Rebecca Szymkowski, P.E., PTOE Wisconsin Department of Transportation ITE Midwestern District Annual Meeting June 30, 2015
Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) Roundabout Safety Analysis J-turn Experiences Single-Point Interchange Experience Other Innovative/Interchange Considerations Other Intersection Safety Countermeasures Other Related Safety Initiatives Questions 2
1400 Wisconsin Traffic Fatalities by Year 1200 1000 800 600 400 1966: National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act 1974: national 55mph speed limit 1982: OWI omnibus 1984: drinking age raised to 19 1986: drinking age raised to 21 1987: mandatory seatbelts 1980s: Created paved shoulder policy 1989: First edition Roadside Design Guide published 1995: Created Traffic Incident Management Enhancement Program 2000s: Began installing modern roundabouts 2003: prohibited BAC lowered to 0.08 2005: Began installation of high tension cable barrier 2010: OWI omnibus 2009: primary enforcement of seatbelts, universal text ban 2012: GDL phone ban 2012: Created rumble strip policy 200 0 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Wisconsin s Highway Safety Clock Traffic crash: every 5 minutes Property damage: every 6 minutes Injury: every 13 minutes Speed-related injury or death: every 1 hour Teen driver injured or killed: every 2 hours Alcohol-related injury or death: every 3 hours Motorcyclist injured or killed: every 4 hours Pedestrian injured or killed: every 7 hours Bicyclist injured or killed: every 9 hours Fatality: every 16 hours
October 2007 All 50 states and the District of Columbia have approved SHSPs Unprecedented collaboration and cooperation Multidisciplinary plans representing the 4 E s of Safety (Engineering, Enforcement, Education, EMS) Fifth E = Everyone
Wisconsin SHSP VISION: Zero in Wisconsin Overarching safety document for the state For WisDOT, guides/integrates with other safety documents/programs Highway Safety Plan (HSP) Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Commercial Vehicle Safety Plan (CVSP) Freight Plans Bike/Pedestrian Plans Others
SHSP is a living document 4 Editions 2001-2003 2006-2008 2011-2013 2014-2016 (current) Sponsorship of WisDOT s Traffic Safety Council (TSC) GOAL: Reduce traffic fatalities, injuries, and crashes on Wisconsin roadways by 5% from their rolling 5-year averages.
Highest Priority Issue Areas (Behavioral) Reduce Driver Distraction Reduce Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driving Reduce Motorcycle Crashes Increase Seat Belt Use and Improve Child Safety Seat Use Curb Aggressive Driving/Reduce Speed Related Crashes Provide Safe Bicycle and Pedestrian Travel
Highest Priority Issue Areas (Engineering) Improve Design and Operations of Intersections Reduce Lane Departure/Run-off-the-road Crashes Improve Incident Management and Travel in Bad Weather Continuing Priority Issue Areas Create Safer Work Zones Wisconsin Statistics (08-12) 37% of all Crashes 29% of all traffic fatalities 50% of all non-fatal injuries 39% of all incapacitating injuries
Task within issue area: Develop/implement solutions to reduce (total and severity of) intersection crashes. Various geometric configurations that will help with this task include: Roundabouts J-turns Jug handles Diverging diamond/single-point interchanges Others (flashing yellow arrow, intersection conflict warning systems, etc)
Research Safety Study Year Study Completed Years Roundabout Built No. of Years of Before Crash Data No. of Years of After Crash Data Phase 1 2011 2007 and before Phase 2 2013 2008 and before Phase 3 (current) In Progress 2009 and before 3 3 3 3-4 3 3-5
As of 2008, 40 RABs within WisDOT oversight (30 included in evaluation) Data Crash: 3-4 years before and after Traffic volume: before and after Methodology Empirical Bayes (Highway Safety Manual methodology) Crash Analysis
Total Crashes KABC Crashes Singlelane Multilane Number of RABs 15 15 RABs with Increased Crashes 8 9 RABs with Decreased Crashes 7 6 Total Expected Crashes 168 344 Total Observed Crashes 161 411 % of Changes 4% -19% RABs with Increased Crashes 7 3 RABs with Decreased Crashes 8 12 Total Expected Crashes 55 120 Total Observed Crashes 37 71 % of Changes 33% 41%
Significant decrease in crash severity 0 locations had fatal crashes in after period 21 locations decreased in injury crashes 9 locations increased in injury crashes Overall, 38% decrease for fatal and injury crashes Total Crash Frequency 13 locations decreased or no change 17 locations increased 5 of 17 increased from 1 to 3 crashes Overall, 12% increase
Commonalities between roundabouts that have safety concerns Failure to yield to ALL lanes Incorrect lane choice on the approach High Speed
Typical Application: Low to medium side-street thru/left volume divided expressways Reduces crash potential (particularly far side right angle crashes) Can accommodate up to two times the volume when compared to traditional median crossover type Easily retrofitted without purchasing additional R/W Low to medium cost Non signalized treatment Requires special signing Requires public education Creates indirect movements Creates mainline weaving movements
Operational Characteristics Minor road traffic turns right only Minor street left-turns and through required to U-turn downstream 6 7 5 4 3 1 2
Three J-turns currently installed, many in planning and/or design Preliminary Safety Results Intersection US 53 & County B Open Date October 2011 Right Angle Injury / Fatal Property Damage Only 0 0 3 WIS 29 & County VV WIS 23 & County M July 2013 November 2013 0 0 4 0 0 0
NW Region Added: Diagrammatic guide signs for CTH B Flex tubes to prevent median crosscutting
NE Region Loon - vehicles using to stage the turn instead of single movement Original Design Revised Design No lighting installed crashes only during day Sign placements to avoid farm machinery
Typical Application: Service interchange between a freeway and a high-volume arterial with both heavy left turns and through movements Simplified signal phasing Increased capacity for all movements Operates well with closely spaced signalized corridor Safer design 18 vehicle conflict points Requires large structure Longer clearance times Pedestrian traffic must be low No ramp off/ramp on movements allowed Interchange layout is unfamiliar to drivers
SPI Signal Operations 3-Phase Signal Operation
Three locations in Wisconsin 1 opened in 2006 1 under construction 1 in planning US 53 & STH 12 US 12/18 & US 151
Signal Monotube USH 53 NB 53 USH SB OTTER RD
Field changes prior to opening: Supplemental far side signals heads
Field changes prior to opening: Grooved left turn guide markings
Has performed well No formal operation or safety complaints Average Crashes 12 crashes per year 8 rear end crashes per year Low severity Current ADT s USH 53: 34,000 VPH USH 12: 20,000 VPH
Diverging Diamond Interchanges 7 DDIs in planning or design stages
Echalon Interchange (one in planning stage) Continuous Flow Intersections Source: Utah DOT
Signal Head per Lane/Flashing Yellow Arrow Study starting to evaluate signalhead-per-lane and flashing yellow arrow safety benefits 30
Through-route Activation Warning System (TRAWS) Part of Intersection Conflict Warning Systems (ICWS) applications Use on 4- lane divided expressways 31
http://wisconsindot.gov/pages/safety/safety-eng/default.aspx 32
Update MV4000 crash report form - improve data Identify new tools to help with safety evaluation (i.e., Highway Safety Manual/SafetyAnalyst, RSAP, IHSDM, LiDAR, etc.) Continued outreach (roundabouts, innovative intersection/ interchanges, safety benefits, etc.)
Rebecca Szymkowski, P.E., PTOE Wisconsin DOT rebecca.szymkowski@dot.wi.gov 608.266.9381 34