Highway Safety Corridors: National Experiences and a Possible Framework for Virginia

Report No: 03-TAR12

Published in 2003

About the report:

On March 22, 2003, Governor Mark Warner approved Senate Bill 1093 (SB 1093). SB1093 establishes a highway safety corridor (HSC) program for the Commonwealth. The program will attempt to address safety concerns through a combination of law enforcement, education, and safety enhancements. Fines for violations in the highway safety corridors will be doubled up to a maximum of $500. SB 1093 requires that the Commonwealth Transportation Commissioner, in conjunction with the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Superintendent of State Police, develop criteria for designating and evaluating highway safety corridors. This process is to include a review of crash data, accident reports, type and volume of vehicular traffic, and engineering and traffic studies. This report provides background information as to how an HSC program might operate in Virginia as well as a general indication of its potential impact on highway safety. Examples of similar programs in other states are reviewed, and a general framework for establishing an HSC program in Virginia is presented. Experiences from around the nation suggest that an HSC program could create beneficial safety impacts, but further work is needed to refine it.

Documents

03-TAR12

_{Disclaimer Statement:The contents of this report reflect the views of the author(s), who is responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Commonwealth Transportation Board, or the Federal Highway Administration. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. Any inclusion of manufacturer names, trade names, or trademarks is for identification purposes only and is not to be considered an endorsement.}

Authors

Michael D. Fontaine, Ph.D., P.E.

Last updated: December 3, 2023