Project-Based Crash Analysis for Crash Risk Reduction During Pavement Preservation

Low-cost safety improvements, road diets, and project upgrades are three typical solutions to integrate the concept of Complete Streets into pavement preservation programs of state departments of transportation (DOTs). Speed management, as a low-cost safety improvement method, could be implemented during pavement preservation to reduce crash risk due to speeding issues. The current study collected a list of preservation projects funded by Louisiana State DOT from 2018 to 2020 and conducted a project-based crash analysis to examine the change of crash rate before and after pavement preservation to evaluate the needs and feasibility of applying speed management. The before-and-after comparison and the regression analysis results revealed a significant increase of crashes after pavement preservation works started, particularly on rural collectors. Radar speed feedback signs (RSFS) were identified as a potential countermeasure to reduce crash risk during pavement preservation on rural collectors. The subsequent benefit-cost analysis results show that implementing speed management within two years after pavement preservation work starts would yield large positive returns on investment as evidenced by a benefit-cost ratio (BCR) over three. The study findings, along with the speed management technology reviewed, are expected to be useful for state DOTs in reducing crash risk related to speeding, improving work zone safety, and better integrating the concept of Complete Streets into their pavement preservation programs.