Incorporating safety into transportation planning and decision making in mid-sized metropolitan areas

Motor vehicle fatalities and crashes are a leading public health problem in the United States. Many of these crashes involve speeding, collisions with fixed objects or drugs and alcohol and may be preventable. Reducing the number of injuries and fatalities on our transportation system will reduce the human and economic costs associated with these crashes. Safety is an important concern for the transportation system for many reasons and, therefore, should be an integral part of the transportation planning process.; Mid-sized metropolitan areas face very different challenges and transportation planning issues than those faced by larger metropolitan areas. This is especially true in the area of safety conscious planning (SCP). Metropolitan areas are where most Americans live and work. More strategic consideration of safety can improve the overall quality of the transportation system and prevent these cities from developing greater safety problems as they experience growth. Conflicting organizational cultures and limited staff and technical tools are major challenges in SCP efforts for mid-sized metropolitan areas (200,000 to 600,000 population).; This research effort surveyed mid-sized metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and conducted seven case studies of mid-sized metropolitan areas to better understand the challenges and opportunities facing SCP in such a context. The national survey and case studies focused on long range planning, data collection, human resources, technical analysis, and collaboration aspects of SCP as applied today. The results indicate that the majority of mid-sized MPOs have incorporated safety consideration into their long range transportation plans' vision, goals and objectives, but some mid-sized MPOs are more proactive in the quantitative analysis of project safety outcomes than others.; The dissertation recommends that the institutional and technical issues faced by mid-sized MPOs can be overcome by engaging government at all levels of planning in SCP efforts, identifying a safety champion in the management ranks, encouraging state departments of transportation to provide mid-sized MPOs with more tools and training in SCP, promoting a stronger relationship between the Governor's Safety Representative and the MPO, and creating a more comprehensive forum for collaboration among safety professionals.