[Federal Register: February 29, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 41)]
[Notices]
[Page 11188-11190]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr29fe08-147]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Rural Safety Innovation Program
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of solicitation for applications to enter into
agreements with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT or the
``Department'') for funding to support qualified Rural Safety
Innovation Program projects.
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SUMMARY: The goal of the Rural Safety Innovation Program is to improve
rural road safety by assisting rural communities in addressing highway
safety problems and by providing rural communities the opportunity to
compete for project funding to address these problems. The program will
encourage States and rural communities to develop creative, locally
crafted solutions to roadway safety problems, document their efforts
and outcomes, and share the results with other communities across the
country.
Through the Rural Safety Innovation Program, the Department aims to
heighten awareness and interest in rural safety issues, and promote the
benefits of rural safety countermeasures which can reduce rural crashes
and fatalities nationwide. By providing technical assistance and best
practice guidance from the program we will give States and rural road
owners better tools to improve road safety in their communities.
The primary objectives of the Rural Safety Innovation Program are
to:
i. Improve safety on local and rural roads with innovative
approaches in which rural communities develop and design local
solutions to their roadway safety problems.
ii. Provide best practices and lessons learned on innovative safety
technologies to assist local and rural road owners and operators in the
development and implementation of infrastructure-based rural safety
countermeasures that complement behavioral safety efforts.
iii. Promote national awareness and interest in addressing rural
safety issues.
iv. Promote the use of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)
technologies to improve safety on rural roads.
DATES: Applications must be received on or before April 14, 2008.
Proposals for applications selected for potential funding will be due
in June 2008.
ADDRESSES: Interested parties should submit Applications to Mr. John E.
Dewar, State and Local Programs Team Leader, Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA), Office of Safety, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.,
Washington, DC 20590, electronically to ruralsafetyinitiative@dot.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John E. Dewar, Federal Highway
Administration, Office of Safety, (202) 366-2218, john.dewar2@dot.gov,
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590. Office hours are
from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Electronic Access and Filing: An electronic copy of this document
may be downloaded from the Office of the Federal Register's home page
at: http://www.archives.gov and the Government Printing Office's Web
page at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.
A. Background
Rural roads account for approximately 40 percent of the vehicle
miles traveled in the U.S., but almost 55 percent of fatalities.
According to the latest data, 23,339 people were killed in rural
crashes in 2006 and the fatality rate for rural crashes is more than
twice the fatality rate in urban crashes. Over 75 percent of all U.S.
road miles are rural, and of the over 3 million miles of rural roads,
almost 80 percent are owned and operated by local entities. Head-on
collisions are more frequent in rural areas, occurring about twice as
often as in urban areas. Rural collector roads account for 31 percent
of all rural road deaths, whereas urban collector roads account for
only 8 percent of urban road deaths. Speeding is a common contributor
to rural road deaths. Over 70 percent of the fatal crashes on high
speed roadways (speed limit of 55 mph or higher) occurred in rural
areas. The fatality rate per vehicle miles travel (VMT) on local roads
is more than twice that of Interstates.
Getting infrastructure safety information and more effective
countermeasure tools to State and local officials is critical to
improving national rural road safety. There are over 3,000 counties and
more than 16,000 towns and township governments in the U.S. that vary
widely in the size of the engineering staff and their ability to design
and implement infrastructure safety countermeasures on rural roads.
Rural safety continues to be a significant national problem in the
effort to reduce highway fatalities. Successful efforts to combat the
rural safety problem require an interdisciplinary approach including
engineering, enforcement, education and emergency medical services.
B. Funding
Currently, FHWA is proposing to use FY 2008 funds, drawn from
available portions of the Delta Region Transportation Development
Program, as well as the U.S. Department of Transportation Intelligent
Transportation System (ITS) program for the Rural Safety Innovation
Program. Each Federal funding source has unique criteria for eligible
activities, eligible facilities/locations, and cost sharing that must
be met. Awards will be made to rural projects that meet the eligibility
criteria under one or both of these funding sources. Potential
Applicants should review the eligibility requirements for each of the
potential Federal funding sources described below before submitting an
Application.
The FHWA's Delta Region Transportation Development Program supports
and encourages multi-State transportation planning and corridor
development, provides for transportation project development,
facilitates transportation decisionmaking, and supports transportation
construction on Federal-aid highways in the portions of the eight
States comprising the Delta Regional Authority's region (Alabama,
Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and
Tennessee). Eligible projects must have the endorsement of the State
Department of Transportation. Detailed information on Delta Region
Transportation Development Program requirements can be found at http://
www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/1308drtdp.htm.
The U.S. Department of Transportation Intelligent Transportation
Systems Program focuses on intelligent vehicles, intelligent
infrastructure and the creation of an intelligent transportation system
through integration with and between
[[Page 11189]]
these two components. Further information on potential safety
application of ITS in rural areas can be found at:
Safety Applications of ITS in Rural Areas--http://
www.itsdocs.fhwa.dot.gov/jpodocs/repts_te/13609_files/Contents.htm.
DOT ITS Web page--http://www.its.dot.gov.
DOT Highway Safety Web page--http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/.
Benefits information--http://www.itsbenefits.its.dot.gov/.
Cost information--http://www.itscosts.its.dot.gov/.
Lessons learned--http://www.itslessons.its.dot.gov/.
Deployment information--http://www.itsdeployment.its.dot.gov/
SurveyOutline1.asp?SID=swcps.
FHWA research--http://www.tfhrc.gov/research.htm.
We anticipate funding of $15 million or more to be available for
the Rural Safety Innovation Program, drawn from the programs described
above. Successful projects will demonstrate application of innovative
technologies and approaches with significant potential for improving
safety on eligible rural roads through infrastructure and technology
improvements. Applicants must provide the appropriate match for the
Federal funding source proposed.
It is estimated that competitive awards will be made in the range
of $200 thousand to $2 million per project. The range is established to
allow applicants the flexibility to respond as quickly as possible with
appropriate new projects requiring modest funding and resources, or
higher cost projects which may already be in development. Given the
great expanse of rural roads, innovative approaches that may offer
possible safety benefits at low costs are encouraged. Specific
evaluation criteria are identified below.
C. Application Process
The selection process consists of two phases: Submission of a Rural
Safety Innovation Program Application, followed by an invitation to
submit a formal Proposal in Phase II. Each phase is discussed below.
i. Phase I: The Rural Safety Innovation Program is geared toward
entities responsible for rural roads and highways such as counties,
towns, townships and Tribal governments partnering with State
departments of transportation. Applicants interested in the Rural
Safety Innovation Program should submit a Rural Safety Innovation
Program Application to the DOT. The length of the Application should
not exceed ten, single-spaced pages. The Application should, in general
terms, describe the proposed Rural Safety Innovation Program Project
including its location, general project description, design and
implementation outline, financial plan, management and staffing plan as
well as a proposed project schedule. The Applicant may be requested to
submit additional information if more information is needed at this
stage. The deadline for submitting an Application is April 14, 2008.
If the Applicant is accepted for the final competition (Phase II),
the Applicant will be invited to submit a Rural Safety Innovation
Program Proposal, discussed below. The DOT intends to announce
qualified Phase I candidates of the Rural Safety Innovation Program in
early April 2008.
ii. Phase II: Rural Safety Innovation Program Proposal
If an Applicant is invited to submit a Rural Safety Innovation
Program Proposal, the Proposal should be received no later than June
20, 2008. The Proposal should also reflect the support of all Federal,
State, Local, and Tribal governments that operate facilities which will
be directly impacted by the proposed rural safety project. The DOT
intends to announce the Proposals selected for funding in August 2008.
Applicants invited to participate in Phase II will be given
detailed guidelines needed to develop their Proposal. At a minimum, the
Proposal should include a detailed project description including goals,
objectives, location, proposed countermeasures, and expected benefits,
a design and implementation plan, a financial plan, and a management
and staffing plan including a detailed project schedule/timeline.
D. Eligibility Information
i. Eligible applicants--The Rural Safety Innovation Program is
geared toward entities responsible for rural roads and highways such as
counties, towns, townships and Tribal governments partnering with State
departments of transportation. Coordination of proposals with the State
Highway Safety Office is strongly encouraged. Letters of commitment
should be submitted from the chief executive from each participating
jurisdiction. Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements for the
Federal funding source being proposed. Refer to section B. for links to
potential Federal funding sources. If partnering with a local
jurisdiction, the DOT should designate a local/rural safety coordinator
who should be identified in the proposal. The coordinator should
leverage the knowledge gained from the project with other safety
initiatives, resources and data to provide safety assistance to local/
rural communities statewide. Funding for the coordinator activities may
be part of the match or submitted as a cost of the project.
ii. Cost sharing or Matching--Federal funds should not exceed 80
percent of the total project costs. Each recipient is responsible for
identifying a minimum 20 percent matching share from other non-Federal
sources. Applicants are encouraged to solicit matching funds from
multiple sources, including, State and local governments and private
sector partners, as they will be considered as evidence of local
partnership. Applicants must meet the matching requirements for the
Federal funding source being proposed. Refer to section B. for links to
potential Federal funding sources.
iii. Federal-aid Procedures--The projects will be administered
through the FHWA Division Offices and the State DOTs in accordance with
their stewardship and oversight agreements, and the practices and
procedures for local Federal-aid projects in the State, as applicable.
Federal-aid requirements will apply. Examples of Federal-aid
requirements include, but are not limited to, the transportation
planning process, National Environmental Policy Act, Uniform Relocation
Assistance Act, Equal Employment Opportunity, and Disadvantaged
Business Enterprise requirements.
E. Contents of Application for Phase I
The Application should address each of the following:
i. Content and Form of Application Submission--Each application
should include a brief Project Description, Design and Implementation
Plan, Financial Plan, and Management Plan that describes how the
proposed objectives will be met within the specified time frame and
budget.
These brief plans should contain the following information:
A. Project Description
Describe local area/jurisdiction where the project will take place
as well as a brief description of the project being proposed to
include: Goals, objectives, proposed countermeasures, and expected
benefits. Project proposals should include a strong rationale supported
by quantifiable, location-specific data from either local, State, or
Federal sources that identify a clear problem set and how the proposed
[[Page 11190]]
countermeasures would contribute as a potential solution.
The Department has identified a list of potential project types
(below), for each crash category for consideration by applicants.
Applications are not limited to these project types and innovative
approaches are encouraged. However, projects should be consistent with
the objectives of the Rural Safety Innovation Program.
1. Roadway Departure Crashes
Dynamic curve warning systems.
Advanced road departure warning systems.
Innovative safety infrastructure improvements (i.e., cable
guard rail, rumble strips and stripes).
2. Intersection and Pedestrian Crashes
Intersection collision avoidance systems (i.e., sensors to
provide oncoming traffic gap alerts, merge safety warnings, pedestrian
and obstruction detection, variable safety signage).
Innovative intersection treatments (i.e., roundabouts,
continuous flow intersections).
3. Speeding Related Crashes
Variable speed limit systems (with or without automated
speed enforcement).
Coordinated speed management systems.
4. Range of Crashes
Roadway condition indicator/traveler information systems
(i.e., ice detection/low friction, bridge deicing systems, poor
visibility systems, road closure notification).
Road side detection and warning systems.
Work zone safety systems.
Corridor safety applications.
Innovative roadway safety data collection and analysis
techniques.
First Responder/Public Safety Services applications: Fire,
Emergency Medical Services, Law Enforcement, HazMat, Towing, etc., that
include vehicle tracking, automatic crash notification, telemedicine,
and Wireless Enhanced 9-1-1 data transmission technologies.
B. Design and Implementation Outline
The Applicant should submit a brief statement outlining their
potential Design and Implementation Plan. A detailed plan will only be
required by those invited to submit a Proposal in Phase II.
C. Financial Plan
The Applicant should submit an initial plan that identifies
potential sources of financing including the private partner's role, if
applicable. Applicants must identify all funding and match sources
being proposed, including the Federal funding source under this
program. More than one Federal funding source may be identified if
applicable. Refer to section B. for links to potential Federal funding
sources.
D. Management and Staffing Plan
Describe briefly which organizations will lead the project, and how
responsibilities for task completion will be shared among proposed
project partners. The Application should also include a proposed
project time-line with estimated start and completion dates for major
elements of the proposed Rural Safety Innovation Program Project.
ii. Safety Benefits--The Applicant should provide a brief
description of the potential safety benefits based on the
countermeasures proposed.
iii. Evaluation of Rural Safety Innovation Program Projects--The
Department will also coordinate the evaluation of the effectiveness of
projects. An independent evaluation team will be hired by the
Department to develop an evaluation plan, and to conduct and coordinate
evaluation efforts. Funding recipients will be required to collect
specified before and after data and information as a condition of
receiving funding, and to facilitate the Department's evaluation
efforts. Depending on the number of projects selected, the Department
may conduct evaluations of only a subset of projects.
F. Evaluation Criteria
The Department has identified evaluation criteria that will be used
to select Applications to advance to the Phase II--Proposal stage.
Main Evaluation Criteria
i. An active High Risk Rural Roads Program.
ii. An active Highway Safety Program that complements the proposed
project, including enforcement, education and emergency medical
services.
iii. Participation by the State Highway Safety Office.
iv. Ability to provide appropriate non-Federal match to Federal
funds requested.
v. Ability to meet the criteria and requirements of the proposed
Federal funding source. Refer to section B. for links to potential
Federal funding sources.
vi. Sufficient data and analysis procedures to identify problem
areas and appropriate countermeasures.
vii. Feasibility of proposal (risk level).
Additional Evaluation Criteria
i. Counties with highest number of rural fatalities.
ii. Demonstration of cost share with public and private sector
partners to develop innovative and creative Rural Safety Innovation
Program projects.
iii. Ability to demonstrate a significant benefit/cost ratio that
will assist the Department in promoting rural safety throughout the
United Sates.
iv. Relationship between percentage of rural roads owned and
operated by local agencies and participation by these agencies.
v. Road Safety Audits used in project development and solutions.
vi. Use of market ready technologies (including ITS) and
innovations for improving roadway safety.
vii. Inclusion of outreach and education plan (for both provider/
user agencies and the public).
viii. Clarity and specificity of proposal.
ix. Qualifications and experience.
Issued on: February 21, 2008.
J. Richard Capka,
Federal Highway Administrator.
[FR Doc. E8-3716 Filed 2-28-08; 8:45 am]
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