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APWA announces the formation of a Road Safety Subcommittee
A message from Andrew Lemer, Transportation Committee Chair:
Are you interested in improving road safety? Do you have a desire to work on issues at the national level? If so, you may be interested in serving on the Road Safety Subcommittee. If you interested in serving you may still be considered by contacting me at alemer@nas.edu or staff liaison, Carol Estes at cestes@apwa.net.
Background information:
Road Safety Subcommittee
Origins: Discussions in Kansas City and Washington DC among APWA members and FHWA personnel suggest that the passage of
SAFETEA-LU presents a unique to opportunity to improve the role of public works in the state transportation improvement
processes and local quality of life, particularly with regard to local road safety.
Purpose
- Assist APWA member agencies to reduce the frequency and severity of serious crashes in their own jurisdictions,
with policies and techniques that are cost-effective and appropriate for local governments
- Advise and recommend to the Transportation Committee policies and position statements in these subjects and
strategies to represent public works agencies to other professional and governmental agencies to help promote this purpose.
Membership
- One or more members of the APWA Transportation Committee, with one serving as chair
- Representatives from the greater APWA membership, and interested partners (non-voting).
- Interested non-APWA parties
Issues
- Input into the Strategic Highway Safety Planning Process
- Relationship of public works departments to state DOTs with regard to safety data, responsibility, planning, and improvements
- Financial impacts of safety improvements
- High Risk Rural Roads (HRRR)
- Public Works position on local participation
- Safety elements of SAFETEA reauthorization
Activities
- Communication of Low Cost Safety Improvements, news, and opportunities
- Education in best practices for local road safety
- Help public works understand HRRR, how to participate in the SHSP process directly or indirectly, share road and safety
data, how to get funds targeted to local roads
Objectives
- Submit APWA position on HRRR to Transportation Committee followed by the Government Affairs Committee for consideration
- Contribute two articles to Public Roads and one Congress session annually on local road safety
- Author an article on local road safety for the Transportation issue of the Reporter
- Identify training needs to improve local roadway safety
- Initiate and maintain discussion in InfoNow
Methods
- Heavy reliance on member hosted conference calls, InfoNow, and web-based communications
- Products and conclusions will be submitted to the parent Transportation Committee
Time Commitment
- Minimum of four, one hour long, quarterly conference calls
- Monthly email communications as necessary to complete work
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Grants/Cooperative Agreements
Grants/Cooperative Agreements