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Transportation Safety

Cable median barriers on the highway.
Department of Transportation

Transportation Safety

Evaluation of the Michigan Department of Transportation’s Highway Safety Programs


Project Number: SPR-1683

Contract Number: 2013-0066 Z7/R2

Status: Complete

Start Date: 03/01/2016

End Date 05/31/2019

Summary:

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) was an early stakeholder in support of the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Towards Zero Death (TZD) concept, a vision of eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries nationwide. As a part of its TZD efforts, MDOT sponsored research to review and evaluate the engineering-related elements of its highway safety programs, with consideration given to both state trunkline and local agency programs. This research included a nationwide review of federal and state highway safety improvement programs (including annual funding) and safety performance trends in order to identify effective practices for expanded implementation in Michigan. Assuming current funding levels, it was estimated that implementation of highway safety strategies utilized by top-performing peer states would allow Michigan to achieve its safety performance goals sooner than with the current MDOT safety program strategies. The research resulted in several procedural and countermeasure-related recommendations related to MDOT’s highway safety programs.

 

Publications:

 

 

Research Manager Project Manager Performing Organization
 Staff photo of Michael Townley  Staff photo of Steve Shaughnessy  Michigan State University logo
 Michael Townley Steve Shaughnessy  Michigan State University