Bridge and Tunnel Strikes: A Guide for Prevention and Mitigation (2025)
Chapter: Appendix: Resources
APPENDIX
Resources
This section includes a summary of other applicable guides and tools that may be of interest to the reader. These resources provide additional details on systemic safety and the Safe System Approach and support implementation of the methods described in this guide (e.g., benefit-cost analysis and post-implementation evaluation).
Crash Costs for Highway Safety Analysis (FHWA) (Harmon, Bahar, and Gross 2018): This guide describes the various sources of crash costs, current practices and crash costs used by states, critical considerations when modifying and applying crash unit costs, and the feasibility of establishing national crash unit cost values. It also proposes a new set of national crash unit costs and presents procedures to update the costs over time and among states (e.g., adjust national crash costs based on state-specific cost of living, injury-to-crash ratio, and vehicle-to-crash ratio).
Developing an Effective Evaluation Plan: Setting the Course for Effective Program Evaluation (CDC) (CDC 2011): This document provides information for developing a living “Evaluation Plan” for public health programs. In the case of highway safety, agencies may consider the knowledge and guidance in this document for the management, evaluation, and improvement of their BrTS safety program. The document helps program administrators identify answers to three questions about their program: what, how, and why it matters. The 6-step process presented in the document will help provide answers to these questions as well as assist program managers with improving their plan.
Highway Safety Benefit-Cost Analysis Guide (FHWA) (Lawrence et al. 2018): This guide provides methods to quantify the costs and direct and indirect safety-related benefits of project alternatives. Direct safety benefits include the expected change in crash frequency and severity. Indirect benefits include the operational and environmental benefits that result from a reduction in crashes (e.g., reduced delay, fuel use, and emissions). The guide also describes the data requirements and considerations associated with benefit-cost analysis. Examples demonstrate the application of the methods in various scenarios, including both site-specific and systemic projects with single or multiple countermeasures.
Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Evaluation Guide (FHWA) (Gross 2017): This guide provides direction on how to track critical project details in support of HSIP evaluation, perform three different levels of evaluation (i.e., project, countermeasure, and program level), and use the results of HSIP evaluations to improve decisions and processes. It describes the methods, data requirements, and considerations associated with the different levels of evaluation. Examples from various states highlight noteworthy practices and the benefits of evaluation.
Safe System Approach (U.S. DOT, n.d.): The website “What Is a Safety System Approach” establishes the Safe System Approach as the guiding principles and elements for a safer road system.
Systemic Safety User Guide (FHWA) (Gooch et al. 2024): This document is a guide for a risk-based approach to identifying and addressing systemwide safety opportunities. It provides assistance for identifying and implementing countermeasures and methods for assessing their effectiveness.
The Art of Appropriate Evaluation—A Guide for Highway Safety Program Managers (NHTSA) (Pullen-Seufert and Hall 2008): This guide provides an overview of the traffic safety evaluation process, specifically for safety program managers. The guide helps the manager identify the appropriate evaluation method for a project as well as how to choose a well-qualified professional evaluator for a safety program.
References
CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). 2011. Developing an Effective Evaluation Plan: Setting the Course for Effective Program Evaluation. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/stateandcommunity/tobacco-control/pdfs/developing_eval_plan.pdf.
Gooch, J., F. Gross, M. Dunn, K. Kersavage, R. Sanders, J. Schoner, S. Himes, M. Albee, and N. Boller. 2024. Systemic Safety User Guide. Federal Highway Administration. U.S. Department of Transportation. https://highways.dot.gov/sites/fhwa.dot.gov/files/2024-07/SystemicSafetyUserGuide.pdf.
Gross, F. 2017. Highway Safety Improvement (HSIP) Evaluation Guide. Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation. https://highways.dot.gov/sites/fhwa.dot.gov/files/2022-06/fhwasa17039.pdf.
Harmon, T., G. Bahar, and F. Gross. 2018. Crash Costs for Highway Safety Analysis. FHWA-SA-17-071, Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation. https://highways.dot.gov/sites/fhwa.dot.gov/files/2022-06/fhwasa17071.pdf.
Lawrence, M., A. Hachey, G. Bahar, and F. Gross. 2018. Highway Safety Benefit-Cost Analysis Guide, FHWA-SA-18-001, Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC.
Pullen-Seufert, N.C., and W.L. Hall. 2008. The Art of Appropriate Evaluation: A Guide for Highway Safety Program Managers. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), U.S. Department of Transportation. https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/811061.pdf.
U.S. DOT. n.d. “What Is a Safe System Approach.” U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC. https://www.transportation.gov/NRSS/SafeSystem.
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Abbreviations and acronyms used without definitions in TRB publications:
| A4A | Airlines for America |
| AAAE | American Association of Airport Executives |
| AASHO | American Association of State Highway Officials |
| AASHTO | American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials |
| ACI–NA | Airports Council International–North America |
| ACRP | Airport Cooperative Research Program |
| ADA | Americans with Disabilities Act |
| APTA | American Public Transportation Association |
| ASCE | American Society of Civil Engineers |
| ASME | American Society of Mechanical Engineers |
| ASTM | American Society for Testing and Materials |
| ATA | American Trucking Associations |
| CTAA | Community Transportation Association of America |
| CTBSSP | Commercial Truck and Bus Safety Synthesis Program |
| DHS | Department of Homeland Security |
| DOE | Department of Energy |
| EPA | Environmental Protection Agency |
| FAA | Federal Aviation Administration |
| FAST | Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (2015) |
| FHWA | Federal Highway Administration |
| FMCSA | Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration |
| FRA | Federal Railroad Administration |
| FTA | Federal Transit Administration |
| GHSA | Governors Highway Safety Association |
| HMCRP | Hazardous Materials Cooperative Research Program |
| IEEE | Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers |
| ISTEA | Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 |
| ITE | Institute of Transportation Engineers |
| MAP-21 | Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (2012) |
| NASA | National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
| NASAO | National Association of State Aviation Officials |
| NCFRP | National Cooperative Freight Research Program |
| NCHRP | National Cooperative Highway Research Program |
| NHTSA | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration |
| NTSB | National Transportation Safety Board |
| PHMSA | Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration |
| RITA | Research and Innovative Technology Administration |
| SAE | Society of Automotive Engineers |
| SAFETEA-LU | Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (2005) |
| TCRP | Transit Cooperative Research Program |
| TEA-21 | Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (1998) |
| TRB | Transportation Research Board |
| TSA | Transportation Security Administration |
| U.S. DOT | United States Department of Transportation |
