One of WTI’s research priorities is to engage in dialogue at a national and state level to bolster the concept and understanding of “culture” and its role in traffic safety. The intent is to develop approaches and strategies to improve traffic safety, and work to incorporate them into existing infrastructure, such as the Comprehensive Highway Safety Plans that are ongoing in each of the 50 states.   In recent years WTI has led or supported Traffic Safety Culture (TSC) initiatives through the Rural Traffic Safety Culture Summits, National TSC Summits, TRB leadership, ITE, and individual states. WTI proposed a partnership with MDT to sponsor a Transportation Pooled Fund (TPF) project.

In meetings with a number of potential partners, including MDT, Louisiana, Idaho, and TRB, stakeholders identified a need to re-scope or refine the scope, to include the following elements:

• understand and articulate the boundaries of what TSC is and is not;
• document past and current TSC efforts (i.e. NCJRP, etc.);
• define the management of TPF including roles, and responsibilities and processes; and
• develop and conduct a video conference and presentation with TPF states.

This project conducted this preliminary work in preparation for a subsequent Transportation Pooled Fund project.