Target Completion Date: December 31, 2026 Environment, Planning, and Economics
To reduce vulnerable road user injuries and fatalities, FHWA has developed a collection of countermeasures under the umbrella of the Proven Safety Countermeasure initiative (PSCi). Although the countermeasures are discrete elements (e.g., bicycle lanes or pedestrian refuge islands), they are only effective when applied as a system and tailored to local conditions. For example, for uncontrolled pedestrian crossings along low- and moderate-speed roads, elements such as pedestrian-actuated nighttime illumination and flashing beacons might be appropriate at the crosswalk. Additional measures such as LED-embedded advance warning signs might be appropriate at sites with higher speeds or sight distance challenges. Many of these elements have been shown to be effective in other states and in Europe, but they have not been widely deployed in Virginia due to two obstacles. First, there has not been a Virginia-specific comprehensive evaluation—e.g., to what extent do these systems influence motorist speeds or safety surrogates such as vehicle/pedestrian near-misses and changes in rates of motorist yielding to pedestrians—that considers measures of exposure such as traffic and pedestrian volumes. Second, the mechanisms through which Virginia entities—notably cities, towns, and VDOT Districts—should procure and install these systems is not clear. Through two case studies, this research seeks to address both obstacles. Although the numerical results will be specific to the case study locations, the lessons learned in terms of how to select sites, how to tailor PSCi systems and other multimodal elements to those sites, and how to conduct the evaluation are generalizable to other locations that could benefit from a PSCi system.
Last updated: March 6, 2025
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