What is it?

The program is a federal set-aside funding provision that channels federal funds toward safety improvement projects on High Risk Rural Roads Program (HRRRP).It was established in the 2005 Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).

Why was the program created?

The program was initiated because America’s rural roads are the most dangerous in the nation, with almost two-thirds of fatalities occurring on rural roads. Fatalities are 2.75 times higher on rural roads than on other roads.

What is a “High Risk Rural Road?”

For purposes of this program, a High Risk Rural Road is a rural major collector, a rural minor collector or a rural local road that either has a crash rate for fatalities and incapacitating injuries that exceeds the statewide average for rural major collectors, rural minor collectors, or rural local roads.  

How is it determined if a particular road is eligible for HRRRP funding?

For state and U.S. routes: ODOT has created a table and map that exhibit the sections of state and U.S. routes that qualify for HRRRP funding.

           TABLE OF ELIGIBLE STATE AND U.S. ROUTE SECTIONS

           MAP OF ELIGIBLE STATE AND U.S. ROUTE SECTIONS

For county and township roads: ODOT has created a table and map that exhibit the sections of county and township roads that have experienced an incapacitating injury, a fatality or both from 2004 through 2006. However, since ODOT does not have volume of daily traffic data for these roadways, the local jurisdictions will have to enter the volume data into the spreadsheet below to calculate the fatalities and incapacitating injuries crash rates. If the calculated rates exceed the statewide rates for the respective functional classification on a specific roadway, the section would be eligible for HRRRP funding.

           TABLE OF ELIGIBLE COUNTY AND TOWNSHIP ROAD SECTIONS

           MAP OF ELIGIBLE COUNTY AND TOWNSHIP ROAD SECTIONS

           CRASH RATE CALCULATION SPREADSHEET

The current statewide crash rates per100 million vehicle miles traveled for fatalities and incapacitating injuries for the three HRRRP-eligible functional classifications are as follow:

          Rural Major Collector              19.16

        Rural Minor Collector              28.26

Rural Local Road                    28.26*

* The rural minor collector rate is used as a conservative estimate for the rural local road classification since the mileage of state and U.S. routes classified as rural local roads is extremely limited

How much money is available for this program?

 The national funding level is $90 million for each year from 2006 through 2009.

 Ohio’s share is:

          -          $2.54 million in 2006

-          $2.56 million in 2007

-          $2.59 million in 2008

-          $2.61 million in 2009.

What is the maximum funding amount available for any given project?

Technically, the maximum funding amount for a project is $5 million. But with just over $2.5 million available each year, ODOT needs to apportion its HRRR funding in a reasonable manner that provides money for a number of projects.

What share of a project’s funding can be paid for with federal funding?

 The federal share of a project’s cost is 90%, with a 10% non-federal match required.

What can the money be used for?

 It can be used for construction and operational improvements on high risk rural roads as defined above.

What are some examples of eligible “construction and operational improvements”?

 Some examples of eligible improvements are:

            - an intersection safety improvement

          - pavement and shoulder widening, including addition of a passing lane to remedy an unsafe condition

          - installation of rumble strips or another warning device, if the rumble trips or other warning devices do
            not adversely affect the safety or mobility of bicyclists, pedestrians, and the disabled

          - installation of a skid-resistant surface at an intersection or other location with a high frequency of accidents

          - an improvement for pedestrian or bicyclist safety or safety of the disabled

          - construction of a railway-highway crossing safety feature, including installation of protective devices

          - construction of a traffic calming feature

          - elimination of a roadside obstacle

          - improvement of highway signage and pavement markings

          - installation of a priority control system for emergency vehicles at signalized intersections

          - installation of a traffic control device or other warning device at a location with high accident potential

          - operational activities relating to work zone safety

          - installation of guardrails and/or barriers, including barriers between construction work zones and traffic
            lanes for the safety of motorists and workers, and crash attenuators

          - addition or retrofitting of structures or other measures to eliminate or
            reduce accidents involving vehicles and wildlife

          - installation and maintenance of signs, including fluorescent, yellow-green signs, at pedestrian-bicycle
            crossings and in school zones
 

What are some examples of ineligible “construction and operational improvements”?

 Some examples of ineligible improvements are:

           - the conduct of a model traffic enforcement activity at a railway-highway
           crossing
         - safety-conscious planning
         - improvement in the collection and analysis of crash data
         - planning integrated interoperable emergency communications equipment and traffic enforcement activities
           (including police assistance) relating to work zone safety

How does a local government apply for funding?

 A local government must complete a Safety Project Application. Click here to download the application:

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/planning/Safety/PDF_Files/safety_application.doc

In the “Brief Project Description” box on the application, the project should be designated as a High Risk Rural Roads project. In the “Summary of Problem Statement:” box, the narrative should indicate that the location meets the functional classification and fatality and incapacitating injury crash rate criteria. 

The completed application should be submitted to the local government’s respective ODOT district office, to the attention of the District Safety Review Team chairperson.

How is an application processed and how is a local government notified of an application’s final status?

The District Safety Review Team chairperson will review the application, and will contact the local government if additional information or clarification is needed. Once the application is deemed complete, it will be forwarded to the ODOT Office of Systems Planning and Program Management.

The application review process is on a semiannual schedule, with applications due by April 30 and September 30 each year. The applications are reviewed by an ODOT Central Office ten-member committee comprised of individuals representing the disciplines of traffic engineering, safety analysis and roadway design. The committee can approve an application, select a different safety strategy or request further study before allocating funding. The local government requesting the HRRRP funding will receive a written notification of the committee’s decision.

Who should questions be directed to?

Any questions on the High Risk Rural Roads Program or its implementation should be directed to the ODOT Office of Systems Planning and Program Management, attention Michelle May, 614-644-8309, mmay@dot.state.oh.us