Roadway Safety Training and Materials

Many California Cities, Counties and other local governments are challenged by the lack of training with respect to the roadway safety practices. The local agencies also wish to be updated with the most recent roadway safety technologies. The purpose of this webpage is to announce upcoming roadway safety related training opportunities. Recorded audios or videos and materials of past training courses may also be posted at this webpage so that those who were unable to attend in person can still learn and those who have attended can review what they have previously learned.

In addition, Caltrans Local Assistance Blog (theLAB) and California Active Transportation Resource Center (ATRC) also provide information regarding local transportation events and resources. Below are the links to theLAB and ATRC websites.

Affordable Roundabouts: Smaller, Slower, Safer for All Travelers

Affordable Compact and Mini-Roundabouts are being implemented by state and local public agencies due to their low cost, quick delivery, reduced vehicle speeds, and ability to prevent up to 90% of severe crashes. On May 29, 2024, a 2-hour webinar was held for attendees to hear and learn about Affordable and Modular Roundabouts from the Washington Department of Transportation, the City of San Diego, and Caltrans intersection and safety experts.
Webinar Agenda
Recorded Webinar

Local Road Safety Training

In collaboration with Caltrans, FHWA and the California LTAP Center, this training focused primarily on FHWA’s Proven Safety Countermeasures in the areas of pedestrians/bikes, roadway departure and intersections and Local Road Safety Plans, which will be required to be eligible for Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funds in 2022.

This training has been conducted in four sessions, on February 24, March 3, March 10 and March 17, 2021, respectively.

Training Presentations For All Four Trainings:

Local Road Safety Training (February 24, 2021)

Training Agenda (PDF) Feb 24 
Local Road Safety Training Video Feb 24
Training Chat Log (Links and Questions) (PDF) Feb 24 

Local Road Safety Training (March 3, 2021)

Training Agenda (PDF) Mar 3
Local Road Safety Training Video Mar 3
Training Chat Log (Links and Questions) (PDF) Mar 3 

Local Road Safety Training (March 10, 2021)

Training Agenda (PDF) Mar 10
Local Road Safety Training Video Mar 10
Training Chat Log (Links and Questions) (PDF) Mar 10 

Local Road Safety Training (March 17, 2021)

Training Agenda (PDF) Mar 17
Local Road Safety Training Video Mar 17
Training Chat Log (Links and Questions) (PDF) Mar 17 

State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) – Local Roadway Departure Safety Workshops

Roadway Departure crashes are frequently severe and account for the majority of highway fatalities. In 2015, there were 18,695 fatalities as a result of roadway departure crashes, which was 53.3 percent of all the traffic fatalities in the United States. Roadway departure crashes account for 46 percent of all traffic fatalities in California and significantly higher in rural areas. All proposed projects must tie back to one of the five roadway departure strategies to be eligible for federal funding.

Funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) Program, a series of eight (8) free Local Roadway Departure Safety Workshops, four in 2017 and four in 2018, are presented by UC Berkeley, Caltrans, California Highway Patrol (CHP), FHWA, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and Department of Public Works of a local agency. Participants are able to learn:

  • Why we need to focus on roadway departure safety;
  • Where the crashes happen;
  • National proven safety countermeasures, local proven safety countermeasures and their applications in improving safety and saving lives; and
  • Funding opportunities and how to apply.

The locations and dates of the eight workshops were:

  • 1st Workshop: Jackson (Amador County) on April 19th, 2017;
  • 2nd Workshop: Red Bluff (Tehama County) on May 24th, 2017;
  • 3rd Workshop in Crescent City (Del Norte County) on July 17th, 2017;
  • 4th Workshop in Hanford (Kings County) on September 27th, 2017;
  • 5th Workshop in San Diego on February 13th, 2018;
  • 6th Workshop in Riverside on February 14th, 2018;
  • 7th Workshop in Marina (Monterey County) on March 7th, 2018; and
  • 8th Workshop in Susanville (Lassen County) on May 2nd, 2018.

You may download the presentation files from the workshops below.

List of Presentations from the STIC Workshops
(Followed by contact information of the presenters)

Overview of Roadway Departure Safety

National Proven Safety Countermeasures for Roadway Departure Safety

Local Proven Safety Countermeasures for Roadway Departure Safety

  • Enforcement and Education
    | 1st Workshop
    By Lieutenant Todd Brown, Amador Area CHP Commander, (209) 223-4890, tbrown@chp.ca.gov
    | 2nd Workshop
    By Lou Aviles - Lieutenant Commander, CHP, Red Bluff Area, (530) 527-2034, laviles@chp.ca.gov
    | 3rd Workshop
    By Larry Depee, CHP Commander, (707) 464-3117, ldepee@chp.ca.gov
    | 4th Workshop
    By John Tyler, Public Information Officer, CHP, Hanford Area, (559)582-0231, Jotyler@chp.ca.gov
    | 5th Workshop
    By Jim Nellis, Captain, (619)220-5492, james.nellis@chp.ca.gov
    | 6th Workshop
    By Scott J. Parker, Captain, Commander, Riverside Area, (951) 637-8000, scparker@chp.ca.gov
    | 7th Workshop
    By Kelly Cardoza, Captain, Commander, Monterey CHP, (831) 770-8000, KCardoza@chp.ca.gov
    | 8th Workshop
    By Lieutenant Sarah Richards, Acting Area Commander, Susanville Area, (530)252-1800, Srichards@chp.ca.gov
  • Now Let’s Think Systemic: Remote Rural County Use of the Highway Safety Improvement Program
    | 1st Workshop | 2nd Workshop | 3nd Workshop | 4th Workshop | 5th Workshop | 6th Workshop | 7th Workshop | 8th Workshop
    By Rick Tippett, Director, Trinity County Dept. of Public Works, (530) 623-1365 rtippett@trinitycounty.org
  • Local Agencies’ Experience
    | 5th Workshop
    By Zoubir A. Ouadah, County Traffic Engineer, (858) 694-3857, Zoubir.Ouadah@sdcounty.ca.gov
    | 6th Workshop
    By Lawrence Tai, (951) 955-6800, ltai@rivCo.org

Funding Opportunities through the HSIP/HSP

FHWA Roadway Departure Technology Transfer - Roadside Safety System Design, Inspection and Maintenance Training, November 17th, 2016

This training was presented by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in collaboration with Caltrans, the California Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Center, and the County Engineers Association of California (CEAC), at Sacramento State University on November 17th, 2016.

Target Audience

The target audience for this training includes designers, inspectors and maintenance personnel within Caltrans local government agencies having direct responsibilities for designing, installing, maintaining, or inspecting traffic barriers, including end terminals, barrier transitions, and crash cushions.

Recorded Sessions and Materials

This one-day training session is one of the deliverables under FHWA Contract DTFH61-10-D-00021, Roadside Safety Systems Inspection, Maintenance and Designer Program. The program objective is to assist local transportation agencies by providing their personnel with the appropriate information needed to ensure optimal barrier installations. The program provides the following deliverables:

Roadside Safety Systems Design, Inspection and Maintenance Training: