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NJDOT forms partnership with Rutgers University and the Federal
Highway Administration
(Piscataway)
Traffic Engineering and Safety were the focal points today as
NJDOT Commissioner Jack Lettiere was joined by several dignitaries
in announcing the formation of the Transportation Safety Resource
Center at Rutgers University. The center, which will be
located on the Rutgers Busch Campus, is a University/Agency Partnership
between the NJ Department of Transportation, Rutgers University
and the Federal Highway Administration.
“ The Transportation
Safety Resource Center will support NJDOT's efforts to reduce
accidents and improve safety on NJ's roadways,“ said Lettiere.
“This is the next step in our continuing effort to insure the
safety of New Jersey's roadways. This center will provide
county and local governments with the tools needed to address
local transportation issues.”
The goal of the transportation
safety resource center (TSRC) is to address traffic safety and
resulting security concerns at the local levels in New Jersey
by establishing a partnership between federal/state transportation
agencies, local stakeholders, academic institutions, and the private
sector.
A series of programs
and initiatives that will include comprehensive training, are
to be implemented at the state and local levels during the course
of the program. The training enables local governments to implement
a comprehensive safety management-planning model that includes
crash data analysis, congestion management and security components.
Initially, the two year,
$4 million dollar Federally-funded center will s trive to assist
NJDOT in their efforts to improve highway safety by creating a
core program that consolidates existing efforts championed by
both the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
“Rutgers University
has a long history of working with the New Jersey Department of
Transportation and the FHWA, and we look forward to implementing
the program and seeking additional safety related resources for
New Jersey,” said Richard McCormick, President of Rutgers University.
According to Dennis
Merida, Division Administrator for the FHWA, “We have been presented
with a new approach to addressing New Jersey's highway safety
problems. Utilizing experience gained from FHWA's successful
pilot program, the center will have new computer modeling capabilities
that will help us address future transportation needs and safety
with greater accuracy.”
Over the last year,
the New Jersey Department of Transportation has taken the lead
on a number of initiatives such as identifying “Safe Corridors”
and establishing Safety Impact Teams to investigate necessary
safety improvements, allocating $20 million for engineering and
technological improvements, adding 500 miles of raised pavement
reflectors, recording driver safety public safety announcements,
and expanding driver education programs through the New Jersey
Motor Vehicle Commission.
In addition,
NJDOT has invested $7 million through the “Safe Streets to Schools”
Program, $6 million to improve bike and pedestrian friendly trails,
expanded the Emergency Service Patrol, and promoted the #77 Aggressive
Driver Hotline. | 
