ATSSA Signal September October 2019

Innovation & New Programs The rate of traffic crashes and fatali- ties on rural roadways is disproportion- ately high, according to a recent TRIP, a national transportation research group, report titled “Rural Connections: Chal- lenges and Opportunities in America’s Heartland.” In 2017, rural roadways had a fatality rate of 2.14 deaths for every 100 million vehicle miles of travel, while fatality rates on other roads were 0.88 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles of travel. As a result of geographic and funding challenges, effectivelymaintaining rural roadways and implementing counter- measures can be difficult. TRIP’s report found that the nation’s rural roadways and bridges needed repair andmodern- ization, stating that 15 percent of U.S. rural roads were rated in poor condition, and 21 percent in mediocre condition. When it comes to safety on rural road- ways, one of the biggest challenges is the difficulty in isolating high-crash loca- tions because they are typically narrow, Rural roadways Posing unique challenges for motorists and the roadway safety infrastructure industry American Traffic Safety Services Association 16