2010, and 2011.

Background Information

1. Please provide name and contact information for the primary individual providing information for the questionnaire.
   • State:
   • Name:
   • Department/Agency:
   • Division/Unit:
   • Title/Position:
   • Telephone Number:
   • Email Address:
2. Did any other agencies provide information for this survey? (Select all that apply)
   • None
   • Local Agency(s)
   • LTAP
   • Regional Planning Organization(s)
   • Other:

State of Practice

The following questions will be used to collect information on current policies, procedures, and practices to improve local road safety.

3. Funding: Please specify whether the funding amounts reported are based on the Federal or State fiscal year.
   • Federal fiscal year (October to September)
   • State fiscal year (specify starting month):
4. Does the State set aside (in advance, typically annually) a specific funding amount for local road safety projects? If yes, please specify whether the amount entered is the percent or dollar amount and enter the amount set aside for fiscal years 2009, 2010, and 2011 for the various funding sources. If there is no set-aside, enter zero.

   

   Note: Federal-aid highway funds such as Surface Transportation Program (STP), Safe Routes to School (SRTS), Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ), or American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). Does not include §402 and similar funds provided to State highway safety offices for behavioral-related programs and projects.

5. Which of the following are used to determine how the funding set-asides identified in the previous question are determined? Select all that apply.
   • Based on a formula allocation.
   • Based on the fatality and/or serious injury numbers or rates.
   • Determined by decision-makers each year.
   • Based on a competitive process where projects are selected on potential for safety improvement (proportion to locals varies year by year).
   • Other, please explain below:
   • Other, please explain below:
6. How much was actually spent (obligated) on local road safety projects, by each funding source, in Fiscal Years 2009, 2010, and 2011?

   

7. Does the State use any of the following incentives to encourage local agencies to develop and implement local road safety projects? Select all that apply.
   • Provide preliminary engineering funding for Federally funded projects on local roads.
   • Provide final design funding for Federally funded projects on local roads.
   • Provide matching funds for HSIP-eligible projects on local roads.
   • Provide funding for RSAs on Federally funded projects on local roads.
   • Other, please explain:
   • Other, please explain:
8. Would you like to clarify or elaborate on any local safety funding issues? (Optional)

Training and Technical Support

9. Which entities provide training to local agencies in the following topic areas for local road safety projects? Select all that apply.

   

   Note: Includes State-funded consultants (but not LTAP).

10. Which entities provide the following assistance on safety projects for, or on behalf of, local agencies? Select all that apply.

    

    Note: State includes State-funded consultants.

    Note: Locals – City, county, or other local jurisdiction performs the function or contracts directly with a consultant.

11. Which entities provide the following support personnel to local agencies for safety projects? Select all that apply.

    

12. Does the State DOT have an entity or unit responsible for conducting the following duties for local road safety projects? Select all that apply.

    

13. Would you like to clarify or elaborate on any local safety training and technical assistance issues? (Optional)
14. How are local road safety projects selected for funding? Select all that apply.
    • DOT Safety Advisory Committee.
    • SHSP emphasis areas.
    • Competitive application/?technical criteria.
    • Direct apportionment.
    • Legislative mandate.
    • Five Percent Report.
    • Other, please explain below:
    • Other, please explain below:
15. Do local safety projects directly compete with State projects for safety improvement funding?
    • Yes.
    • No.
    • I don’t know.
16. Would you like to clarify or elaborate on any local safety training and technical assistance issues? (Optional)

Noteworthy Practices

A number of States have implemented practices to improve roadway safety by providing funding and support for safety projects on local roadways. FHWA is interested in learning more about these practices so they can be shared with other States.

17. Does the State use any of the following practices to streamline the Federal-aid process for local agencies? Select all that apply.
    • Ensure there is a source for local match before projects are selected for implementation.
    • Provide State funds for local safety projects in lieu of Federal-aid highway funds.
    • Distribute funds to MPOs or other local entities to distribute to local agencies.
    • Certify a larger local agency administers projects on behalf of smaller local agencies.
    • Allow local agencies to use their own materials specifications and design standards for roadways off the national highway system (preapproved).
    • Encourage the use of programmatic agreements between State and local agencies.
    • Allow programmatic categorical exclusions.
    • Use a push-button project process to expedite certain project types.
    • Allow agencies to use their own labor and resources to construct small-scale projects, eliminating the competitive bidding process.
    • Pay local contractors directly instead of reimbursing local agencies (direct-pay).
    • Group multiple projects together to reduce administrative burden.
    • Establish a blanket contract to perform safety improvements on local roads.
    • Provide a single application for multiple funding sources.
    • Complete or contract for safety improvements on local roads.
    • Identify systemic safety improvements eligible for safety funding on local roads.
    • Other, please specify:
    • Other, please specify:
18. Would you like to clarify or elaborate on any noteworthy practices? (Optional)

Challenges and Barriers

FHWA realizes States face challenges and barriers when attempting to provide funding and other resources for safety projects on local roadways. Answers to the following questions will document those challenges and help identify ways to overcome them.

19. Select the top three challenges or barriers limiting your agency’s ability to identify, select, and prioritize safety projects on local roads.
    • Availability of crash data – State does not collect local roadway crash data.
    • Availability of crash data – Local law enforcement do not report crashes in a timely manner.
    • Accuracy of crash data.
    • Completeness of crash data.
    • Access to crash data.
    • Lack of exposure data (traffic volumes, lane miles, etc.).
    • Lack of proven data analysis techniques.
    • Other, please specify:
    • Other, please specify:
20. Rate the availability of data in your statewide traffic records database. (Select one for each)

    

    Note: Exposure data (traffic volume, lane miles, etc.) for local roads.

21. Select the top three challenges or barriers limiting efforts in your State to develop and implement safety projects on local roads.
    • Locals lack of understanding of the Federal-aid process.
    • Lack of available funds.
    • Policy-related scope creep (i.e., addition of new project/?infrastructure elements requiring additional funding and/or approval).
    • Political issues.
    • State laws limiting the distribution of Federal funds to local agencies.
    • State DOT contracting procedures and processes.
    • Other, please specify:
    • Other, please specify:
22. Would you like to clarify or elaborate on any local safety challenges and barriers? (Optional)

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