People Against a Casino Town
Information
Oregon Department of Transportation
Hwy 126 West - Safety Study
 
OR 126W SAFETY STUDY
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
April 8, 2005

Introduction

Highway safety and strategies to improve highway safety are consistently raised as issues by regular highway users.  This safety concern has been documented for OR 126W in the 1999 Highway 126 West Interim Corridor Strategies Report. 

During spring of 2004, ODOT hosted two public transportation open houses in Florence to provide a forum for information exchange with the public about upcoming road projects, ongoing safety and access management strategies, and potential impacts of a proposed casino in the corridor.  The over arching theme of these meetings was an expressed public concern about safe travel in the corridor and an associated concern that new casino traffic would have a direct negative impact on highway safety.

This study provides an analysis of highway safety on OR 126W between the western edge of the Eugene metro area and US 101 in Florence.  The study objectives are to identify the types, causes, and severity of crashes given the current highway condition and daily traffic; to assess the impacts of both future projected traffic and previously unanticipated casino traffic growth on the existing safety condition in the corridor; and, to recommend a set of safety mitigation priorities which encompass the range of alternatives including education, enforcement, and engineering options. 

Analysis of Available Crash Data

Based on crash data compiled by ODOT for the period 1998 through 2002, specific details of each crash were consolidated into a spreadsheet sorted by milepost.  Sorting the crash data based on location, crash rate and severity, facilitated the identification of eight locations exhibiting the highest levels of these factors for further study.  While also addressing known problem areas, safety improvements for segments having the highest crash rate/severity levels produce the highest benefit to cost ratio.  Projects having the highest benefit to cost ratio have the highest probability of being funded.

Interviews with Law Enforcement and EMS First Responders

Interviews with law enforcement and EMS First Responders were conducted to obtain their perspective on corridor safety and how it might be improved.  The results of the interview revealed that excessive speed, aggressive driver behavior, and impatience caused by limited opportunities for vehicles to pass seem to be the primary cause of accidents.  Enforcement is difficult due to limited opportunities to turn around or apprehend violators.  Responding to emergency situations is made difficult due to congestion and failure of motorists to properly yield to emergency vehicles.  Insufficient staffing due to budget cuts impairs the ability to provide effective enforcement and emergency response.

Impact of Increased Casino Traffic on Corridor Safety

An analysis of four two-mile segments having high crash rate/severity was performed to quantify the predicted increase in crash rate resulting from the increased casino traffic.  The selected segments were representative of both the higher volume traffic at the east end of the corridor as well as segments in the lower volume areas at the west end.  Using this representative sample of the corridor, the analysis revealed a trend that can be extrapolated to represent segments for the whole corridor.  The results show that as traffic increases, the estimated number of crashes and crash rate/mile/year will also increase.  An equation was derived that relates percentage increase in traffic volume to percentage increase in predicted crash rates.

Conceptual Safety Mitigation Alternatives

Each of the eight high crash rate/severity segments was studied to identify potential safety mitigation short-term, low cost and longer-term stand-alone construction alternatives.  Quantitative conceptual benefit/cost characteristics were also calculated as part of this process.  The initial selection of alternatives was developed after reviewing ODOT video logs, national literature, and analysis of ODOT crash data and geometrics within the corridor.  After review of the selected alternatives with ODOT, the alternatives were field reviewed.  During the field review, it was determined that some alternatives were no longer applicable while others should be added. From these alternatives, the Project Management Team (PMT) selected and ranked preferred alternatives for each segment.  Some alternatives were added or consolidated by the PMT during final review.

Alternatives Implementation Strategy

The implementation strategy that is expected to produce the most beneficial safety improvements to the OR 126 W corridor is one that incorporates education, enforcement, engineering improvements, and improved access for emergency responders.  Much of the effort expended during the study was directed toward the identification and ranking of locations having the highest potential to benefit from constructed improvements.  However, some of the enforcement and education elements of the strategy may be more quickly implemented thereby producing short-term, observable benefits. 

EDUCATION

Opportunities for safety improvement through education are extensive.  Further, funding sources are available that can be helpful in implementing short-term activities to produce observable benefits.  The over arching process that drives behavioral safety programs in Oregon is the annual Oregon Traffic Safety Performance Plan (TSPP).  The TSPP identifies the needs for safety improvements, corresponding activities that promote safety and potential funding sources required for implementation.  The output from this Study will be very useful in making input into the TSPP in that it provides specific activities that may be included in future years’ programs.

With assistance from ODOT and the Alliance for Community Traffic Safety (ACTS), the City of Florence Local Transportation Safety Committee is being reactivated.  Similar committees may exist in Eugene, Veneta, and Lane County.  Involvement by ACTS should be encouraged in that it receives funding from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) through ODOT.  ACTS may also be helpful by providing Funding/Grants assistance. 

The following are recommended safety education activities to be considered for implementation:
  1. Development of a specific education plan for the OR 126 West corridor
  2. Placement of Educational Materials in Businesses and Schools
  3. Utilization of Available Educational Information from ODOT
  4. Billboards
  5. Radar Boards, Reader Boards and Variable Message Signs (VMS)
  6. Real-Time Traffic Information
  7. Enforcement Education
  8. School Presentations
ENFORCEMENT

Study activities included interviews with law enforcement staff and EMS first responders that are assigned to the corridor.  These interviews consistently indicated a need to increase driver awareness regarding safety matters.  Unfortunately, the ability of law enforcement and EMS first responders to influence safety on the corridor is currently constrained due to budget cuts that have significantly reduced staffing to well below historic levels.  Every effort should be made to influence legislators to restore funding to previous or higher levels commensurate with increasing volumes of traffic.

The following is a list of the most common suggestions made by law enforcement staff and EMS first responders, many of which are not dependent on increased staffing levels:
  1. “Lights on for Safety” program, adding corridor signs that emphasize turning on headlights to improve visibility of cars.
  2. Elimination or selective reduction of passing in areas where drivers have demonstrated poor judgment. 
  3. Increased enforcement on weekends
  4. Turn-arounds and launch pads
  5. Roadway and/or shoulder widening

ENGINEERING

Implementation of corridor construction mitigation alternatives will require time and funding.  ODOT should strategically approach the engineering effort by addressing high crash/high severity locations and including elements of the strategy in planned STIP projects, local highway projects, and proposed private developments.

The alternative construction mitigations address the eight specific segments of the corridor that are known to be high crash/high severity locations.  The recommended mitigations within each segment were ranked by the PMT.  However the actual implementation priority may be equally a function of opportunity as projects develop through the state STIP, local CIP, and major development processes.  Whether a particular mitigation is a short, medium, or long term activity is influenced more by opportunity than other factors.

Fifty-three specific safety mitigation construction items are listed in the report for the eight segments.  Some typical safety mitigation improvements include:
  1. Revise channelization of intersections by re-striping
  2. Install object warning markers at bridge abutments
  3. Add left turn refuge lanes
  4. Adding chevron arrows at reduced speed curves
  5. Widen shoulders
  6. Maintain visibility of signs by periodic tree trimming
  7. Overlay rough pavement
  8. Reduce length of allowable passing areas where drivers have exhibited poor judgment
  9. Install illumination at selected intersections
  10. Modify traffic signal timing

The cost of implementing the construction items ranges from incidental maintenance to in excess of $500,000.  However, of the three highest ranked safety mitigation construction improvements in each of the eight segments (24 total), all but three of them are estimated to cost less than $10,000 each. 

Corridor wide safety improvements suggested include the following:

  1. Install shoulder rumble strips where 4’ shoulders are available
  2. Install enforcement vehicle launch pads/pull outs
  3. Install edge and centerline raised pavement markers when permitted by ODOT

Summary and Recommendations

The OR 126W corridor between Eugene and Florence in and of itself is not inherently dangerous.  However, very much like the sea, it is terribly unforgiving for any impatience, carelessness, or incapacity.  The analysis of the crash data confirmed the common knowledge that most crashes are the result of driver behavior, rather than roadway inadequacy.  Further, a major contributing factor to crash potential appears to be the diverse mix of corridor users that includes everything from log trucks to recreational travelers heading to and from the coast.  Accordingly, raising the awareness of all drivers to the need to drive safely is expected to produce the most beneficial and observable results. 
The educational opportunities to raise driver awareness to safety issues are extensive.  And, as mentioned at one of the Project Management Team meetings, enforcement may be one of the best forms of education.  Although there is only so much that is economically feasible in the way of roadway improvements, the enforcement element can not be neglected as planning for a safer corridor is undertaken.  So, it is the combination of education, enforcement, and engineering that must be applied if the crash rate is to be minimized as traffic increases on the corridor.  This study has addressed all of the elements needed for safety improvement and it now becomes the responsibility of those in the public sector joined by interests in the private sector to implement the safety mitigation measures.

The following actions are recommended:
  1. Encourage the activities of local Transportation Safety Committees
  2. Encourage legislators to restore funding needed by law enforcement and EMS first responders to return to historic or higher staffing levels
  3. Present the findings of this study to the various transportation planning agencies and elected officials to encourage consideration of recommended mitigation construction improvements for inclusion in future funding.
Source:  Oregon Department of Transportation 

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