Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP)

Highway Safety Improvement Program – HSIP

The federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act continues the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) to achieve a significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads, including non-State-owned public roads and roads on tribal lands. The HSIP requires a data-driven, performance-based, and strategic approach to improving highway safety on all public roads. More information on HSIP is available on the Federal Highway Administration’s website.

 

Eligibility

This program provides Federal funding to assist NDOT and local public agencies (LPA) in addressing transportation safety issues, with the intent to reduce fatalities and life-altering injuries.  The ultimate goal of safety projects is Toward Zero Deaths.  HSIP funds must be used to make improvements at locations which constitute an existing or potential danger to vehicle occupants, pedestrians, or bicyclists as measured by the frequency and severity of crashes.  Some examples of eligible improvement include:  Adding turn lanes, roundabouts, cable median barrier, paved shoulder widening, lighting, geometric/alignment modifications. To be eligible for HSIP funds, the project must address one or more of the following seven Critical Emphasis Areas (CEA) of the Nebraska Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP):

  1. Increase Seat Belt Usage

  2. Reducing Roadway/Lane Departure Crashes (Keeping Vehicles on the Roadway, Minimizing the Consequences of Leaving the Road, and Reducing Head-on and Across-Median Crashes)

  3. Reducing Impaired Driving Crashes

  4. Reducing Intersection Crashes

  5. Reducing Young Driver Crashes

  6. Reducing Older Driver Crashes

  7. Reducing Non-Motorist Crashes (Bicyclists and Pedestrians)

*Major reconstruction of any applicable length of roadway will not quality for funding under this program.

**Maintenance projects, such as signal timing or repaving shoulders with existing rumble strips, are not eligible for HSIP funding.

***Adaptive signal control technology (ASCT), new traffic signals, removal of free right-turn ramps, or adding high friction surface treatment (HFST) is not eligible for Nebraska HSIP funds.

 

Funding Requirement of Program:

HSIP funding is eligible up to 80 or 90 percent funded by the federal government, depending on the project phase and type, and requires the remaining matching funds to be provided by local public agencies.

 

Application and Selection Process:

Proposals for the use of HSIP funds are reviewed by NDOT Highway Safety Committee.  The committee selects projects based on benefit/cost analysis, frequency and severity of crashes, and other systemic characteristics such as traffic volumes. All benefit/cost analyses for requesting HSIP funds must use the Nebraska Societal Crash Costs provided by NDOT. Approved projects are added to NDOT’s Schedule of Safety Improvements.

 

An LPA must request Safety funds through the NDOT Local Assistance Division and the Highway Safety Section. The funding request application must include a completed HSIP application cover.  Once the received request has been determined to have good potential, the proposal will be presented to the NDOT Highway Safety Committee.  The LPA will also be given the option of presenting the proposed project to the Committee is so desired.   When submitting a request to obtain HSIP funds, the following items must be prepared for review and evaluation by the Highway Safety Committee. 

  • Location Map

  • Crash Data

  • Evidence of High Crash Location

  • Proposed Improvement to Improve Safety

  • Cost Estimate of the Proposed Improvement

  • Must Address One of the Seven CEA’s (e.g. Roadway/Lane Departure, Intersection, or Non-Motorist)

  • Completed HSIP Application Cover