The Florida Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Center recently hosted the Focus on Rural Roadway Departures (FoRRRwD) Peer Exchange, an event sponsored and organized by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). This gathering brought together transportation professionals from state departments of transportation (DOTs), local agencies, tribal governments, and other key stakeholders to address the pressing issue of fatal and serious injury crashes caused by rural roadway departures. As a priority for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), reducing these crashes is essential to improving roadway safety across the state.
Participants from seven states engaged in a dynamic exchange of ideas, sharing innovative strategies, best practices, and lessons learned in mitigating rural roadway departure crashes. The event featured insightful presentations that highlighted both the challenges and successful solutions implemented across different regions. The Florida LTAP Center showcased its efforts in delivering training programs aimed at equipping engineers, planners, and local agencies with the necessary tools to enhance rural road safety through improved design and traffic operations.
A key takeaway from the exchange was the critical need for ongoing collaboration and data-sharing across jurisdictions. The collective efforts of local communities, state agencies, LTAPs, and academic institutions are essential in advancing meaningful progress toward reducing rural roadway fatalities.
We appreciate FHWA’s support and the contributions of representatives from Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Texas, whose active participation made this event a big success. Their dedication to roadway safety will drive continued improvements in preventing and reducing rural roadway departures.
