Health, Safety, and Economic Benefits of Implementing Road Diets
BACKGROUND
The scope of the Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian (STEP) program is to reduce pedestrian crash risk by promoting the implementation of proven pedestrian safety countermeasures. The safety benefits of Road Diets, and other STEP countermeasures, have been evaluated nationally and across multiple land use and development contexts. For example, Road Diets are a proven safety countermeasure shown to reduce all types of crashes up to 47% in suburban areas.i The Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian (STEP) program highlights Road Diets, and six other proven countermeasures for improved pedestrian safety, as a strategy to reduce pedestrian crash conflicts, moderate speeds and crash severity, and provide opportunities for bicycle or pedestrian networks. Training, guidance, and outreach conducted through the EDC and STEP programs have helped increased implementation of Road Diets and improved pedestrian safety, public health, and economic prosperity.

PURPOSE
Pedestrian safety is a significant threat to pedestrian mobility, quality of life, and public health. Pedestrian crash rates across the U.S. and in most states have increased, overall since 1990 and dramatically since 2014. In response to these disturbing trends, FHWA developed the Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian (STEP) program. STEP promotes Road Diets and six other proven countermeasures for improved pedestrian safety through virtual and in-person training, free guidance, and case study resources.

METHODOLOGY
Road Diets are where the number or width of vehicle travel lanes across a roadway have been reconfigured. The most common form of a Road Diet is the conversion of a four-lane, undivided roadway to a three-lane road including a center, two-way turn lane. The safety benefits of Road Diets are measured by the reduction in all crashes, moderation of traffic speed, and reduction in crash severity. The economic benefits of Road Diets are measured by the changes in retail visits and expenditures. The health benefits of Road Diets are measured by increased walking, bicycling, and transit riders.

The FHWA EDC and STEP programs integrate high quality crash modification factors (CMFs) into guidance and marketing materials designed to increase implementation Road Diets and other STEP countermeasures. For example, FHWA highlights the CMFs produced by two Road Diet research studies. Pawlovich, et. al. (2006) reviewed Road Diets in Iowa and developed a CMF of .81 for urban areas (19% crash reduction factor). Persaud et. al. (2010) reviewed Road Diets at multiple locations and developed a CMF of .53 for suburban areas (47% crash reduction factor).
Figure 1: State-Level Implementation Goals and Status for STEP (EDC-5) (see abstract).

As part of the EDC-3 Road Diet innovation (2015-2016), FHWA developed guidance for agencies to use when evaluating the potential for lane reductions or Road Diets. This program sponsored multiple workshops, webinars and Peer Exchanges to increase awareness of the safety, economic, and health benefits of Road Diets. As part of the EDC-4 STEP innovation (2017-2018), FHWA evaluated reports related to Road Diets and the other STEP countermeasures to develop the 2018 Guide for Improving Pedestrian Safety at Uncontrolled Crossing Locations. This guide introduces a six-step process for practitioners to follow to identify sites for pedestrian safety improvements and initial options for countermeasures per roadway conditions and safety issues noted. STEP continues as part of EDC-5 (2019-2020) to offer free training, webinars, technical assistance and educational materials describing the health, safety, and economic benefits of Road Diets and other pedestrian crossing countermeasures.

RESULTS
As part of EDC-3, multiple states advanced their implementation of Road Diets by participating in training event, developing guidance, and testing installation of Road Diets on local and state-system roads. During EDC-4, 22 states developed action plans for advancing their use of the STEP countermeasures, including Road Diets. As part of EDC-5, over 30 states have enlisted for additional training or technical assistance as they analyze crash data, refine decision-making tools, and pilot the STEP countermeasures. As a result, states are pursuing opportunities to implement Road Diets and other pedestrian crossing countermeasures.

CONCLUSION
STEP has become an important national program to promote pedestrian safety. However, pedestrian and roadway safety are often not the primary focus of public health, and pedestrian safety should be elevated as a strategy for increasing access to physical activity and reducing serious injuries or fatalities along roadways. Therefore, the STEP program and guidance supporting Road Diets should be part of the national conversation about the intersections between health and active transportation.

Presenter: Lauren Blackburn
Agency Affiliation: VHB

Presenter Biographical Statement: [biography]