The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) developed a statewide Strategic Highway Safety Plan in 2007 to guide safety investments and decisions related to its Towards Zero Deaths efforts. Recently, Mn/DOT embarked on a statewide initiative to create a roadway safety plan for each of Minnesota’s 87 counties. The County Road Safety Plan concentrates on information specifically associated with the county roadway network and identifies opportunities to reduce the number of fatal and serious injury crashes.
As part of the project, Mn/DOT and its partners prioritize the roadway network by utilizing a risk assessment that takes into consideration motor vehicle crashes as well as known crash contributors. Using this analytical technique, Mn/DOT will provide each county with a risk assessment of its roadway network and a listing of recommended low-cost strategies for specific at-risk roads within its jurisdiction. Mn/DOT has more information available here.
In Region 6W, a workshop was recently held to discuss national strategies and prioritization of efforts to reduce the number of traffic fatalities and life changing injuries with the counties of Yellow Medicine, Chippewa and Lac qui Parle. An additional workshop will be held in the future to address Big Stone and Swift counties.
For more information on Transportation issues in Region 6W, please contact Michelle Bouta at 320-289-1981.
