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18. How are High Risk Rural Roads identified? Is there flexibility allowed in determining <br /> fatality rates and incapacitating injury rates? <br /> Roadways functionally classified as a rural major or minor collector or as a rural local road are <br /> eligible. In addition, the roadway must have a crash rate for fatalities and incapacitating injuries <br /> that exceeds the statewide average for those functional classes of roadways. Roadways are also <br /> eligible if future traffic volumes are projected to increase causing a projected increase in the <br /> crash rate for fatalities and incapacitating injuries that exceeds the statewide average. <br /> To determine whether a roadway is eligible based on its crash rate, States must first calculate the <br /> statewide average crash rate for fatalities and incapacitating injuries for each functional class of <br /> roadway. Flexibility will be allowed to use different types of crash rates depending on the data <br /> available in each State. Some examples include crashes per VMT, crashes per mile, etc. <br /> 19. What safety funds can be used on roads owned-and operated by local units of government? <br /> Section 148 HSIP funds are eligible for use on any publicroad (except for those funds <br /> specifically set-aside for high risk rural roads and railway-highway crossings, which have further <br /> eligibility requirements), including those owned and operated by local entities. Also, <br /> improvements at any public highway-rail grade crossings are eligible under Section 130. <br /> It is very important that States have a crash data system with the ability to identify safety <br /> problems and opportunities on all public roads, that these needs are considered within the <br /> Strategic Highway Safety Plan process, and that States work with localities to ensure that safety <br /> improvements. are implemented where they are needed the most. <br /> 20. The Section 148 set-aside of $90M for high risk rural roads is only to be used for <br /> "construction and operational improvements." Does this include planning and preliminary <br /> engineering for safety-related project as ancillary to those ends, or are those costs strictly <br /> prohibited? <br /> As long as the project will ultimately involve a construction or operational improvement which is <br /> identified as part of a State's HSIP process, funds from the set aside for high risk rural roads for <br /> preliminary engineering (includes environmental approvals and final design) would be eligible. <br /> <br /> Railway-Highway Grade Crossings <br /> 21. What changes are there to the previous Section 130 program? <br /> The previous Section 130, Railway Highway Crossings, is carried forward essentially intact. The <br /> primary changes are that the funding source is now a "set aside" from the Highway Safety <br /> Improvement Program of $220 million per year (a significant increase of approximately $65 <br /> million annually beyond TEA-21 levels), and that a new provision has been added allowing <br /> FHWA Office of Safety; 9/14/05 Page 7 of 8 <br /> <br />