New Jersey Congestion, Security, and Safety Initiative


Download Final Report

CAIT project no.: 132 RU6993

Fiscal Year: 2002/2003

Status: Final

Rutgers-CAIT Author(s): Claudia Knezek, Joseph Orth, Ali Maher

External Author(s): Nazhat Aboobaker

Sponsor(s): NJDOT, FHWA

Summary:

The purpose of this project was to examine the relationship between effective national transportation congestion, security, and safety technology transfer applications. Next, a comparison was made between national trends and the conditions found in New Jersey; then the most appropriate solution was implemented.

When examining the national transportation congestion, security, and safety technology transfer trends, the findings showed that security and congestion were interrelated through safety. Specifically, reduction of roadway crashes, adjustment of driver behavior, and use of safety counter measure applications had impacted both domains. They were similarly reflected in New Jersey with safety being an integral component of security and congestion.

As a result, the Safety Conscious Planning (SCP) Model, a comprehensive safety system, was selected and implemented as the network because it promoted the reduction of crashes that affect security and congestion of New Jersey’s entire transportation infrastructure.

The intended benefit of this implementation effort was realized when funding opportunities, resources, and technical support reached county and local municipalities, where over 60 percent of the roadway fatalities occur annually. Another gain was the collective empowerment of a partnership being applied to resolve regional safety issues. Also, SCP facilitated the involvement of local elected officials working together with safety professionals to organize local, community-level safety networks.