The NJTPA is working with its federal partners, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), subregions and other state and local agencies to make travel safer and more reliable for all who use our region's transportation system. To support these efforts, the NJTPA solicits candidate projects for implementation under two safety funding programs each fiscal year, the Local Safety and High Risk Rural Roads programs. These programs which fund "quick fix" improvements are described below. Current and past projects funded are shown on the interactive map in the box below and further project information is available through the Project Status reports at right.
Interactive Map Showing a Decade of Local Safety Improvements
Click on each subregion for more information.
Over the last decade, the NJTPA has invested over $22 million in 71 local safety improvements as part of 61 projects, as shown on the map at right. In total, $18,017,267 has been invested through the Local Safety Program and $4,381,432 through the High Risk Rural Roads programs.
Further details on projects approved for funding since 2003 are available in a
detailed map and
spreadsheet (pdfs).
Local Safety Program
The federally funded Local Safety Program (LSP) is a component of wider safety planning at the NJTPA, supporting construction of quick-fix, high-impact safety improvements on county and local roadway facilities in the NJTPA region. Projects on State, U.S. and Interstate highways are not eligible for funding under this program. Since its inception with a pilot program in 2004, the NJTPA has approved projects to allocate over $15 million in Local Safety Program funds for quick-fix, high impact safety improvements. Projects supported by this program have included new and upgraded traffic signals, signage, pedestrian indications, crosswalks, curb ramps, pavements markings and other improvements to increase the safety of drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians.
The Local Safety Program:
- Typically addresses NJTPA and/or NJDOT derived high priority crash locations on County or Local Roadways
- Projects must be quick fix, supported with detailed crash data and have minimal or no environmental or cultural resource impacts (eligible for programmatic Categorical Exclusion from FHWA)
- Funds the construction phase of work only, and therefore planning, design and right-of-way acquisition are the responsibility of the sponsor
- Funded annually in the Transportation Improvement Program at a minimum of $2 million per year
High Risk Rural Roads Program
SAFETEA-LU, the federal transportation funding legislation, has specifically set-aside federal safety funds to address travel safety needs in rural areas.
First solicited by the NJTPA in FY 2009, the High Risk Rural Roads Program (HRRRP) provides federal funds for construction improvements to address safety problems ONLY on roadways that are functionally classified as rural major collector, rural minor collector or rural local roads and have a crash rate that exceeds the statewide average for those functional classes of roadways. Projects supported by this program have included skid-resistant surface treatments, guiderails, reflective pavement markings, rumbles strips and rumble stripes, safety edge, enhanced and advanced warning signs.
The High Risk Rural Roads Program:
- Projects must be on roadways functionally classified as rural major collector, rural minor collector or rural local roads with a crash rate that exceeds the statewide average for those functional classes of roadways.
- Projects must have minimal or no environmental or cultural resource impacts (eligible for programmatic Categorical Exclusion from FHWA)
- Funds the construction phase of work only, and therefore planning, design and right-of-way acquisition are the responsibility of the sponsor
- Funded annually in the Transportation Improvement Program at $1 million per year
FHWA Proven Safety Counter Measures
In January 2012, FHWA issued a “Guidance Memorandum on Promoting the implementation of Proven Safety Countermeasures.” This guidance takes into consideration the latest safety research to advance a group of countermeasures that have shown great effectiveness in improving safety. Applicants are encouraged to consider incorporating these improvements in project proposals where crash types relate to these countermeasures. Several have been utilized and/or proposed in previously selected LSP & HRRRP projects, while others should be considered where appropriate. Here is a link to FHWA’s webpage regarding countermearures: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/provencountermeasures/
CONTACT INFORMATION
Christine Mittman
Project Manager
973-639-8448
cmittman@njtpa.org
or
Sascha Frimpong
Manager, Local Programs and Project Development
973-639-8422
sfrimpong@njtpa.org