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Highway Safety Improvement Program (HISP)

Application/Procedure Updates

Please note the following updates for the FY09-10 HSIP safety improvement applications:

List of tentative HSIP projects for FY08-09 Application

Attached is a list of tentative Highway Safety Program (HSP) projects PDF (PDF, 19 KB) and Bike and Pedestrian Safety (BPS) projects PDF (PDF, 11KB) to be funded in the Virginia Transportation Six-Year Plan for FY 2008-09.

Please take the necessary steps to include these projects in your construction programs for this upcoming year, so when funding becomes available, you will be in a position to begin the preliminary engineering work.

If the project cost increases substantially over the cost on the application, a new benefit-cost (BC) ratio will be computed to determine if the project still qualifies as a safety project. If the new BC becomes less than 1.00 at any time, the project will no longer qualify and will be dropped from the HSIP.

If the cost increase is greater than 10%, the applicant will be required to cover the additional cost with an alternate funding source or reduce the scope of the project. If neither of these options is feasible the project will be dropped from the HSIP.

Applications submitted with a request for HSIP funds that exceeded $1,000,000 were disqualified. It is recommended that funding for these projects be solicited through other sources.

New! Proactive HSIP Funds

Starting from FY 2007, HSIP sets aside a portion of funds for proactive safety improvement. To be proactive, by improving safety with quickly implemented projects, HSIP funding has been allocated to specific severe crash corridors and jurisdictions. Allocations are anticipated in the foreseeable future to sustain this proactive approach.

Guidelines and requirements for developing improvement projects from Proactive HSIP funds allocated in FY2007 and 2008 are provided as follows. The following guidelines provide the framework for this new approach to finding and mitigating deaths and injuries from crashes on all public highways in Virginia:

PDFs PDFs

  1. HSIP Proactive Safety Project Funding Guidelines (137 KB)
  2. HSIP Proactive Safety Project Development Summary (16 KB)
  3. HSIP Proactive Funding Guidelines (Presentation) (480 KB)

HSIP Guidelines Update

HSIP Guidelines (FY09-10) have been updated. Applicants are required to read and follow the Guideline to ensure their applications will be considered and processed.

Applicants for Highway Safety Program should read Chapter 1, 2 and 3. Applicants for Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Program should read Chapter 1, 2 and 4. Applicants for Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety Program should read Chapter 1, 2 and 5.

All necessary application documents are provided in the “Application Package Download” section of this webpage.

Application Highlights

Application schedule
FY2009-10 HSIP Application deadline is September 1st, 2008. Please refer to HSIP application schedule in the HSIP Guidelines (FY09-10) PDF (PDF, 353 KB).

Cost participation
VDOT anticipates providing the 10 percent local match for the FY 2009-10 safety projects; however, the applicant should be willing and able to supply the local match should the state funding be unavailable. If the final project cost is higher than what was originally submitted, the applicant will be responsible for providing all funding over those estimates.

HSP Application Form update
For FY2009-10 Highway Safety Project (HSP), the previous application form (MS-Word document) and the B/C spreadsheet (MS-Excel) were combined into one Excel spreadsheet form Excel (PDF, 141 KB) to facilitate the electronic transmission of application data. The application spreadsheet is to be used for both highway Intersection and Section projects. Please read the instruction documents for detailed explanation.

Please note that the calculated benefit to cost ratio (B/C ) number in the application is only used to assess the eligibility of a proposed improvement for Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSP) funding. Improvements that provide expected crash reductions resulting in a B/C greater than one (1.0) are eligible for HSIP funding.

However, a high B/C ratio does not guarantee funding. Other factors such as the total targeted severe crashes, validity of improvement countermeasure; project cost and the time frame to complete the project are also considered to prioritize the eligible improvements.

In general, quick improvement projects with limited or no right-of-way acquisition and environmental impacts that target high crash locations will receive more favorable consideration.

Electronic submission
Starting from FY2009-10, HSIP applicants are required to submit electronic version of application documents in addition to a signed hardcopy. Electronic application forms can be downloaded from the link below. Please refer to the corresponding chapters of HSIP Guidelines (FY09-10) PDF (PDF, 353 KB) for electronic submission requirements.

Please note that only the application form is required to be emailed to HSIPprogram@VirginiaDOT.org. Please do not email other large electronic documents with supporting information, but mail those with the signed application form.

If a project gets funded, applicants are required to submit a project status report to HSIProgram@virginiadot.org (forms can be downloaded from VDOT TED website) by December 31 of each year after authorization to proceed. Please refer to the “Project Status Report” section in corresponding chapter for detailed requirements.

Other requirements

Turning Movement Count
For FY2009-10 Highway Safety Project (HSP) application, vehicle turning movement counts are required for Intersection Project applications only. The turning movement counts can be filled in the “Intersection Sketch” found in the HSP application form Excel (Excel, 141 KB) worksheet.

FR300 Reports
Applicants are required to submit three years of police crash reports (FR300’s) within the project limits and to identify those crashes that are targeted for reduction (that is, crashes associated with the proposed improvement). Both targeted and total crashes will be used to evaluate the project effectiveness after completion

Detailed Costs
The application must show the estimated project costs broken down by PE, R/W and Utilities, and Construction. The estimates should be as detailed and accurate as possible, utilizing VDOT’s Project Cost Estimation System (PCES) worksheets. Applicants who do not have access to the PCES worksheets shall submit detailed unit costs with a descriptive reason for not using PCES.

Project Status Reports
Applicants are required to submit annual Project Status reports to VDOT Traffic Engineering Division documenting the current status of project cost, schedule and quality.

Application package download

Highway Safety Program (HSP)

Bike and Pedestrian Safety Program (BPS)

Non-motorized transportation safety is improved by reducing risk from exposure to motorized vehicles in time and space on the highway network. To help localities identify and prioritize locations for improvement, a recent report was prepared by the Virginia Transportation Research Council. Review the report titled Framework for Selection and Evaluation of Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Projects in Virginia to determine best practices for targeting safety resources for the vulnerable highway users.

Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety Program (H-RGCP)

Application Checklist PDF (PDF, 50 KB) for each program is available as the Appendix E of the HSIP Guideline (FY09-10)

Contacts for information and application submittals

Please submit questions and all electronic application forms and worksheets to HSIProgram@VirginiaDOT.org

HSIP staff is also available to discuss your safety applications and projects.

Stephen Read, Highway Safety Improvement Programs Manager
Traffic Engineering Division
Virginia Department of Transportation
1401 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Phone: (804) 786-9094
Fax: 804-225-2448
TTY711

HS and BPS Programs: Mr. Tracy Turpin, Phone (804) 786-6610

H-RGC Program: Mr. Michael Wray, Phone (804) 786-2822



Page last modified: Thursday, June 19, 2008