Overview
The Highway Safety Act of 1966 (Public Law No. 89-564), enacted by Congress on September 9, 1966, was the first major effort at the Federal level to reduce the number and severity of highway-related crashes. The primary purpose of this legislation was to provide for a coordinated national highway safety program through financial assistance to the States to accelerate highway traffic safety programs. The 1966 Act required States to develop and maintain a highway safety program in accordance with uniform standards established by the Secretary of Transportation. Initially, 16 standards were established and responsibility for implementing these standards was divided among the Federal Highway Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. These standards have now been replaced by priority program areas.
The Highway Safety Act of 1973 (Title II of Public Law No. 93-87) established categorical funding for five specific program areas: highway-rail crossings, high hazard locations, pavement marking demonstration programs, elimination of roadside obstacles, and the Federal-aid safer roads demonstration. The Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1978 (Public Law No. 95-599) consolidated these programs into the Highway-Rail Grade Crossings and Hazard Elimination Programs. These two programs continue to remain in operation, with the most significant change being that since the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (Public Law No. 102-240), these programs are funded as part of the Surface Transportation Program (STP), under which 10% of the States' STP funds are set aside for these programs. Of this amount, the States must reserve for each of the two programs at least as much as was apportioned for each program in Fiscal Year 1991.
The Highway-Rail Grade Crossings Program, which is also be referred to as the Railway-Highway Crossings Program or as the Rail-Highway Crossings Program, is intended to develop and implement safety improvement projects to reduce the number and severity of crashes at public highway-rail grade crossings. Eligible activities include signing and pavement markings at crossings, active warning devices (e.g. lights and gates), crossing surface improvements, sight distance improvements, grade separations (new and reconstructed), and the closing and consolidation of crossings. In general, the Federal share for highway-rail grade crossings projects is 90 percent, with the remaining 10 percent to be paid by State and/or local authorities, and/or the railroad. Specific requirements for the Highway-Rail Grade Crossings Program can be found in Section 130 of Title 23, United States Code [PDF, 597KB], and in Parts 140I, 646 and 924 of Title 23, Code of Federal Regulations. The Transportation Equity Act for the 21 st Century (Public Law 105-178) added a provision that a State must consider bicycle safety in carrying out projects. Additional information on the Highway-Rail Grade Crossings Program.
The Hazard Elimination Program is intended to implement safety improvement projects to reduce the number and severity of crashes at hazardous highway locations, sections and elements on any public road, any public surface transportation facility, or any publicly owned bicycle or pedestrian pathway or trail. Typical project types include: intersection improvements (channelization, traffic signals, and sight distance); pavement and shoulder widening; guardrail and barrier improvements; installation of crash cushions; modification of roadway alignment, signing, pavement marking and delineation; breakaway utility poles and sign supports; pavement grooving and skid-resistant overlays; shoulder rumble strips; and minor structure replacements or modifications. In general, the Federal share for hazard elimination projects is 90 percent, with the remaining 10 percent to be paid by State and/or local authorities. Specific requirements for the Hazard Elimination Program can be found in Section 152 of
Section 130 of Title 23, United States Code [PDF, 597KB], and in Part 924 of Title 23, Code of Federal Regulations. The Transportation Equity Act for the 21 st Century added a provision that a State must consider bicycle safety in carrying out projects, and established eligibility for projects on the Interstate System and for traffic calming measures.
To ensure that these programs are carried out in an organized, systematic manner where the greatest benefits can be achieved, a formalized Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) has been established.
The HSIP was formally defined in a Federal Highway Administration regulation titled, Federal-Aid Highway Program Manual, Volume 8, Chapter 2, Section 3 (FHPM-8-2-3), dated March 5, 1979. The primary purpose of FHPM 8-2-3 was to establish the policy for the development and implementation of a comprehensive highway safety program in each State.
The current requirements for an HSIP are defined in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 23, Part 924, and are to include the following components and processes:
- Planning (collect and maintain data, identify hazardous locations and elements, conduct engineering studies and establish project priorities)
- Implementation (schedule and implement projects)
- Evaluation (determine the effect of safety improvements)
States may develop their own HSIP's that best meets their needs.
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