Thesis (M.S., Civil Engineering) -- University of Idaho, 2017 | According to the USDOT’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics, approximately 76% of all roads are owned and maintained by local agencies. Unfortunately, the local roadway network experiences the highest overall crash rates. Local agencies responsible for these roadways often have limited resources, staffing, or knowledge of safety tools, though advancements in data collection capabilities have allowed these agencies to collect significant amounts of safety data. There is an immediate need to find out what types of safety data are being collected, what types of safety analysis can be conducted, and the engineering approaches that could be implemented to meet the safety objectives. A survey was developed and distributed to local transportation practitioners with the objective of identifying agency challenges and resources available for data collection and the analysis needed to address roadway safety. Using the information collected from the survey, a three-part training tool was developed, pilot-tested by a group of local practitioners, and revised for broad dissemination to practitioners in the future.
