FINAL 2012-15 STIP

HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (HSIP)Before the passage of SAFETEA-LU, federal safety funds weremade available through the Hazard Elimination Safety Program(HES). Funds were identified in a decentralized process throughlocal Area Transportation Partnerships (ATP).Traditionally, these projects were reactive in nature and weredesigned to improve an existing safety problem at a high crashlocation. Through the project development process, abenefit/cost ratio would be estimated based on the safetyimprovement at a particular location. A review of projectsfunded in recent history yields the following breakdown ofproject types. For intersections (the predominant projectlocation), most of the projects were new traffic signalinstallations usually including channelization and turn laneconstruction. Other intersection projects included: lighting,Emergency Vehicle Pre-emption (EVP) installation, andconversion to an interchange. For sections of roadway, most ofthe projects included general safety improvements – guardrail,shoulder improvements and turn lane construction. Other safetyprojects included: lighting, signing, and vertical and horizontalcurvature correction. Projects programmed in later years haveshifted to other areas including roundabouts and mediantreatments.ATPs have a safety program developed based on Minnesota dataand the Minnesota Strategic Highway Safety Plan.Projects were selected for the 2012-2015 STIP through acentralized process. A solicitation process was used for the localproject selection. Low cost, systematic, proactive projects wereprioritized over reactive single location improvements. Projectsfunded using the new process includes: systematic intersectionlighting, enhanced edge lines, rumble strips, chevrons on curvesand cable median barrier. The Office of Traffic, Safety andTechnology now approves all state and local HSIP projectsbefore they are included in the STIP.Projects were selected using the following criteria:• Ability to meet the intent of the SHSP• Fatal and A injury crashes per intersection or per mile• SHSP (critical emphasis areas)• Cost per intersection or cost per mile• ADT• Recommendation of a previous safety audit• Inclusion on the High Risk Rural Roads list or Top 5%listWith the passage of SAFETEA-LU and the development of theMinnesota Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP), the types ofsafety projects funded with HSIP dollars has changed. In 2007and 2008, MnDOT transitioned from a purely reactive safetyprogram to a more proactive safety program where low-costsystematic strategies are emphasized. Beginning in 2009, allA-3(1)