Road Safety Audits (2004)

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121 APPENDIX E South Carolina DOT Road Safety Audit Program SCDOT SAFETY AUDIT Administrative Procedures August 2002 Road Safety Audit Roles/Responsibilities Road Safety Audit Team Selection Process Road Safety Audit Project Selection Process Road Safety Audit Project Procedures Road Safety Audit Reporting Procedures Follow-up on Results of Audit

122 SCDOT ROAD SAFETY AUDIT PROGRAM Administrative Procedures August, 2002 ROAD SAFETY AUDIT (RSA) ROLES/RESPONSIBILITIES Program Coordination The SCDOT RSA Program will be coordinated by the SCDOT Safety Office. The Director of Safety is responsible for oversight and management of the program. Road Safety Audit Program Advisory Committee An RSA Program Advisory Committee has been established to provide guidance and advice in the implementation of the RSA Program. The RSA Program Advisory Committee’s role in the program is as follows: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Participate in quarterly or semi-annual (as appropriate) meetings. Review program procedures and make recommendations to enhance operations. Review and approve annual projects selected for audit. Review and approve an annual report to be submitted to Executive Management, detailing progress, cost, cost savings, and benefits realized by the program. The RSA Program Advisory Committee is chaired by the Director of Safety. Committee members include: Deputy State Highway Engineer Director of Construction Director of Maintenance Director of Pre-Construction Director of Traffic Engineering Director of Planning District Engineering Administrators (2–3 selected annually). RSA Program Coordinator The Director of Safety will assign a staff member to serve as the RSA Program Coordinator (PC). The RSA PC is responsible for day-to-day operations and the full implementation of the program. Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following areas: Develops, monitors, and updates policies and procedures for the RSA Program. Solicits and assembles an annual list of proposed projects for consideration for audit. Assembles RSA personnel on a bi-annual basis. Develops and prepares a final annual list of projects selected for audit. Schedules and coordinates RSA Program Advisory Committee meetings. Coordinates bi-annual RSA personnel training through seminars/workshops. Obtains project information from Pre-Construction Program Manager (PM) and/or District Engineering Administrator (DEA). Makes RSA team assignments based on project specifics in coordination with Engineering Directors and DEAs. Coordinates team meetings for each stage of the project. Oversees and monitors the implementation of RSA stages for all audits conducted. Monitors communication between RSA teams and the PM and/or DEA.

123 • Serves as a mediator for conflict resolution. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Provides the RSA team with the DEA’s response to audit. Briefs the RSA Program Advisory Committee on the annual progress of audits. Maintains all original correspondence, audit reports, budget, and logistics associated with all audits. Monitors funding allocated to RSA projects. Develops RSA Program annual budget. Compiles evaluation data as appropriate for roads/projects for which audits were conducted. RSA Team An RSA Team will be established for each project selected for audit. A different team may be established for the various phases of the audit, depending upon the amount of time between phases and the availability of team members. The RSA PC will select team members based upon their expertise as related to the project selected for audit. The RSA PC will contact the appropriate Engineering Director/DEA to verify the availability of the selected individual for service on a team. Once the Engineering Director/DEA has given approval for the individual to serve on the team, the person selected will be notified accordingly. RSA Team members will be nominated for service bi-annually by the Engineering Directors and DEAs. Team members will serve a two-year term and will receive training in the RSA concept and procedures prior to service. Each RSA Team is responsible for the following: Completing RSA training prior to participating in an audit. Electing a Team Leader at the beginning of each audit. Using their expertise to identify concerns relative to proposed project. Preparing audit reports for each audit stage completed. Providing documentation to the RSA PC regarding expenditures and time allocated to a specific audit. District Engineering Administrator The DEAs will serve as the central point of contact for projects selected for audit within their districts. The DEA’s role in the RSA Program is as follows: Provide necessary information on the project as requested by the RSA PC. Present the project to the audit team. Be available for questions during an audit. Review RSA report recommendations. Determine action(s) to be taken. Investigate alternate solutions to address the identified concerns. Respond to concerns outlined in the RSA report. Respond to the RSA report and forward a written response to the RSA PC. Seek funding and implement solutions. In fulfilling these responsibilities, the DEA may appoint/assign staff as appropriate to assemble the information needed. Pre-Construction Program Manager The PM’s role in the RSA Program is as follows: Provide necessary information on projects as requested by the RSA PC. Present project (Stages 1 and 2) to audit team. Be available for questions during audit.

124 ROAD SAFETY AUDIT TEAM SELECTION PROCESS • • • • • • • The RSA PC will assemble RSA teams based on assigned projects. Teams will include a minimum of four members and often additional members from the following areas: – Preconstruction – Construction (includes CRM representative) – Planning – Traffic engineering – Maintenance – District offices – Non-SCDOT personnel (police/fire/EMS/community organizations—pedestrian, bicyclist, transit, etc./local traffic engineers) – Safety – Risk management The RSA PC will submit a memorandum to the DEA or Engineering Director advising which project team members in their division are being requested to serve on a team. Once approval is granted, the RSA PC will contact the individual selected. The RSA PC will schedule a meeting with each team independently. At the meeting, the teams will select a Team Leader for each project. The RSA PC will open the meeting, introducing the team members and then the Pre-Construction PM and/or the DEA (or his assigned staff person) who will present the audit projects. Following the introductions and project presentation, the team will be required to accomplish the following: – Select a Team Leader. – Establish a Project Completion Schedule. > Schedule a meeting with project PM, > Conduct the audit and draft a report, and > Establish final submittal date of report. – Assign Project Responsibilities (if applicable). RSA Team members will serve a two-year term. Department Directors and DEAs will have the opportunity to assign individuals to assist in the RSA Program on a bi-annual cycle. RSA Training Workshops will be conducted every two years for new team members. The RSA PC will conduct the workshops. ROAD SAFETY AUDIT PROJECT SELECTION PROCESS During the first week of May of each year, the RSA PC will request from various SCDOT Directors/DEAs/Deputy State Highway Engineer a list of five potential projects to be evaluated through the RSA program for the upcoming fiscal year (July 1–June 30). Proposed projects will be submitted to the RSA PC within two weeks of the request. The following individuals will be asked to submit potential projects: – Director of Preconstruction – Director of Construction – Director of Planning – Director of Traffic Engineering – Director of Maintenance

125 – District Engineering Administrators – Director of Safety – Deputy State Highway Engineer. • • • • • • • • • • • The RSA PC will compile a summary of the potential projects by category: (1) new infrastructure projects, (2) projects under construction, and (3) existing infrastructure with high crash frequencies. The listing will denote if a road/project has been proposed by more than one office. The RSA PC will review the project summary and compile a proposed list of projects selected for audit for the upcoming fiscal year. The number of projects included for audit may vary annually and will be based on the availability of budget funds and the estimated amount of time needed to conduct audits on the projects selected. Upon completion of the “Proposed Projects Selected for Audit” list, the RSA PC will schedule a meeting of the RSA Program Advisory Committee for mid-June. The RSA PC will forward the “Proposed Projects Selected for Audit” list to members of the RSA Program Advisory Committee for their review in advance of the meeting. The RSA PC shall serve as staff/resource personnel for the Advisory Committee. The RSA PC will make all necessary arrangements for the annual RSA Advisory Committee meeting, as well as prepare all necessary materials. The RSA Advisory Committee will meet on the scheduled day to discuss and select the RSA projects for the upcoming fiscal year. Projects will be chosen as follows: – 2-New Infrastructure Projects – 5-Projects Under Construction – 3-Existing Infrastructure. The RSA Advisory Committee will review RSA operational procedures and discuss any recommended changes. The RSA PC will provide the Committee with an annual report summarizing the results of audits conducted during the previous fiscal year. The RSA PC will prepare meeting minutes from the annual meeting and distribute them to all Committee and RSA Team members. ROAD SAFETY AUDIT PROJECT PROCEDURES Projects will be evaluated using the established RSA stages. Future Roads RSA Stage 1—Planning The RSA team will complete at a minimum the following: – Review basic project scope, – Review proposed layouts for alternative routes, – Evaluate intersection access and surrounding topography, – Examine project impact to surrounding roadway system, and – Evaluate type of access/access management. RSA Stage 2—Preliminary Design The RSA team will evaluate at a minimum the following categories:

126 – Alignment alternatives, – Interchange type and layout, – Intersection design, – Sight distances, – Lane and shoulder widths, – Provisions for non-motorized vehicles, and – Superelevation. • • • • • • • • • Once a project is under construction, the Team will follow guidelines for RSA stages listed under “Roads Under Construction.” Roads Under Construction RSA Stage 3—Final Design The RSA team will evaluate at a minimum the following: – Final geometric design, – Signing and pavement marking plan, – Lighting, – Landscaping, – Provisions for special users, and – Drainage, guardrail, and other roadside obstacles. RSA Stage 4—Pre-Opening The RSA team will review the road after most construction is complete. The main focus is to find overlooked physical obstructions and weather-related concerns missed in prior audit stages. Once the project is complete, the Team will follow guidelines for the RSA stage listed under “Existing Roadways.” Existing Roadways RSA Stage 5—Operations Review This stage allows the audit team a final look at how well the road operates and to identify safety concerns while observing actual traffic and traveling the route. ROAD SAFETY AUDIT REPORTING PROCEDURES The following steps will be completed for each RSA stage: The RSA team meets with the Pre-Construction PM or DEA (or the staff person to whom he has assigned the project) to discuss the project and receive background materials. The RSA team conducts a RSA audit based on established RSA procedures. Upon completion of each RSA stage, the Team will discuss their observations, develop recommendations, prioritize recommendations, and establish a consensus on which concerns and recommendations should be included in the RSA report. The Team Leader will prepare a report outlining the stage’s findings and recommendations. The report will be submitted to the DEA in charge of the project, RSA Team members, and the RSA (PC). The DEA has up to 45 days to reply to the RSA report. The RSA Team will determine the amount of time for reply, based on the complexity of the recommendations made. The time for response may vary from 15 to 45 days. Extensions may be requested as needed. The reply should address each of the issues listed. The DEA has the option

127 • • • • • • of incorporating the recommendations; however, the recommendations are not mandatory. If the DEA does not use a recommendation, he must state a reason. In assembling information for response to the audit recommendations, the DEA (or the staff person assigned) should contact at a minimum the Pre-Construction Program Manager; Traffic Engineering; Environmental; Right-of-Way; and other units that may have pertinent information or be impacted by the recommendation. Information these groups provide will assist the DEA in making a determination as to whether the recommendation can be implemented. The DEA forwards his response to the RSA PC. The RSA PC will forward to the RSA Team the DEA’s response. The RSA PC is responsible for maintaining all original correspondence, reports, etc. Team members will provide copies of their time sheets and expense reports to the RSA PC to be used as documentation of total expenditures. This documentation will be filed by audit. The RSA PC will be required to review the expenditure/time documents and verify validity. If there are any discrepancies, the RSA PC will request an explanation (via email or written memorandum) from the team member.