The next funding cycle for the All Roads Transportation Safety (ARTS) Program is about to begin. ODOT is planning to conduct local agency outreach over the next few months, with applications due in the fall/winter. ODOT is providing consultant support for data analysis, diagnosis, cost estimating, and application assistance at no cost to local agencies!  For ODOT Region specific contacts, see the flyer here. For more information on how to apply, visit the program website here. 

Over the last year, FHWA in coordination with ODOT conducted a comprehensive review of the ARTS program, which included reaching out to cities and counties for feedback on their experience or apprehensions with the program. The draft report, A Review of Oregon’s All Roads Transportation Safety Program funded by Federal Highway Safety Improvements Program was recently released with their findings, along with a review summary that categorizes the recommendations received into a hierarchical structure based on perceived value and effort to implement.  

Overall, the review team received strong, favorable feedback on the core of the program from those interviewed, but identified the following general directives for ODOT moving forward:  

  • emphasize a proactive network screening approach;
  • work to significantly advance the availability of crash data to enable the Department to discern emerging trends and effectively respond to pressing concerns through establishing a benchmark of fatal and serious injury data use within 1 month of entry into the Department of Motor Vehicles;
  • make changes to project development processes to facilitate delivery including identifying funding for projects above current Quick Fix funding limits and under traditional federal-aid projects (from $100,000 to $1,000,000) increasing funding for the Quick Fix program;
  • develop a delivery mechanism for force account work by ODOT and local agencies to deliver low cost countermeasures;
  • assess alternatives to address agencies struggling to supply match; and
  • retain organizational flexibility but strengthen program controls to assure consistency on approach statewide, and create and institute a comprehensive output and outcome evaluation structure.

FHWA and ODOT are looking for feedback from counties regarding the above findings and the hierarchy of recommendations. Please contact Jocelyn Blake if you have any questions or would like to submit comments on the draft report.