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For the first time, state and local departments of transportation and metropolitan
planning organizations (MPOs) are required to consider safety as a planning factor.
What is Safety Conscious Planning (SCP)?
SCP implies a proactive approach to the prevention of accidents and unsafe
transportation conditions by establishing inherently safe transportation networks.
SCP achieves road safety improvements through small quantum changes, targeted
at the whole network.
The short-term objective is to integrate safety considerations into the transportation
planning processes at all levels, specifically the Statewide Transportation Improvement
Plans (STIP) and the Transportation Improvement Plans (TIP) developed by the State
Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs)
respectively. This step should be followed by consideration of safety objectives
in the longer range, 20 year plans that the state DOTs and MPOs are required to
prepare and update periodically.
Why Safety Conscious Planning?
It might be a good idea to start here with the benefits associated with SCP,
i.e. saving lives, reducing injuries and crashes. For example, European research
indicates that to achieve further large reductions in crash levels, it will be
necessary to change the focus from driver behavior initiatives to ones that will
make it more difficult for the driver to have a crash. SCP is one way to accomplish
that goal, i.e. one of the next generation of road safety strategies. TEA-21 requires
"Each statewide and metropolitan planning process shall provide for consideration
of projects and strategies that will increase the safety and security of the transportation
system for motorized and non-motorized users."
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