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HOME » Traffic Safety Information |
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| Traffic Safety Information |
| Jeff Jaeger, PE - Traffic Safety Information Engineer
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Mission Statement: The mission of the Traffic Safety Information Section (TSIS) is to provide a broad spectrum of quality traffic safety related data to its customers to assist with the Traffic Safety Unit's (TSU) goal of reducing the frequency and severity of traffic crashes. To that end, the TSIS is charged with managing, expanding, and disseminating accurate and timely traffic safety information to its customers, which is to be accomplished through enhanced quality control procedures, increased quantity and character of data, and broadened and simplified accessibility. The TSIS is also charged with administering various safety programs within the Unit including the Spot Safety Program, Hazard Elimination Program, Traffic Safety Ordinances, STAA Dimensioned Vehicle Routes, and Traffic Data Collection.
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Fostering and maintaining a safe workplace and safe working habits is critical to the ability of employees to conduct their daily business. Responsibilities in this area include instruction and training on safe working habits and environments, conducting facility safety, security, and sanitation audits, and identifying, assessing, and abating potential risk areas and hazards.
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The Spot Safety Program is used to develop smaller improvement projects to address safety, potential safety, and operational issues. The program is funded with state funds and currently receives approximately $9 million per state fiscal year. Other monetary sources (such as Small Construction or Contingency funds) can assist in funding Spot Safety projects, however, the maximum allowable contribution of Spot Safety funds per project is $250,000. A Safety Oversight Committee (SOC) reviews and recommends Spot Safety projects to the Board of Transportation (BOT) for approval and funding. Criteria used by the SOC to select projects for recommendation to the BOT include, but are not limited to, the frequency of correctable crashes, severity of crashes, delay, congestion, number of signal warrants met, effect on pedestrians and schools, division and region priorities, and public interest.
Active Spot Safety Projects
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The Hazard Elimination Program is used to develop larger improvement projects to address safety and potential safety issues. The program is funded with 90% federal funds and 10% state funds. The cost of Hazard Elimination Program projects typically ranges between $400,000 and $1 million. A Safety Oversight Committee (SOC) reviews and recommends Hazard Elimination projects to the Board of Transportation (BOT) for approval and funding. These projects are prioritized for funding according to a safety benefit to cost (B/C) ratio, with the safety benefit being based on crash reduction. Once approved and funded by the BOT, these projects become part of the department's Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).
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Traffic ordinances include the maintenance and revision of speed zones, no parking zones, turning prohibitions, truck routes, route changes, etc. The State Traffic Engineer is the approving authority for traffic ordinances, and the approval of specific ordinances is based on traffic engineering studies and is in accordance with North Carolina General Statutes.
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Requests from trucking industries for "reasonable access" of STAA dimensioned vehicles (twin-trailers, and 48-to-53 foot long single trailers) between a specific terminal and the National Truck Network (NTN - a network of highway routes within the state designated for STAA dimensioned vehicles use) are coordinated by TSIS for investigation by the regional traffic engineering offices, municipal officials, and the State Highway Patrol. If approved, the route may be used by any STAA dimensioned vehicles traveling from the NTN to the specified terminal. The State Traffic Engineer is the approving/disapproving authority. However, if no response is issued within 90 days of receipt of the request, then the request for reasonable access is automatically approved.
Requests for "designation" of a STAA route between two NTN routes is coordinated by TSIS for investigation by the same groups listed above as well as the State Highway Administrator, the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations, the Board of Transportation, and the Federal Highway Administration. The Board of Transportation is the approving authority, and the approval process has no specified time limit. If approved, the route may be used by any STAA dimensioned vehicle. Both types of route requests give citizens, news media, and others a chance to voice their opinions and concerns. See the North Carolina General Statutes (20-115.1 and 20-116) and the North Carolina Administrative Code (19A NCAC 02E.0426) for more detailed information. Please contact Lisa Avery at (919)773-2893 or lavery@ncdot.gov if you have any questions.
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The Traffic Studies and Volumes Program provides traffic counts, turning movements, and other traffic engineering information for locations across the state through the use of limited service agreements (LSA) with private engineering firms (PEF). These counts and traffic studies generally include motor vehicle, truck, and pedestrian information, but may also include other site-specific data. The results of these counts and studies are typically used for traffic signal warrant analyses and other traffic safety analyses.
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The Traffic Engineering Accident Analysis System (TEAAS) contains information on all traffic crashes occurring in North Carolina. TEAAS is a software system downloadable from the internet and is available free of charge to state government personnel, municipalities, law enforcement agencies, planning organizations, and research entities. This training spans two consecutive days and provides an overview of crash data, routes and features, road codes, mileposting, traffic volumes, severity, intersection and strip studies, analysis techniques, and ordinances. A basic understanding of Excel (opening text files, sorting data, inserting cells, deleting rows, etc.) is desirable, but not required, for this class.
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2008 TEAAS Training Dates, Times and Locations:
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| February 13-14 |
in Garner |
COMPLETED |
| April 16-17 |
in Hickory |
COMPLETED |
| June 11-12 |
in Garner |
COMPLETED |
| October 22-23 |
in Hickory |
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| November 5-6 |
in Garner |
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All classes start at 8:30 a.m. and you can register by contacting Jeff Jaeger at 919-773-2888 or jjaeger@ncdot.gov
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Equipment and supplies are generally procured for Traffic Safety Unit personnel through either stock items maintained by the department or through the use of vendors who are under contract with the state. In the case of equipment necessary to meet specific engineering needs but which are not under state contract, individual vendors may be contacted for specification comparisons and price quotes.
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NC DOT
NC DOH
NC GOV
