Operations & Safety

Revitalization and redevelopment of existing communities is a priority. Our Ops/Safety programs actively help to manage and operate the region’s transportation system, allowing it to function at its full potential. Transportation and development choices prioritize safe and secure multimodal and intermodal networks for people and goods.

Traffic Incident Management

To help regional organizations enhance the delivery of traffic incident management services and products, we facilitate a dialogue between practitioners across several disciplines.

CRSW PSA Playlist

Watch a new PSA every day of CRSW!

TIM Overview Video

Lean about Traffic Incident Management at SPC


Active TIM Teams

I-79/I-76 Local TIM

Started in 2013, this is our longest tenured local TIM Team.  This team focuses on roadway incidents on I-79 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Northern Allegheny County and Southern Butler County

Pittsburgh Tunnels Local TIM Team

The Tunnels are some of the most important transportation infrastructure in our region, therefore the Pittsburgh Tunnels Local TIM Team was created to improve responder safety and promote safe, quick clearance of roadway incidents in or near the PennDOT owned tunnels.

SR 30 Local TIM Team

This TIM team focuses on improving responder safety and promoting safe, quick clearance of roadway incidents during the set of Route 30 projects located in North Versailles, North Huntingdon Township, and Irwin Borough. 

FHWA TIM Capability Maturity Self-Assessment

This TIM Self-Assessment provides a formal process for state and local transportation, public safety, and private sector partners to collaboratively assess their TIM programs and identify opportunities for improvement.  The assessment is conducted annually in each of the largest 75 urban areas.  Each year the new assessment is compared against previous years to evaluate *progress in our TIM program. (See below for our progress since 2011)

FHWA TIM Capability Maturity Self-Assessment (PDF)

A line graph is shown tracking the SPC FHWA Regional TIM Self-Assessment Score

* In 2015 and 2017, more specific scoring for each question was added and therefore may see a score decrease.

Resources


Regional Traffic Signal Program

Our Regional Traffic Signal Program provides technical assistance, and potential funding to municipalities throughout our region.

Since 2008, SPC and our planning partners have been assisting local governments with improving traffic signal operations by optimizing traffic signal timings and upgrading existing traffic signal equipment. We have now completed the third cycle of this important regional program. Together the three cycles have invested nearly $11 Million to improve traffic signals in the region and results have yielded $51 of public benefit for every $1 spent in terms of reduced delay, reduced vehicular stops, reduced fuel consumption, and reduced emissions.

A summary of the benefits and costs of this program can be found here.

Visit our YouTube Channel to view Before/After Retiming Videos & Project Summaries

Resources

Launching of the 5th cycle of the Regional Traffic Signal Program

We anticipate that we will receive funding for the 5th cycle of the Regional Traffic Signal Program and we are pleased to invite you to submit project applications for this cycle. Successful applicants will receive assistance with traffic signal retiming and other improvements that will result in optimized operations. The Program Guidelines and Application Instructions document as well as application downloads for the program will be available on Monday, July 25, 2022 – December 31, 2022.

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Transportation Operations & Safety Forum

Our Transportation and Operations and Safety Forum meets 3 to 4 times per year and  brings together traffic engineers, safety professionals, and transportation planners from around the region to collaborate and share information on projects that work toward improved efficiency and safe operation of the transportation system.  We continue to lead planning for safe and effective transportation operations in Pennsylvania

Resources


Congestion Management Process

Federal transportation legislation requires that each metropolitan planning area in the United States have a Congestion Management Process, or CMP.  The CMP is a regional program to address and manage congestion within the 10-county Southwestern Pennsylvania region in order to facilitate the movement of people and goods.

The goal of the CMP is to provide information that helps transportation planners, professionals and others to understand the overall congestion climate in individual corridors and the region. Data on the congestion climate helps us, in partnership with other agencies, to formulate congestion management strategies. Data and information from the CMP benefits the transportation planning process by helping the region focus limited federal transportation dollars where they can have the greatest impact.


Special Studies


Intelligent Transportation Systems

We participate in statewide and national discussions concerning advancements in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), including a statewide connected and autonomous vehicle work group on emerging technologies.

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Regional Operations Plan

We continue to work with our partners to implement initiatives from the seven priority areas contained in the 2019 Regional Operations Plan.

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Safety Planning

We have adopted the statewide performance target established by PennDOT of a 2% reduction per year across the following five measures:

  • Number of fatalities (all public roads)
  • Rate of fatalities (all public roads, per 100 million vehicle miles traveled)
  • Number of serious injuries (all public roads)
  • Rate of serious injuries (all public roads, per 100 million vehicle miles traveled)
  • Number of non-motorized fatalities and serious injuries (all public roads)

For additional information visit PennDOT’s Safety Program

Resources


Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP)

The Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) is a core Federal-aid program with the purpose to achieve a significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads, including non-State-owned roads and roads on tribal land. The HSIP requires a data-driven, strategic approach to improving highway safety on all public roads with a focus on performance.  The goals of the program is to address PA Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP), project selection by Data Driven Safety Analysis (DDSA), and HSIP Set-Aside project solicitation. 

2025-2026 HSIP Set Aside Projects.

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Road Safety Audits

We have developed a RSA program for Southwestern Pennsylvania as part of our Transportation Operations and Safety planning efforts.  Road Safety Audits examine of existing or future roads using an independent, multidisciplinary team to identify potential road safety issues and opportunities for proactive safety improvements. SPC integrates safety evaluations into managed funding programs.

Resources

Operations & Safety Contacts

Chris Jaros
Data Analyst III
(412) 391-5590 x0349
Evan Schoss
Operations & Safety Planner/TIM Coordinator
(412) 391-5590 x0338
Josh Spano
Manager, Transportation Operations & Safety
(412) 391-5590 x0362
Zach Hollingshad
Transportation Planner
(412) 391-5590 x0365