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FHWA ORDER M 1100.1A, Chg. 50 | PART II, CH. 6 |
December 5, 2006 |
What is the mission of the Office of Safety?
To provide national leadership and advocacy in the development and implementation of strategies and programs to continuously reduce the number and severity of highway crashes involving both motorized and non-motorized travelers on the Nation's highways, streets, bicycle/pedestrian facilities, and at intermodal connections.
What are the functions of the Office of Safety?
Advocacy. Serves as the FHWA advocate and a national leader for the elimination of highway crashes, and highway safety infrastructure and other safety programs, including safe highway, bicycle, and pedestrian facilities. Advocates and supports the FHWA field offices in developing strong relationships with State, tribal, and local transportation and safety agencies and other public and private sector partners. Provides national and international leadership to improve the safety of all highway users, both the motorist and bicyclist/pedestrian, for local communities as well as through traffic.
Strategic Planning and Quality. Develops and executes national policies and plans, implements program initiatives, and provides program leadership, management, and oversight for roadway-oriented surface transportation safety programs. Provides leadership to FHWA's Safety Strategic goal as the agency’s goal manager. Initiates quality self-assessments, program evaluations, and system and process improvements to continually improve the quality of FHWA’s safety programs, products, and services. Develops and maintains the Office of Safety's Business Plan.
Legislation, Regulations, Policy, and Guidance. Develops legislative recommendations and administers statutory provisions relating to FHWA's highway safety mission. Develops and issues regulations, policies, and guidance for State and local transportation agencies in accordance with Federal laws. Carries out these functions in cooperation with other DOT and Federal agencies, as well as FHWA Headquarters and field offices.
Safety Leadership. Coordinates with other appropriate FHWA offices to initiate and develop national highway and bicycle/pedestrian facility safety programs to eliminate highway crashes, fatalities, and injuries, including planning, development and operations, and coordinates as appropriate with other FHWA and departmental organizations, other Federal agencies, and the public and private sector.
Technology Delivery. In cooperation with the Offices of Infrastructure, Operations, Federal Lands Highway, and Planning, Environment, and Realty, Resource Center, and the Office of Research, Development, and Technology, leads the development and execution of a multi-year research and technology program plan to develop and demonstrate broad-based and multidisciplinary products, tools, and practices to improve highway safety. These may include but are not limited to roadway features, visibility under adverse environmental conditions, roadside hardware, roadway intersections, highway rail crossings, pedestrian and bicyclist facilities, accommodations for disabled highway users, traffic control devices, work zones, utility poles, and speed management.
Outreach and Consultation. Seeks the views of the Department's field offices, State and local governments, and the private sector on the development and implementation of highway safety infrastructure and other safety technologies, programs and strategies and uses that information in carrying out office functions. Assesses the community impact of issues relating to highway safety, and seeks to assure that the interest of the users and the community are addressed in safety policies and programs.
The Associate Administrator for Safety provides executive direction over the activities of which organizational elements?
Safety Support Team. The Safety Support Team provides administrative and technical support to the Office of Safety in areas such as budget, finance, human resources, acquisition, information technology, management support services and emergency preparedness. The Team leads Office of Safety communication and marketing efforts and strategic/performance planning efforts.
Office of Safety Design
Office of Safety Programs
Office of Safety Integration
What is the mission of the Office of Safety Design?
To administer programs and promote practices relating to the development and incorporation of road and roadside features that impact highway safety performance.
What are the functions of the Office of Safety Design?
Advocacy. Serves as an advocate and national leader for road and roadside features that improve highway safety performance. Advances state-of-the-art technologies and practices regarding design of highways, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, and other safety technologies and practices. Coordinates with other agencies regarding highway safety issues and represents FHWA's safety interests with other public and private organizations.
Policy and Guidance. Develops policies and guidelines, in cooperation with the Office of Safety Programs and the Office of Safety Integration for national highway safety programs. Provides guidance on safety performance goals, policies, and criteria for all public roads, and bicycle/pedestrian facilities. Provides national leadership in the policy and guidance on highway safety infrastructure features including pavement skid resistance, roadway geometrics and cross-sections, and roadside safety features, traffic control devices, and highway-rail grade crossings. In cooperation with NHTSA, develops policies and guidelines for the State Highway Safety Programs.
Roadway and Roadside Safety. Coordinates with other FHWA offices, States, and local governments, and industry to develop and implement strategies and countermeasures related to roadway and roadside safety.
Intersection Safety. Coordinates with the Office of Research, Development, and Technology and the Office of Infrastructure to develop and implement a national program to improve intersection safety, including a reduction in Red Light Running.
Pedestrian/Bicycle Activities. Coordinates with NHTSA, the Office of Research, Development, and Technology, and the Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty to develop and implement a national program to improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Speed Management Program. In cooperation with the Office of Operations, manages the speed management program with NHTSA, FMCSA, and the Office of Research, Development, and Technology.
Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Coordinates with the Office of Operations in the development and maintenance of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, the retroreflectivity of signs and pavement markings, and supporting documents and promotion of the safe and uniform application of traffic control devices.
Highway Safety Hardware and Design. Analyzes and accepts highway safety hardware for use on the National Highway System and other roadways. Provides information to partners and customers on current and emerging strategies to improve highway safety.
Geometric Design and Context Sensitive Solutions. Provides expertise and program direction on geometric design issues related to safety, and promotes safety as a component of context sensitive solutions.
Human Factors and Older Users. Provides expertise and program direction on human factors issues, and design issues related to older users of the road system (including bicycle and pedestrian facilities).
Railroad-Highway Crossings. In coordination with the FRA, directs the national program to improve hazardous railroad-highway crossing locations including the development and implementation of special studies and FHWA involvement with Operation Lifesaver.
Technical Assistance. Provides advice and assistance and serves as the Headquarters focal point to the Offices of Infrastructure, Operations, Federal Lands Highway, and Planning, Environment, and Realty, Resource Center, and division offices, and State and local jurisdictions regarding highway safety program development, evaluation, and administration. Provides support for international highway safety activities. Represents FHWA through a variety of technical forums dealing with highway safety, including roadside design and hardware safety, and highway-rail grade crossing safety. In partnership with the Resource Center, divisions, the Office of Research, Development, and Technology, and the Office of Professional and Corporate Development, develops training material to advance the state-of-the-practice in highway safety.
Technology Delivery. Delivers programs to advance the adoption of highway safety-related and market-ready technologies and innovations. In partnership with the Resource Center, divisions, and the Office of Professional and Corporate Development, develops training material to advance the state-of-the-practice in highway safety. Working with both the Resource Center and industry, designs, implements, and delivers programs to advance the adoption of market-ready technologies. Provides information to customers on the current and emerging technologies and strategies to improve highway safety. Acts as a technology and information clearinghouse for the Resource Center, divisions, and States on information relating to highway safety programs. Helps to coordinate the development of international highway safety standards and requirements, and works with the appropriate offices to identify and share highway safety technology applications and requirements. In cooperation with the Operations, Infrastructure, Research, Development, and Technology, and Planning, Environment, and Realty offices, works with the Office of Federal Lands Highway, Resource Center, and divisions to identify and deploy highway safety technologies and products.
What is the mission of the Office of Safety Programs?
To improve highway safety through development and application of Federal and State oriented programs.
What are the functions of the Office of Safety Programs?
Advocacy. Serves as an advocate and national leader for Federal Highway programs and State highway safety programs and activities that improve the safe operation of roadways. Coordinates with other agencies dealing with highway safety issues and represents FHWA's interests with other public and private organizations.
Policy and Guidance. Develops policies and guidelines, in cooperation with the Office of Safety Design and the Office of Safety Integration for national highway safety programs. Provides guidance on safety performance goals, policies, and criteria for all public roads, and bicycle/pedestrian facilities. Provides national leadership in the policy and guidance on highway safety improvement program, safe routes to schools, road safety audits and other program areas.
Safety Leadership. Develops policies, procedures, and guides for development, administration, and management of FHWA highway safety programs and safety-related information in collaboration with other FHWA offices and DOT agencies. In partnership with other FHWA and departmental organizations, and the public and private sectors, uses the information and results to identify and evaluate policies, practices, and technologies. Develops and implements policies, regulations, and guidance on highway safety grant programs. Leads the Highway Safety Improvement Program and its components, including Strategic Highway Safety Plans and the High Risk Rural Roads Program.
Program Analysis. Evaluates safety program effectiveness in reducing the number and severity of crashes. Researches crash causation and exposure data. Conducts cost/benefit analyses and regulatory flexibility analyses in support of new or revised legislation.
Safety Information and Analysis. Serves as the FHWA national leader to ensure FHWA Divisions have the expertise to conduct and to perform safety data analysis to support program activities with State and local partners. Identifies data needs to carry out analyses necessary to support State and local safety programs, supports State and local data collection programs, and performs data analyses to assist FHWA divisions and States in analysis of safety problems and opportunities. In cooperation with other DOT and FHWA offices, works to assure that data resources are available to address safety issues. Supports and assists in the development, maintenance, and use of information systems to support highway and bicyclist/pedestrian infrastructure and other safety programs. With the Resource Center, the Office of Research, Development, and Technology, and divisions, assists the States with data information systems to ensure the most accurate, complete, and timely data are available for national and State data analyses.
Highway Safety Improvement Program. Provides leadership in policy determination, guidance development and technical assistance to Divisions and States with regard to the Highway Safety Improvement Program, including the development and implementation of Strategic Highway Safety Plans, the High Risk Rural Roads Program and reporting requirements.
Safe Routes to School. Provides leadership in policy determination, guidance development and technical assistance to Divisions, States, and local governments with regard to the “Safe Routes to School” Program.
Local and Rural Road Safety. Provides leadership and policy guidance in insuring that local road owners and operators have access to reliable and accessible safety information. Develops and distributes products focused on the needs of local and rural roads. In cooperation with the Office of Federal Lands Highway, works to improve safety on Federal Lands and Native American Lands.
Road Safety Audits. Provides leadership, policy guidance and technical assistance to Divisions and States with regard to implementing Road Safety Audits.
Technology Delivery. Develops and delivers programs to advance the adoption of highway safety-related technologies and innovations, including highway safety planning, tools for highway safety analysis, road safety audits and data analysis improvement techniques. In partnership with the Resource Center, divisions, the Office of Research, Development, and Technology, and the Office of Professional and Corporate Development, develops training material to advance the state-of-the-practice in highway safety in these areas. Provides information to customers on the current and emerging technologies and strategies to improve highway safety. Acts as a technology and information clearinghouse for the Resource Center, divisions, and States on information relating to highway safety programs.
Technical Assistance. Provides advice and assistance to partners in the implementation of the Highway Safety Improvement Program and serves as the Headquarters focal point to other offices regarding administration of this program. Represents FHWA through a variety of technical forums dealing with highway safety, including data analysis, strategic highway safety plans, road safety audits and safe routes to schools. In partnership with the Resource Center, divisions, the Office of Research, Development, and Technology, and the Office of Professional and Corporate Development, develops training material to advance the state-of-the-practice in highway safety.
What is the mission of the Office of Safety Integration?
To provide strategic direction for surface transportation programs administered by FHWA, ensure that safety policies and programs are integrated with other FHWA and DOT policies and initiatives, and manage and promote a program to leverage technology and innovation in the support of FHWA safety objectives.
What are the functions of the Office of Safety Integration?
Advocacy. Participates fully in advocating comprehensive and aggressive safety programs at the national level, and ensures appropriate linkage and integration of safety practices and principles with other entities, including other FHWA offices, DOT agencies, and external organizations.
Legislation and Regulations. Develops, recommends, reviews, and coordinates legislative provisions relating to FHWA's highway safety mission in coordination with the Office of Safety Design and the Office of Safety Programs. In coordination with other FHWA and DOT organizations, as appropriate, provides technical assistance to Congressional authorizing and appropriations committees in developing legislative recommendations and interpreting statutory provisions related to safety. Supports and facilitates development of regulations and related efforts in the Office of Safety and with other FHWA offices.
Strategic and Policy Coordination. Leads and/or coordinates development of strategic direction, goals, and policy positions for safety within FHWA in cooperation with others within the Office of Safety, other FHWA offices, DOT agencies and external partners as appropriate. Assures that goals and policies are appropriately represented through coordination within FHWA and among other DOT entities such as the NHTSA, FMCSA, and OST. Develops strategies for and assists FHWA division offices and States to ensure that national highway safety goals and policy objectives are reflected in State safety program activities, and directs and manages a focused approach to delivery of FHWA resources to key States for this purpose. Provides guidance on the inclusion of infrastructure safety and other safety initiatives into intelligent transportation systems (ITS) related activities, including streamlining Federal-aid policies, procedures, and guidelines to facilitate the deployment of ITS.
External Partnerships. Through a comprehensive program of outreach, consultation, and/or collaboration; seeks the views of other FHWA and DOT organizations, and public and private sector customers, including academia, on the development and implementation of highway and bicycle/pedestrian safety technologies and strategies. Represents and advances the Agency's safety interests with organizations such as the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), Transportation Research Board (TRB), the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP), the Governors' Highway Safety Association (GHSA), the National Association of Counties (NACo), the National Association of County Engineers (NACE), bicyclist and pedestrian associations, Operation Lifesaver, the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), the National Safety Council, the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA), the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), and the American Public Works Association (APWA). Actively seeks to include a public involvement element in the decisions that affect safety innovations in communities and neighborhoods.
Research and Technology Program. In cooperation with the Office of Safety Research and Development and the Resource Center, as appropriate, directs and facilitates development of multi-year and annual Highway Safety Research and Technology (R&T) Program Plans, including ‘Roadmaps’ for priority topic areas. Manages R&T Program resources provided to the Office of Safety, and coordinates preparation of justification documentation and presentation materials on the R&T Program for Safety and FHWA leadership and other entities. In cooperation with other FHWA offices (including Operations, Infrastructure, and Research, Development, and Technology), and other DOT, academia, and private sector partners, supports the development, demonstration, field testing, and evaluation of emerging technologies, standards, and practices designed to improve the safe movement of people and goods, and/or enhance the safety of the surface transportation system.
Professional Capacity Building. Develops and executes a comprehensive program to advance the professional capacity of the highway safety community, both within FHWA and among our partners and customers. Leads a cooperative program with key partners (both within DOT and with external entities) to plan for, design, develop, and execute such a program. In cooperation with other FHWA offices, facilitates the development of training and education projects to assure efficient and effective delivery of safety technologies and innovations.
International Outreach and Coordination. Leads and coordinates international activities for the FHWA safety program; including access to and use of technologies and innovations from other countries, representing the FHWA safety program within various international entities, and cooperating with the FHWA Office of International Programs on highway safety matters.
Safety Information and Analysis. Serves as the FHWA national leader to ensure the Office of Safety has safety data to support program activities and provide program direction. Identifies data needs to carry out analyses necessary to support a safety mission, assembles data, and performs data analyses to determine accident trends and to evaluate FHWA's safety program and policy effectiveness. Develops, maintains, and uses information systems to support highway and bicyclist/pedestrian infrastructure and other safety programs. Participates as a full Member of the DOT Traffic Records Coordinating Committee (TRCC) to advance information and data activities that support the Department's efforts to develop joint policies, outreach initiatives, and training efforts for multidisciplinary safety programs.
Highway Work Zones. Coordinates with the Office of Operations in the development and implementation of the national program to improve safety and mobility in highway work zones. In coordination with other FHWA offices, participates on the Work Zone Mobility and Safety Integrated Products Team.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Recommendations. Serves as the agency's focal point for responses to NTSB recommendations, coordinating the development of NTSB recommendations and tracking the implementation of the recommendations.
Technology Delivery. Manages the FHWA program to design, implement, and deliver programs to advance the adoption of highway safety-related and market-ready technologies and innovations. In partnership with the Resource Center, divisions, and the Office of Professional and Corporate Development; develops training material to advance the state-of-the-practice in highway safety. Working with both the Resource Center and industry, designs, implements, and delivers programs to advance the adoption of market-ready technologies. Provides information to customers on the current and emerging technologies and strategies to improve highway safety. Acts as a technology and information clearinghouse for the Resource Center, divisions, Office of Research, Development, and Technology, and States on information relating to highway safety programs. Helps to coordinate the development of international highway safety standards and requirements, and works with the appropriate offices to identify and share highway safety technology applications and requirements. In cooperation with the Operations, Infrastructure, and Planning, Environment, and Realty offices, works with the Office of Federal Lands Highway, Resource Center, and divisions to identify and deploy highway safety technologies and products.
Monitoring and Evaluation. Monitors the implementation of activities by other FHWA organizations and departmental modes, industry, and other partners and customers to ensure that highway safety is embraced in their programs. Assesses the impact of FHWA's policies, funds, and programs on highway safety. Uses results to improve program performance and guide future FHWA program development. Initiates system and process improvements to continually improve highway safety infrastructure and safety programs, products, and services.