Local Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP) and Systemic Safety Analysis Report Program (SSARP)

Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP) 

NOTE:

all LRSP funding has been awarded to local agencies. Caltrans does not accept new LRSP applications.

Developing or updating a comprehensive safety action plan (Action Plan) is eligible under USDOT’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program. By completing the Action Plan, the agency is considered meeting the LRSP requirement in order to apply for the HSIP funds (see below “2. LRSP requirement for applying to the HSIP funds”). Currently the SS4A is open for applications. The deadline for applications is 5:00 p.m. (EDT) Thursday, August 29, 2024. Please visit https://www.transportation.gov/grants/SS4A for details.

1. What is an LRSP?

Federal regulations require each State has a Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP). An SHSP is a statewide data-driven traffic safety plan that coordinates the efforts of a wide range of organizations to reduce traffic accident fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads. In coordination with federal, state, local and private sector safety stakeholders, the SHSP establishes goals, objectives, and emphasis (or challenge) areas. The SHSP address the 4Es of traffic safety: Engineering, Enforcement, Education, and Emergency Services.

While the SHSP is used as a statewide approach for improving roadway safety, A Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP) can be a means for providing local and rural road owners with an opportunity to address unique highway safety needs in their jurisdictions while contributing to the success of the SHSP. The process of preparing an LRSP creates a framework to systematically identify and analyze safety problems and recommend safety improvements. Preparing an LRSP facilitates the development of local agency partnerships and collaboration, resulting in a prioritized list of improvements and actions that can demonstrate a defined need and contribute to the statewide plan. The LRSP offers a proactive approach to addressing safety needs and demonstrates agency responsiveness to safety challenges.

An LRSP provides a framework for organizing stakeholders to identify, analyze, and prioritize roadway safety improvements on local and rural roads. The process of developing an LRSP can be tailored to local protocols, needs, and issues.

2. LRSP requirement for applying to the HSIP funds

In order to apply for the HSIP funds, an agency must have completed their LRSP or an equivalent of the LRSP, such as Systemic Safety Analysis Report (SSAR) or Vision Zero Action Plan. Other equivalents of the LRSP may be reviewed and determined on a case-by-case basis. The LRSP or its equivalent must be updated and validated at least every five years. When an agency submits an HSIP funding application, the agency must self-certify that an LRSP or its equivalent has been completed. The agency must provide a copy of the safety plan upon request.

It is strongly recommended that the LRSP (or its equivalent) and its update be approved by the agency's Board or Council. If an agency has finalized their LRSP at the application due date of the call-for-projects but the LRSP has not yet been approved by the Board or Council, the agency is eligible to submit project applications.

3. Useful documents and links:

4. Call for LRSP Applications:

In addition to the $10 million that CTC has allocated in 2019, CTC allocated another $8 million of state funds in June 2020, for the purpose of assisting local agencies in developing their local roadway safety plans. The funds will be awarded to the applicants on a "first come first serve" basis. There is no application deadline. Caltrans will continue to accept applications as long as the funding is available.

NOTE: As of October 20, 2021, all LRSP funding has been awarded to local agencies. Caltrans does not accept new LRSP applications.

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC is needed to complete the application form. You may download it for free.

Please submit the application to HSIPDoNotReply@dot.ca.gov with cc to the District Local Assistance Engineer (DLAE).

List of funded LRSP projects:

Click the below link to view or download a list of funded LRSP projects.

5. Implementation of the funded LRSP Applications:

After an LRSP application has been selected for funding, the local agency will need to make a request for funding allocation before they can proceed to implement their analysis/report-only project. The deadline to submit the request for LRSP funding allocation is April 30, 2022. Exception may only be granted on a case-by case basis.

Systemic Safety Analysis Report Program (SSARP)

The state-funded Systemic Safety Analysis Report Program (SSARP) was established in 2016. The state funding for the SSARP program is made available by exchanging the local Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) federal funds for State Highway Account (SHA) funds.

The intent of this program is to assist local agencies in performing a collision analysis, identifying safety issues on their roadway networks, and developing a list of systemic low-cost countermeasures that can be used to prepare future HSIP and other safety program applications.

PROJECT SELECTION

SSARP Projects Selected in 2016:

On October 21, 2015, $10 million from the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) was set aside and exchanged for state funds to implement the Systemic Safety Analysis Report Program (SSARP). Caltrans made SSARP calls for applications in two phases (February and April of 2016). 108 applications have been received requesting $17.6 million of state funds. After prioritization, 61 projects with a total of $10 million of SSARP state funds were selected for implementation.

SSARP Projects Selected in 2017:

In January 2017, another $7.7 million of state funds was allocated by the California Transportation Commission (CTC) to fund the SSARP applications that were initially submitted in the 2016 SSARP calls for applications but were unfunded at that time due to funding limitation. Follow the below link for a list of additional SSARP applications selected for funding.

The funding allocation by the CTC was contingent upon Department of Finance (DOF) approval. The DOF has confirmed the availability of the $7.7 million of state funds for the SSARP program, and the local agencies can proceed with the funding allocation request for their specific projects. For instructions for implementing the SSARP projects, please review the information under “PROJECT IMPLEMENATION”.

Project Implementation


After an SSARP application has been selected for funding, the local agency will then proceed to implement the analysis/report-only project.

(Note: the allocation requests must be submitted to the DLAE by 5/30/2018.)


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