Federal law requires that planning processes be consistent with Strategic Highway Safety Plans (SHSP). Safety strategies should look to increase the safety of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users.
The Space Coast TPO has a long history of supporting safety planning and programs and has worked in collaboration with the FDOT to improve access to and resources for obtaining crash data records in a format that can be used more effectively to sort and compile data. Through the development of a web-based crash data location system (the University of Florida’s Signal Four Analytics (S4)), and the use of the state’s Crash Analysis Reporting System (CARS), in 2014 the TPO developed its first Countywide Safety Analysis Report.
The Safety Report focused on identifying crash trends, types and location of crashes. The analysis included looking at the following crash characteristics: Crash Frequency; Crash Severity; Crash Type; Crash Rate; and Emphasis Areas from the FDOT SHSP. The full report is available at the following links:
Reports
2014 Safety Report – Body only
2014 Safety Report – Appendix
Countywide Safety Report Presentation to TPO Board, March 2015
As a follow-up to this report, the TPO requested its general planning consultant to perform Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Reviews and Road Safety Audits (RSA’s) on various corridors throughout the county to identify improvements.
With the help of a steering committee and field review teams, corridor field reviews were conducted on various high crash corridors throughout the county during the summer and fall of 2015. A summary of the findings has been compiled with the results being presented to the TPO Board and its Committees in April, 2016.
High Crash Corridors Presentation to TPO Board and Committees, April 2016
Recommended improvements are categorized into three types: Maintenance, Near-term, and Long-Term. Improvements focused on reducing crash frequency and severity. The team also worked on developing a countermeasure matrix that can be used system-wide for locations with similar typical sections and issues for the Pedestrian and Bicycle focused safety review. The matrix is available in a brochure format that can be easily used as a reference tool and provides various solutions that include engineering, education and enforcement programs. The specific corridor reports that reviewed Bicycle and Pedestrian crashes are available at the following links:
Pedestrian/Bicycle Focused Analysis – Corridor Field Review Reports:
- SR A1A (Fisher Park Drive to Columbia Lane), Cocoa Beach and SR A1A (McKinley Avenue to Atlantic Avenue), Cape Canaveral (25MB)
- US 1 (Broadway Boulevard to Fay Boulevard), Port St. John (7MB)
- Palm Bay Road (Babcock Street to Limpscomb Street), Palm Bay (4MB)
- US 1 (University Boulevard to New Haven Avenue), Melbourne (8MB)
- Clearlake Road (Dixon Road to Michigan Avenue), Cocoa (7MB)
The countermeasure brochures are provided below. Please keep in mind that the brochures were developed for use by technical staff.
- Bicycle Issues and Systematic Engineering Countermeasures
- Pedestrian and Bicycle Education/Enforcement Countermeasures
- Pedestrian Issues and Systematic Engineering Countermeasures
High Crash Corridors Analysis (all users considered, not just pedestrian/bicycle) – Road Safety Audits Field Review Locations:
- Wickham Road (Sarno to Parkway), Melbourne (13MB)
- Malabar Road (Jupiter to Minton and Emerson to SanFilippo), Palm Bay (15MB)
- SR A1A (US 192 to Eau Gallie), Indialantic and Melbourne (25 MB)
- Babcock Street (Malabar to Palm Bay Road), Palm Bay (40 MB)
- Emerson Drive (Jupiter to Minton and on Minton from Emerson to Palm Bay Road and on Palm Bay Road from Minton to Culver), Palm Bay (12 MB)
Safety Intiatives
- Bicycle and Pedestrian Education Program
- Community Traffic Safety Team (CTST): The CTST is a group of local highway safety advocates who are committed to solving traffic safety problems through a comprehensive approach. Members include law enforcement, fire officials, government agencies, business and industry representatives, and local citizens.
- Brevard Road Rangers: The Road Ranger Program provides free highway assistance services during incidents to reduce delay and improve safety for the motoring public and first responders.
- Traffic Incident Management Team (TIM): TIM teams respond to traffic accidents, creating a safe work zone with proper signage and equipment for emergency crews responding to an incident.