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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 061025-5.S - Acceptance of the Williamson County Regional Safety Action Plan (RSAP)RESOLUTION NO. Mt oA55 -S A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN, TEXAS, ADOPTING THE WILLIAMSON COUNTY REGIONAL SAFETY ACTION PLAN; REPEALING CONFLICTING RESOLUTIONS; INCLUDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that a goal to reduce traffic crashes is necessary to promote the safety, health and mobility of the Georgetown community; and WHEREAS, through the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program grant from the United States Department of Transportation, and with the help of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, Williamson County completed a roadway safety plan and Willimason County adopted the Williamson County Regional Safety Action Plan on May 20, 2025; and WHEREAS, the City of Georgetown was an active participant in the safety plan and the resulting plan identifies opportunities to improve safety on city of Georgetown roadways; and WHEREAS, with the inclusion of those safety improvements within the plan, and the acceptance of the Plan by the City Council, the City is now eligible to complete for future grant funding in the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN, TEXAS: Section 1. The meeting at which this resolution was approved was conducted in compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 551. Section 2. The facts and recitations contained in the preamble of this resolution are hereby found and declared to be true and correct and are incorporated by reference herein and expressly made a part hereof, as if copied verbatim. Section 3. The City Council of the City of Georgetown hereby accepts and adopts the Williamson County Regional Safety Action Plan and directs City staff to seek future grants as funding becomes available. Section 4. All resolutions that conflict with the provisions of this resolution are hereby repealed, and all other resolutions of the City not in conflict with the provisions of this resolution shall remain in full force and effect. Section 5. If any provision of this resolution, or application thereof, to any person or circumstance, shall be held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the other provisions, or application thereof, of this resolution, which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this resolution are hereby declared to be severable. Resolution Number: (Ol Oa 5 - S. S Page 1 of 2 Subject: Williamson County Regional Safety Action Plan acceptance Date Approved: 4 10 1 Section 6. The Mayor is hereby authorized to sign this resolution and the City Secretary to attest. This resolution shall become effective and be in full force and effect immediately in accordance with the provisions of the City Charter of the City of Georgetown. PASSED AND APPROVED on the low of Z,,,,2025. ATTEST: THEki'FY OF GEORGETOWN: Robyn Ibensmore, City Secretary APPROVED AS TO FORM: Skye asson, City Attorney Schroeder, Mayor Resolution Number: 0(0 1 O;, $ - 5.5 Page 2 of 2 Subject: Williamson County Regional Safety Action Plan acceptance Date Approved: SL%yu, to 1 M5 WILLIAMSON COUNTY SAFETY ACTION PLAN PART OF THE GREATER CAMPO REGIONAL SAFETY ACTION PLAN MAY 8, 2025 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS PLAN DEVELOPMENT TEAM Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) — Nicholas Samuel, William Lisska, Doise Miers DKS Associates — Houssam Ghandour, Renee Hurtado, Brian Chandler, Ben Wallach, Sheida Carugati, Harshala Sardar, Daniel Tran, James Schwerdtfeger, Vanessa Choi -Clark, Nikki Davis WILLIAMSON COUNTY SAFETY TASK FORCE Williamson County— Bob Daigh, Kelly Murphy City of Cedar Park— Randall Skinner City of Georgetown — Lua Saluone, Dafne Valle Javier, Nathaniel Waggoner City of Hutto — Matthew Rector City of Jarrell —Jorge Hernandez City of Leander — Ann Weis City of Liberty Hill — McKenzi Hicks City of Round Rock —Brian Kuhn City of Taylor —Scott Dunlop, Tom Yantis Capital Area Rural Transportation System (CARTS) — Ed Collins, David Marsh Capital Area Metropolitan Transportation Authority (CapMetro) — Christopher Metzbower, Sean Cagan Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) — Oscar Solis Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Austin District — Brenda Guerra, Masoud Moradian, Kyle Russell, Amanda Martinez, Raju Thapa DISCLAIMER Under 23 U.S. Code § 148 and 23 U.S. Code § 407, safety data, reports, surveys, schedules, lists, compiled or collected for the purpose of identifying, evaluating, or planning the safety enhancement of potential crash sites, hazardous roadway conditions, or railway -highway crossings are not subject to discovery or admitted into evidence in a Federal or State court proceeding or considered for other purposes in any action for damages arising from any occurrence at a location mentioned or addressed in such reports, surveys, schedules, lists, or data. THIS PLAN IS DEDICATED TO ALL THE LIVES LOST AND TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN FOREVER CHANGED BECAUSE OF A TRAFFIC CRASH IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY. A SINGLE DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY ON OUR ROADWAYS IS ONE TOO MANY. LET US ACHIEVE THE ROAD TO ZERO TOGETHER. ACRONYMS CAMPO — Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization CARTS — Capital Area Rural Transportation System CRIS— Crash Records Information System FHWA— Federal Highway Administration HIN — High Injury Network HSIP— Highway Safety Improvement Program KABCO — Crash Severity Scale K— Fatal Injury A —Suspected Serious Injury B —Suspected Minor Injury C— Possible Injury O — Non -injury KA—Combined Fatal and Serious Injury RSAP — Regional Safety Action Plan SHSP — Strategic Highway Safety Plan SAP —Safety Action Plan SS4A — Safe Streets and Roads for All TxDOT — Texas Department of Transportation TxHSO — Texas Highway Safety Office TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVESUMMARY............................................................................................................................................ 1 THE ROAD SAFETY CHALLENGE IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY....................................................................1 THESAFETY ACTION PLAN.............................................................................................................2 ASAFER FUTURE AHEAD...............................................................................................................4 HOWDID WE GET HERE?........................................................................................................................................ 5 SETTING THE STAGE FOR SAFETY....................................................................................................5 CAMPO REGIONAL SAFETY ACTION PLAN.........................................................................................5 VISION, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES TO ACHIEVE A SAFER WILLIAMSON COUNTY............................................................ 6 AVISION FOR THE COUNTY...........................................................................................................6 WILLIAMSON COUNTY'S ROAD TO ZERO GOALS.................................................................................7 ROAD TO ZERO SAFETY OBJECTIVES................................................................................................7 PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND EVALUATION...................................................................................9 SAFETYANALYSIS.................................................................................................................................................11 WHY DOES THE COUNTY NEED TO IMPROVE ROADWAY SAFETY?........................................................ 11 DATA ANALYSIS METHODOLOGY................................................................................................... 11 SAFETY ANALYSIS RESULTS..........................................................................................................15 UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES ANALYSIS................................................................................................................27 WHO IS MOST AFFECTED BY SAFETY IN THE COUNTY?......................................................................27 SUMMARY OF TRANSPORTATION SAFETY IN UNDERSERVED NEED AREAS OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY......... 31 ENGAGINGTHE COMMUNITY.................................................................................................................................32 ROUND1 ENGAGEMENT..............................................................................................................32 ROUND2 ENGAGEMENT..............................................................................................................35 WILLIAMSON COUNTY TASK FORCE...............................................................................................39 POLICYRECOMMENDATIONS.................................................................................................................................41 POLICYREVIEW.........................................................................................................................41 POLICY AND PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WILLIAMSON COUNTY............................................41 SAFETYCOUNTERMEASURES..................................................................................................................................42 SEGMENT -RELATED SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES.............................................................................42 INTERSECTION -RELATED SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES......................................................................45 VULNERABLE ROAD USER SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES.....................................................................48 SYSTEMIC SAFETY COUNTERMEASURE PACKAGES............................................................................53 TARGETED IMPROVEMENT DEVELOPMENT AND PRIORITIZATION..............................................................................54 TARGETED IMPROVEMENT DEVELOPMENT..................................................................................... 54 PRIORITIZATION........................................................................................................................ 54 »> V IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.......................................................................................................................................63 FUNDING SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS ................................................................................................ 63 CHAMPIONING POLICY CHANGES .................................................................................................. 63 MEASURING & MONITORING PROGRESS ........................................................................................ 63 * VI LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1: CRASHES (2019-2023) BY YEAR AND BY SEVERITY........................................................... 16 FIGURE 2: FATAL (K) AND SUSPECTED SERIOUS INJURY (A) CRASHES (2019-2023) BY YEAR .................. 17 FIGURE 3: FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES BY TYPE(2019-2023)............................................. 17 FIGURE 4: HEAT MAP OF INTERSECTION CRASH DENSITY (2019-2023)......................................... I.... 19 FIGURE 5: HEAT MAP OF NON -INTERSECTION CRASH DENSITY(2019-2023)....................................... 20 FIGURE 6: EMPHASIS AREAS WITH THE MOST FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES (2019-2023)....... .. 21 FIGURE 7: HIGH INJURY NETWORK (INTERSECTIONS) (2019-2023)................................................... 25 FIGURE 8: HIGH INJURY NETWORK (SEGMENTS)(2019-2023).......................................................... 26 FIGURE 9: UNDERSERVED NEED AREAS IDENTIFIED IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY ..................................... 28 FIGURE 10: FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURY CRASH RATE BY AREA, POPULATION, AND LANE MILES ........... 29 FIGURE 11: WILLIAMSON COUNTY SAFETY ACTION PLAN TASK FORCE MEETINGS SUMMARY ................. 40 FIGURE 12: TARGETED IMPROVEMENT LOCATIONS CORRIDORS..................................................... 55 FIGURE 13: TARGETED IMPROVEMENT LOCATIONS INTERSECTIONS/SPOT LOCATIONS ....................... 56 LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1: FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURY (KA) CRASHES (2019-2023) BY EMPHASIS AREAS IN THE UNDERSERVED NEED AREAS....................................................................................................... 30 TABLE 2: RECOMMENDED SEGMENT -RELATED SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES ........................................ 43 TABLE 3: RECOMMENDED INTERSECTION -RELATED SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES ................................. 46 TABLE 4: RECOMMENDED VULNERABLE ROAD USER SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES ................................ 49 TABLE 5: LIST OF TARGETED CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS................................................................ S7 TABLE 6: LIST OF TARGETED INTERSECTION/SPOT LOCATION IMPROVEMENTS ................................... 60 kVII Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Executive Summary This Executive Summary describes the road safety challenge in Williamson County, provides an overview of the core content in this Safety Action Plan, and describes why this will support a safer future. The Road Safety Challenge in Williamson County Every day, people travel on Williamson County roads expecting to arrive safely. Unfortunately, recent years have shown a troubling reality. Between 2019 and 2023, Williamson County experienced 229 fatal crashes and 1,044 serious injury crashes. The individuals in these crashes are our families, friends, and neighbors. The effects of these roadway tragedies affect all communities in Williamson County. A detailed safety analysis identified the most common contributors to fatal and serious injury crashes, as illustrated in the graphic to the right. The good news is that we know these tragedies are preventable, and we are committed to changing this story. The project team carried out a series of analyses and key activities to inform the development of this Safety Action Plan. These activities included safety analysis, underserved communities analysis, community engagement efforts, and a policy review. Through these efforts and collaboration with stakeholders, a set of policy recommendations, infrastructure projects, and behavioral strategies were identified. This plan includes 23 corridor enhancements and 37 intersection improvements. The goal for these recommendations is to enhance road safety, ensuring that all residents and visitors can work, live, and enjoy their activities in Williamson County. 44,668 crashes in Williamson County from 2019 L to 2023 J 1% FATAL 2% SUSPECTED SERIOUS INJURY Between 2019 and 2023, Williamson County experienced 229 fatal crashes 1,044 serious injury crashes 2019 2023 <42% INTERSECTION -RELATED C 41% �;F \ o •••. DEPARTURE <34% SPEEDING DRIVERC 28% �v BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN < 12% C� 0 10 20 30 40 50 Percent(%) Proposed Safety -Driven Infrastructure Improvements: 23 36 Corridor Intersection Improvements Improvements * 1 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 The Safety Action Plan Williamson County and its member jurisdictions have joined forces with regional and federal partners to tackle the traffic safety issue directly. The Williamson County Safety Action Plan (SAP) is a strategic initiative to establish a safer transportation system. Embracing the vision that "All streets and roads in Williamson County are safe, accessible, and well-connected for all road users of all abilities — pedestrians, cyclists, transit users, and drivers," the SAP aspires to cut roadway fatalities and serious injuries in half by 2035 and eliminate them entirely by 2050. Simply put, everyone traveling in Williamson County should be able to reach their destination safely every time. This plan is part of the broader CAMPO Regional Safety Action Plan (RSAP), which aims to enhance traffic safety across the region by addressing systemic safety needs and facilitating access to funding. Each member agency, including Williamson County and its cities, contributes a county -level plan that aligns with the overarching goals of CAMPO and the statewide Road to Zero initiative. This means our communities are not working alone — we are coordinating with neighboring counties and aligning with national best practices. The following subsections describe the core outcomes of the SAP: key strategies, community actions, countermeasure identification and prioritization, and accountability and transparency. KEY STRATEGIES Achieving safer travel in Wiliamson County requires a comprehensive, multi -faceted approach. The SAP outlines a range of proven strategies that address roadway safety from different angles: ® Safer Roads. Improving the design and operation of our roadways involves engineering solutions like ( 1114k better signage, pavement markings, lighting, and intersection upgrades, as well as innovative designs such as roundabouts and safer crosswalks. Many of these measures are low-cost, high -impact changes that can dramatically reduce risk for all road users. Safer Road Users. Fostering a culture of safety supports educational campaigns and law enforcement to encourage responsible driving behavior and protect vulnerable road users. This means expanding public outreach —from school programs for young drivers to awareness campaigns about distracted and impaired driving— so that everyone understands their role in keeping our roads safe. QSafer Alternatives. Providing and promoting safe options other than driving reduces exposure to high-speed traffic, which reduces the risk of fatal and serious injury. Treatments include expanding ((DIVA sidewalks, bike lanes, and trails; developing and expanding Safe Routes to School programs; and enhancing public transit services and facilities to make travel safer and more accessible for those who walk, bike, and roll. 2 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 COMMUNITY ACTIONS •• Equally important, the Wiliamson County SAP is community -focused. It was shaped by local input and Ncalls for ongoing collaboration with cities, law enforcement, schools, businesses, and residents to ensure the solutions make sense for our community. Community engagement and underserved community considerations are foundational to the SAP. Public outreach was conducted to gather input on safety priorities, revealing concerns about aggressive and distracted driving, speeding, and insufficient infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists. The underserved communities analysis ensures that safety improvements are prioritized in high - risk areas disproportionately affecting underserved populations. Crucially, the plan brings everyone to the table. Engineers, law enforcement, health professionals, educators, local officials, and residents are all partners in this effort. This collaboration combines local knowledge with broad buy -in, making safety initiatives more effective and reflective of community needs. COUNTERMEASURE IDENTIFICATION AND PRIORITIZATION ift By understanding where and why crashes happen, we can take targeted action before the next tragedy occurs, rather than simply reacting afterward. The SAP employs a data -driven, systemic safety approach, s recommending strategies aligned with the Texas Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) and the associated ■ Road to Zero framework. ■ Proposed countermeasures include low-cost systemic safety treatments such as signing and pavement markings; behavior -focused initiatives including public education, enforcement programs, and community engagement; and policy and program recommendations like developing a Safe Routes to School program or a Complete Streets policy. These over -arching programs are supported with high -impact capital project recommendations at those intersections and roadway segments exhibiting the most severe crash history. Implementing the SAP involves prioritizing projects based on factors such as potential for crash reduction, cost- effectiveness, benefits to vulnerable road users (e.g., bicyclists and pedestrians), and readiness for implementation. Funding strategies encompass federal grants like the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program, TxDOT-administered funds from the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), and other state, regional, and local sources. Collaborative efforts with entities such as TxDOT, CAMPO, local jurisdictions, transit agencies, law enforcement, and community organizations are essential to the plan's success. ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY O To ensure accountability, the SAP includes a performance measurement and evaluation framework that tracks the funding, design, and construction of safety strategies over time, policy revisions implemented, and the resulting changes in the number and severity of crashes on city, county, and state roads. »> 3 .11 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 A Safer Future Ahead The Williamson County SAP is a commitment to action and a roadmap to a safer future. By fully understanding our safety challenges and working together on proven countermeasures, we are improving communities, so no family fears a preventable, life -altering crash. We acknowledge that the challenge is serious, but we approach it with hope and determination, knowing that even one death on our roads is one too many. With strong leadership, engaged community partners, and a focus on saving lives, Williamson County, its cities, and all safety stakeholders are on a clear path toward safer roads for all residents and visitors. Each step we take —every intersection improved, every safety campaign launched, every risky behavior changed —makes Williamson County a safer place for all. * 4 '�,' Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 How Did We Get Here? This section describes the need for safety planning and how it fits into a regional safety action plan. Setting the Stage for Safety Texas roads have seen at least one traffic fatality every day since November 7, 2000 — a tragic streak that continues through today, May 8, 2025. With focused efforts and a shared commitment to safety, Texas can one day mark another death -free day on its roads. Right here in Williamson County, there were 248 fatalities from 2019 to 2023. These were not just numbers; they were our friends, our family, our neighbors. Every loss is a tragedy, and as a community, we must refuse to accept this as the norm. Williamson County and CAMPO recognize the level of tragedy and depth of this problem and are dedicated to keeping our community and region safe. In 2022, the U.S. Department of Transportation granted CAMPO funding from the Safe Streets for All Grant Program to develop a Regional Safety Action Plan to improve roadway safety for all users. The plan specifically aims to decrease fatal and serious injury crashes in the region through a data -driven, comprehensive plan of action. CAMPO Regional Safety Action Plan CAMPO is developing a regional safety action plan from the bottom up, starting with county -level safety planning. Each county within the CAMPO region will create its own safety action plan, which will be included as a chapter in the CAMPO RSAP. The Williamson County Safety Action Plan is included in the larger CAMPO Regional Safety Action Plan. >>> 5 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Vision, Goals, and Objectives to Achieve a Safer Williamson County This section provides the county's transportation safety vision, supporting goals, and objectives. The objectives are organized around safer traffic, fostering a culture of safety, and reducing risk exposure through active transportation and transit. This section also includes a discussion on measuring and evaluating the performance of the goals and objectives. A Vision for the County Everyone traveling on streets and roads in Williamson County should be able to reach their destination safely every time. This inspired the vision statement for the Williamson County Safety Action Plan: Williamson County's transportation safety goals and objectives are based on research and analyses of the roadway safety goals, objectives, and strategies set by the federal government, TxDOT, and various municipalities, regional planning organizations, and agencies. The specific objectives differ from one department and agency to the next, but the goals they are attempting to achieve are consistent. Across the U.S., the State of Texas, and Williamson County, the reduction and elimination of fatalities and serious injury crashes on streets and roads is always identified as the top priority. The objectives described herein are divided into separate categories (Traffic, Culture, Active Transportation Modes and Transit), but these categories are not stand-alone objectives. The objectives listed in each category are not exhaustive either, but they serve as a starting point. Individuals focused on each category must actively and continually work together to achieve Williamson County's goal of reducing and eliminating traffic -related deaths and serious injuries by creating a safer, more reliable, connected, and accessible environment for all transportation system users in Williamson County. Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Williamson County's Road to Zero Goals In May 2019, the Texas Transportation Commission (TTC) set the Road to Zero Goal —the first statewide, official roadway safety goal in Texas to reduce and eventually eliminate transportation -related deaths. Multiple regional, county, and local agencies in Texas have since adopted the same or similar goals to support the TTC's efforts. The Road to Zero Goal has guided TxDOT to work toward the goal of reducing the number of deaths on Texas streets and roads by half by the year 2035 and to zero by the year 2050. Williamson County's Goals: Williamson County set their transportation safety goals consistent with the TTC's Road to Zero Goal: Road to Zero Safety Objectives Williamson County recorded a consistent year -after -year rise in the total number of crashes from 2020 to 2023. To achieve Williamson County's safety goals, regional leadership and member agencies must outline measurable objectives and a strategic plan of action. These objectives are divided into three categories: I .. 000 TRAFFIC CULTURE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION MODES AND TRANSIT Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 SAFER TRAFFIC FOR ALL The objectives in the Traffic category aim to find specific ways to make street and road traffic (which includes pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users) safer in Williamson County communities. Traffic Safety Objectives: OReduce the number of fatal and serious injuries related to roadway and lane departure crashes and angle collisions. Reduce the number and severity of crashes at intersections or related to intersections that result from disregarding traffic rules. Reduce the number and severity of crashes in dark, unlighted conditions. - Reduce the number and severity of crashes linked to speeding, distracted driving, and impaired driving due to alcohol or drugs, particularly during late -night and early -morning hours. Coordinate with TxDOT to reduce the number and severity of crashes on state-owned facilities, along major highways, and at intersections involving on -system roadways. OReduce the number of fatal and serious injury crashes involving bicycles and pedestrians. OReduce emergency and incident response time to crash events throughout the county. FOSTERING A CULTURE OF SAFETY The objectives laid out in the Culture category aim to shift the current roadway user and driver culture to one more focused on safety, particularly that of vulnerable road users. Culture of Safety Objectives: Introduce enforcement and educational campaigns to reduce the number of people who choose to drive under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. Reduce distracted driving, driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, aggressive driving, and speeding in the CAMPO region. Educate the public on their role in keeping their streets and roads safe to create a prosocial traffic safety culture. QEducate younger and older drivers on safe transportation practices. Educate transportation professionals and key decision -makers on best practices related to traffic safety. Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 REDUCING RISK EXPOSURE THROUGH ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION AND �`� � • � TRANSIT i Mode shift from personal motor vehicle travel to active transportation and transit is key to improving transportation safety by reducing exposure to motor vehicle travel. First, reducing vehicle miles traveled reduces the potential for crashes to occur. Additionally, providing non -driving travel options can have an even greater benefit when statistically riskier driver types (based on crash history) choose these modes. Examples include young and novice drivers, aging drivers, impaired drivers, and drowsy drivers. These objectives aim to improve transit and active modes of transportation, since shifting more trips to these modes will help reduce and eventually eliminate the number of fatal and serious injury crashes. Active Transportation and Transit Safety Objectives: Connect key corridors throughout the county so that pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users have safe access and connections to all parts of the region. Provide and maintain a safe, efficient, reliable, and well-connected transit system throughout the county. Provide safe and frequent roadway crossings for pedestrians and cyclists. Performance Measures and Evaluation It is important to ensure ongoing transparency with stakeholders and the public regarding the progress of projects and strategies in this plan and their effects. As part of an ongoing task within the CAMPO RSAP, a Program of Safety Planning framework and a toolkit for project tracking is being developed to measure progress over time during the implementation of this county SAP and future updates, looking at both outputs and outcomes. CAMPO is expected to maintain progress - tracking tools and rely on Williamson County and its member jurisdictions to routinely provide applicable data related to policies and projects. PROJECT PROGRESS: OUTPUTS The measured outputs are the direct projects and strategies implemented from this safety plan. Each is evidence that activities were performed toward the goal of reducing the number and severity of collisions in Williamson County. Examples can include progress toward completion of: • Safety projects (infrastructure improvements such as new pedestrian crossing upgrades and installation of rumble strips) o Number of safety projects completed on the High Injury Network o Number of bicycle, pedestrian, and transit enhancement projects completed • Policy revisions (such as speed limit setting and neighborhood traffic calming) For projects, this progress includes securing federal, regional, state, or local funding; completion of plans, specifications, and estimates; and construction of the project on the street. For policy revisions or additions, steps include assessment and analysis of a current policy, draft and final versions of revisions submitted to local governing bodies, and implementation of the new policy that may lead to a safer roadway system. Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 PROJECT EFFECTIVENESS. OUTCOMES Beyond tracking each action and activity, it is important to know how effective those projects, strategies, and policy changes are to the ultimate outcome - improving safety in Williamson County. The most common measures in traffic safety are the number, type, and severity of roadway collisions: • Total number of fatal crashes and serious injury crashes o Separated by mode (motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists) o Number of fatal crashes and serious injury crashes that involve risky road user behaviors (e.g., speeding, driving impaired by substances) • Rate of fatal crashes and serious injury crashes, often normalized by population or vehicle miles traveled CAMPO will continue to maintain a publicly accessible Crash Records Information System (CRIS) Dashboard that displays available crash data, including, at a minimum, the number, type, and severity of crashes occurring for member counties, including Williamson. In addition, CAMPO will consider incorporating datasets gained through the RSAP into its existing dashboards. Williamson County and its member jurisdictions are encouraged to track the effectiveness of each project and strategy, using data available based on the type of implementation. For example, before -and -after crash data can be used to study the change in annual collisions at an intersection or along a corridor. For behavior -based strategies, studying the public's awareness of a campaign and their self -identified behavior in a survey are considered outcomes, as these metrics can indicate the benefits of outreach and engagement. >>> 10 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Safety Analysis This section describes the need to improve roadway safety in Williamson County, the data analysis methodology, and the safety analysis results. Why Does the County Need to Improve Roadway Safety? Williamson County experienced 229 fatal crashes and 1,044 serious injury crashes from 2019 to 2023. These are our friends, our family, our neighbors —our Williamson County community — and these deaths and life -altering injuries are unacceptable. Many of these crashes were preventable, which is why Williamson County has committed to improving roadway safety. The Williamson County SAP aims to reduce and eventually eliminate fatal and serious injury crashes by 2050. The recommended ways to achieve this goal are based on the results from the safety analysis conducted for the County. Crash data from the most recent five years (2019 — 2023) was obtained for Williamson County, and crash patterns by many contributing factors (e.g., severity, lighting condition, weather condition, impaired driving involvement) were studied and presented in this Plan. Analyzing crash patterns by contributing factors helped identify focus areas with high potential safety risks in Williamson County. These findings are presented in a systemic analysis that helps identify location characteristics more susceptible to fatal and serious injuries. Hotspot and high injury network (HIN) analyses enable us to specifically locate safety issues related to the high risk of fatal and serious injuries, traffic stress for active transportation, excessive speeding, and safe transit access. The recommendations and countermeasures in this analysis aim to support local safety planning efforts to eliminate fatal and serious injury crashes and reduce crashes overall for all roadway users in the County. See Appendix A for the detailed Williamson County Crash Safety Analysis, including the methodology and results. Data Analysis Methodology This section describes the core data analysis methodology: how crash data was gathered and used, how the county's crash history was evaluated, how commonalities and crash risks are evaluated, and how a high injury network was used in the analysis. HOW WAS CRASH DATA GATHERED AND USED? Crash data from 2019 to 2023 was collected from the Texas Crash Records Information System maintained by TxDOT. The crash data consists of crashes by severity using the KABCO scale': fatal injury (K), suspected serious injury (A), suspected minor injury (B), possible injury (C), non -injured (0), and unknown. This dataset also contains information such as different crash contributing factors, manner of collision, and date and time. This dataset relies on law enforcement reporting and may not have all the information for all the crashes. For example, hit and run crashes where the driver's injury is unknown fall under the "unknown" crash severity type. The KABCO scale, developed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is a standardized system used by law enforcement to classify traffic crash injuries, ranging from K (fatal injury), A (serious injury), B (minor injury), C (possible injury), to 0 (property damage only, no injury). '5�' Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 As part of the systemic and high injury network analysis, crash and roadway inventory datasets are used to conduct the analysis. The crashes are associated with the respective roadway corridors that provide an understanding of crash patterns by different roadway characteristics such as type of roadway it is, who owns and maintains it, and length of the corridor. HOW DO WE EVALUATE WILLIAMSON COUNTY'S CRASH HISTORY? A historical crash analysis was conducted for all of Williamson County and then broken down by state-owned roadways and locally owned roadways. The state-owned roadways are freeways, ramps, and highways. The locally owned roads are all other roadways, excluding the state-owned ones. Crash patterns by years, severity type, and combined fatal and suspected serious injury type are studied. The figure below shows how the various analyses support plan development. The following subsections describe statewide safety emphasis areas and county -specific emphasis areas. >>> 12 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Statewide Emphasis Areas In a Strategic Highway Safety Plan context, "emphasis areas" refer to specific focus areas identified to address key safety issues on roadways. These areas are prioritized based on data analysis, crash trends, and overall safety goals. By concentrating resources and efforts on these emphasis areas, agencies aim to reduce fatalities and serious injuries more effectively. The Texas SHSP recommends the following emphasis areas for reducing highway fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads of Texas. EMPHASIS AREA DESCRIPTION I ROADWAY OR Crashes where a vehicle departs from the traveled way by crossing an edge line, a l o LANE DEPARTURES centerline, or otherwise leaving the roadway OCCUPANT PROTECTION Crashes involving improper or complete lack of vehicle occupant protection such as wearing a seatbelt or using a car seat for children OOLDER DRIVERS Crashes involving drivers 65 years old or older 65{ OYOUNGER DRIVERS Crashes involving drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 'IS-20 SPEED RELATED Crashes where speeding was a contributing factor qIMPAIRED DRIVING Crashes involving drug or alcohol impairment INTERSECTION RELATED Crashes occurring at or near an intersection Q DISTRACTED DRIVING Crashes involving inattention or distractions such as use of a cell phone * 13 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 EMPHASIS AREA DESCRIPTION O PEDESTRIAN Crashes involving pedestrians D PEDALCYCLIST Crashes involving cyclists ° POST CRASH CARE Secondary, tertiary, etc. crashes occurring due to another primary crash The Texas SHSP framework was used to identify crashes in the above -mentioned emphasis areas. Given that the crash database does not contain sufficient data on post -crash care, this emphasis area is not analyzed in this Plan. County -specific Emphasis Areas The countywide crash trends are analyzed to capture regional emphasis areas in addition to the statewide emphasis areas. The following additional emphasis areas are identified: COUNTY -SPECIFIC EMPHASIS AREA DESCRIPTION SCHOOL ZONES Crashes occurring at or near schools _�0�0 DARK CONDITIONS Crashes occurring at night or in areas with low to no lighting WORK ZONES Crashes occurring within road construction or maintenance areas MOTORCYCLES Crashes involving motorcyclists * 14 1*1 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 HOW DO WE EVALUATE COMMONALITIES AND CRASH RISKS IN THE COUNTY? The systemic safety approach used the same fatal and suspected serious injury (KA) crash dataset from the historical crash analysis, emphasizing areas associated with the highest crash proportions. This data -driven methodology aims to uncover patterns and commonalities across emphasis areas to identify the most critical crash types and their corresponding contributing factors. By analyzing these relationships, the study targeted systemic characteristics associated with high crash proportions rather than isolated hotspots, enabling a broader and more effective application of countermeasures. See Appendix A for the detailed Systemic Safety Analysis, including the methodology used to develop the analysis and the results. HOW WAS A HIGH INJURY NETWORK USED IN THE ANALYSIS? A vital component of regional safety analysis is the development of a high injury network that identifies areas with a high need for safety enhancements. To conduct a more localized and thorough evaluation of transportation safety issues in Williamson County, both an intersection HIN and a road segment HIN were developed. Establishing these two networks can identify high -priority intersections and segments of roadways that require improvements to reduce potential safety risks. See Appendix A for the detailed High Injury Network analysis, including the methodology used to develop the analysis. Safety Analysis Results The following subsections provide safety analysis results, including historical crash trends, systemic safety findings, and the high injury network. CRASH TRENDS IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY 2020 observed the lowest number of crashes in five Overall, a consistent upward years after which the crashes trend in the total number of 44,668 crashes in continued to increase every year of the study period Since 2020, the total number of crashes in Williamson County is observed. Williamson crashes increased by County from 2019 to 2023 +41% in 2023 Q� 1% FATAL 2% SUSPECTED SERIOUS INJURY Since 2020, the total number of crashes increased by 41% in 2023. Overall, a consistent upward trend in the total number of crashes in Williamson County is observed. While 2020 was an unusual year with lower traffic due to the pandemic, it is included to show the full trend, and we note that the number of crashes from that year were impacted by those conditions. Figure 1 summarizes the crashes in Williamson County by year and severity for all roadway types. Figure 1 does not include non -injury and unknown crashes. See Appendix A for the detailed historical crash analysis results, including location details, temporal details, and details on other contributing factors for all crash types and severities. Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 1,600 1,400 N 1,200 m t N 1,000 U w 0 800 m E 600 Z 200 0 2019 Fatal Injury (K) 1,363 1,1381,145 53000 38 50 - 2020 2021 2022 2023 Suspected Serious Injury (A) Suspected Minor Injury Possible Injury (C) FIGURE 1: CRASHES (2019-2023) BY YEAR AND BY SEVERITY The following subsections summarize crash trends for fatal and serious injury crashes, crash analysis by other factors, intersection and non -intersection crash density heat maps, and emphasis area analysis. Fatal and Serious Injury Crashes in Williamson County A s 50 N A U 40 A r A u. 30 0 a, E 20 .. Il 42 2019 2023 N 300 d r N U 250 200 N 3 150 d 1A 0 100 d .c E 50 Z 0 - ter; 217 2019 on 2 223 The highest number of fatal crashes, 53, was observed in 2021, and the lowest, 38, was observed in 2022. The serious injury crashes show a consistent upward trend, increasing from 217 in 2019 to 249 in 2023. Figure 2 presents the crash trend of fatal and suspected serious injury crashes and Figure 3 summarizes fatal and serious injury crashes by crash type in Williamson County from 2019 to 2023. >>> 16 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 400 ; N O ® o 300 U o • a Z200 0 - r � FIGURE 2: FATAL (K) AND SUSPECTED SERIOUS INJURY (A) CRASHES (2019-2023) BY YEAR Roadway and Lane Departure Angle Crash Same Direction Single Vehicle Crash Opposite Direction 0 100 200 300 i Intersection Crashes Non -Intersection Crashes FIGURE 3: FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES BY TYPE (2019-2023) 400 0 2023 500 >>> 17 .11 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Crash Analysis by Other Factors The following summarizes key findings from the analysis of crash patterns in Williamson County based on contributing factors, crash types, time of day, and day of week: • Overall, speed -related, failure to yield right of way, aggressive driving, and distracted driving contribute to 80% of crashes in Williamson County. • Almost half of the same direction crash types were speed related. • Over 90% of angle and opposite direction crashes took place at intersections, with failure to yield the right of way identified as the primary contributing factor for both crash types. • Speed related and failed to yield right of way were highest contributing factors with more than 40% of all crashes. • Aggressive and distracted driving are the third and fourth highest contributing factors; most of these are same direction crash types. • The number of crashes during the weekdays peak during the AM and PM peak hours of traffic — 7 AM to 8 AM and 4 PM to 6 PM, respectively. During the weekend, the peak number of crashes occurs during weekend lunch hours, between 12 PM and 2 PM. • Crashes are more frequent during the afternoon and evening rush hours, particularly on weekdays, and drop during early morning and late evening hours. • During the week, Fridays experienced the highest number of crashes, and Sundays had the lowest. During the weekend, the peak number of crashes occurs during weekend lunch hours, between 12 PM and 2 PM. • In a day, the highest number of crashes were observed between 3 and 6 p.m., which coincides with the evening rush hour traffic. The highest number of crashes overall occurred around 5 p.m., particularly on Fridays. 45% of the same direction crash types were speed related Intersection and Non -Intersection Crash Density Heat Maps O More than 90% of the angle and opposite direction crash types occurred at intersections Failure to yield right of way was the major contributing factor for angle and opposite direction crashes Two heat maps were developed using the available Williamson County crash data for 2019 to 2023. The Figure 4 heat map shows the crash density at intersections in the County, while the Figure 5 heat map shows the crash density at non - intersections (segments). >>> 18 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Most of the intersection crash density occurred in urban areas where state-owned roads intersect with one another or a local road. Most of the non -intersection (segment) crash density also occurred in urban areas where state-owned roads intersect with one another or a local road. See Appendix A for the detailed list of intersections and segments labeled "High" or "Very High" crash density. t 1 v Burnet County.. � - a " Williamson County /rRb ,nAtR< Sr { J 11 Intersection Crash, Density L_ Mld H.:gh I '�—5.T r a v s -- ii.a:.,,,. i:. I / / Lo Mid High C o u n t y / ' NO Very High I ' \ / 5 0 Miles FIGURE 4: HEAT MAP OF INTERSECTION CRASH DENSITY (2019-2023) >>> 19 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Burnet County —4e Non -Intersection Crash Density Pfidgmil LowME Md-H.9h L.-MId Ngh MId VeryHigh N A 157 —Williamson County Travis' - Miles FIGURE 5: HEAT MAP OF NON -INTERSECTION CRASH DENSITY (2019-2023) * 20 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Emphasis Area Analysis Figure 6 illustrates the top 10 emphasis areas with the highest reported fatal and serious injury crashes in Williamson County from 2019 to 2023. The leading four areas of emphasis in terms of fatal and serious injury crashes are dark conditions, intersection -related incidents, roadway departures, and young or older driver crashes. Notably, roadway departures, motorcycle -related incidents, occupant protection issues, impaired driving, crashes occurring during dark conditions, and crashes involving vulnerable road users —including pedestrians and bicyclists —are disproportionately represented in fatal and serious injury statistics compared to all severity crashes. This suggests a higher likelihood of severe injuries in these emphasis areas. Total Crashes Fatal and Serious Injury Crashes Total Crashes Fatal and Serious Injury Crashes m -o=o DARK CONDITIONS no MOTORCYCLE INTERSECTION 44% momm 41% OCCUPANT PROTECTION 2% 15% I3I ROADWAY DEPARTURE IMPAIRED DRIVING 4% 14% 15-20Q�65+ YOUNGER AND OLDER DRIVERS 37% 34% FIGURE 6: EMPHASIS AREAS WITH THE MOST FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES (2019-2023) a SPEED RELATED 29% 28% >>> 21 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 SYSTEMIC SAFETY ANALYSIS RESULTS A historical crash analysis is vital to understanding the historical trends and patterns of crashes in Williamson County; however, it is a reactive approach. A systemic safety analysis considers the crash history alongside a multitude of other crash factors to find locations that are systemically unsafe based on a variety of metrics, not just the crash data from the last five years. By identifying patterns across these dimensions, we can identify commonalities and overlaps among emphasis area crash types, aiding in a more holistic understanding of systemic safety issues and needs. This will not only help develop a more holistic approach to countermeasures but also provide the County with a proactive approach to identifying safety issues and providing appropriate solutions in the future. Shared Patterns Across Emphasis Areas This analysis revealed significant commonalities across the emphasis areas, bringing attention to the interconnected nature of crash factors. Dark conditions are critical across various crash types and strongly linked to intersections, roadway departures, and speed -related incidents. Similarly, intersections are consistently connected to speed -related crashes, young driver involvement, and dark conditions. Roadway departures and speed -related crashes are also linked strongly with dark conditions, intersections, and impaired driving. These overlaps highlight the need for integrated strategies addressing multiple emphasis areas. The results below provide detailed insights into these relationships. See Appendix A for the detailed emphasis area analysis methodology and results. Focus Crash Types Based on results from the emphasis area analysis, Williamson County has identified several focus crash types that are significantly associated with serious injuries and fatalities. Each focus area highlights specific conditions and contributing factors that demand targeted safety improvements. Intersection Related: Intersections present complex traffic interactions contributing to higher crash frequencies, warranting interventions to reduce conflict points. INTERSECTION RELATED CRASHES Intersection -related crashes represent the largest portion of total crashes, accounting for 44% of all crashes within Williamson County. 75 FATAL (33% of total fatal crashes) 520 FATAL OR SUSPECTED SERIOUS INJURY (") (41% of KA crashes) * 22 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Roadway and Lane Departure: Roadway and lane departure was one of the most severe crash types with over 40% of all fatal crashes. 44 16% Roadway and lane departure crashes, which occur when vehicles unintentionally leave their designated lanes, make up 16%of total crashes. 98 FATAL (43% of total fatal crashes) 432 FATAL OR SUSPECTED SERIOUS INJURY(KA) (34% of KA crashes) Dark Conditions: Crashes in areas with dark conditions emphasize the need for improved lighting in dark roadway segments and intersections to enhance visibility and reduce nighttime crash risks. DARK CONDITIONS CRASHES 28% k Crashes in areas with dark conditions account for 28%of total crashes. 124 FATAL (54% of total fatal crashes) Countermeasure Selection 529 FATAL OR SUSPECTED SERIOUS INJURY (KA) (42% of KA crashes) The systemic approach to safety in Williamson County focuses on deploying countermeasures across the network to address crash types at multiple locations with similar risk characteristics. This allows Williamson County's jurisdictions to implement cost-effective safety measures across a broader range of sites with similar high -risk site characteristics, supporting widespread safety improvements. Countermeasures for Williamson County's focus crash types were selected based on data -driven analysis and TxDOT's Highway Safety Improvement Program guidance. Systemic countermeasures align with TxDOT's HSIP guidelines, which define each safety countermeasure using specific "work codes" for streamlined planning and deployment. See Appendix A to view the focus crash types and the corresponding systemic countermeasures selected for evaluation across the County. >>> 2 3 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 HIGH INJURY NETWORK ANALYSIS AND RESULTS The High Injury Network (HIN) identifies the specific roadways and intersections where a disproportionate number of severe and fatal crashes occur. By focusing on locations with the highest concentrations of serious injuries and fatalities, the HIN serves as a foundational tool for prioritizing safety improvements and resource allocation. It highlights critical areas where targeted interventions can have the greatest impact on reducing severe crash outcomes and improving overall roadway safety. An online GIS webmap was developed to represent the HIN of intersection and non -intersection (segment) crashes in Williamson County, using crash data from 2019 to 2023. The webmap displays detailed information about crash severity, emphasis areas, roadway ownership, and segment lengths for both intersections and roadway segments. Given the level of technical detail, the webmap — along with a supporting data dashboard containing crash trends and statistics for each HIN location— were provided to and are managed by stakeholders for a more in-depth review. Neither the webmap nor the dashboard are included directly within this plan, but they serve as key resources to guide ongoing safety efforts. Intersection High Injury Network Results Figure 7 represents all the intersections in Williamson County classified as "high injury" based on the crash data from 2019 to 2023. A small number of intersections are driving a large share of crashes in Williamson County. Only 7% of intersections that experienced at least one crash during the study period (118 out of 1,461 total intersections) observed: • 55% of all fatal crashes • 35%of all reported crashes ' J - L • 7 i F Over half of all fatal intersection crashes in Williamson County occurred on only 7% of the county's intersections These findings point to clear opportunities for prioritizing safety improvements at a focused set of locations. * 24 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 \` N `` Qi 4 �J o G _ + WiIIiamSO'.�n ++ + CountyJ.... r Intersection High Injury Network \ °"w" C O dii � +Williamson High 1ri—v Inter—t,ons U h `S 5Network ,/ �� [Miles FIGURE 7: HIGH INJURY NETWORK (INTERSECTIONS) (2019-2023) Segment High Injury Network Results Figure 8: represents all the non -intersections --- (segments) in Williamson County classified as "high injury" based on the crash data from 2019 to 2023. A small portion of the roadway network I Q accounted for a disproportionate share of Over %0% of all fatal and crashes. Just 8% of roadway miles (approximately serious injury non -intersection 171 out of 1,867 miles) where crashes occurred Crashes In Williamson County in the past 5 years observed: occurred on only 8% of the • 71% of all fatal and serious injury county`s roadways. crashes • 51%of all reported crashes This indicates a strong concentration of severe safety issues on a limited portion of the network, highlighting key opportunities for targeted improvements. Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 N `?4Q� Williamson County_ '+ i rd ` Non -Intersection High Injury Network High Injury O 5 �Williamson Network Segme n t s •y { ` I. l OMiles FIGURE 8: HIGH INJURY NETWORK (SEGMENTS) (2019-2023) >>> 2 6 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Underserved Communities Analysis This section describes who is most affected by roadway safety in Williamson County and provides a summary of how the county's underserved need areas play a role. Who is Most Affected by Safety in the County? An underserved communities analysis aims to identify the populations in Williamson County disproportionately affected by the safety risks within the transportation system. Historically underserved communities face mobility challenges because they may be unable to drive or are less likely to have access to a vehicle or public transportation. As a result, this plan can promote investments in facilities and services designed to alleviate these obstacles. The findings of this analysis identify the areas and populations in Williamson County that are disproportionately affected by safety risks within the transportation system. These insights offer essential ways to improve the way safety investments are prioritized. This analysis is limited to available data and may not fully capture how transportation safety affects all underserved populations. The methodology to identify an underserved need area and the follow-up analysis is consistent with the analysis conducted for the CAMPO RSAP. To identify the underserved community, the following three publicly available datasets were used: 1. Areas of Persistent Poverty information from the U.S. Department of Transportation. An area is defined as "Areas of Persistent Poverty" if its poverty rate is at least 20 percent. 2. Title VI -Census Tracts with less than 50% of the population identifying as "White, non -Hispanic" using the most recent American Community Survey (ACS) data. 3. Vulnerable Population — CAMPO used a sociodemographic index to identify Vulnerable Populations. This index combines seven demographic measures to create a vulnerability score for each census block group and tract. These measures include low-income populations, minority populations, senior populations, school -aged populations, disabled populations, limited English proficiency populations, and zero -car households. This approach is consistent with federal planning guidance (e.g., Title VI of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964). Using the Geographic Information System to join the datasets, the underserved need area is defined as any area that overlaps with at least one of the three mentioned datasets. Figure 9 presents the underserved need area in the Williamson County region. This area covers 22% of the county's total land area, is home to 40% of the population, and contains 39% of the county's roadway lane miles. The underserved area follows Interstate 35, mostly on the east side of the corridor. The north of the county is made up mostly of Vulnerable Populations and the south side has Title VI and Area of Persistent Poverty areas. Some of the cities in the underserved communities need areas are Taylor, Hutto, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Leander, and Georgetown. >>> 2 7 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 4C� o S / / Travis' County / TRIe VIAf... //. Area50f Per56tent P—'y 111 Vulnerable Population phut � Williamson \ County \ FIGURE 9: UNDERSERVED NEED AREAS IDENTIFIED IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY A \ L / \ OMiles There were 112 fatal crashes and 575 serious injury crashes in the underserved areas identified in Williamson County. Compared to the countywide numbers, underserved areas experienced 63% of the total crashes and over half of the fatal and serious injury crashes. Figure 10 presents the fatal and serious injury crash rates by area, population, and roadway lane miles. All three rates are higher in the underserved areas. The crash rate by area is four times higher in the underserved need area compared to the non-underserved need area. The crash rates by population and by road miles in the underserved need area are twice as high as the non-underserved need areas. * 28 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Fatal and Serious Injury Fatal and Serious Injury Fatal and Serious Injury Crashes per Area Crashes per Population Crashes per Roadway Miles (Square Miles) (1000 People) (1000 Roadway Miles) 3 4 a 3 c m N N N 0 I 0 L M d m 2 A O O I� 0 L " d__ 0 o Underserved Non-Underserved Underserved Non-Underserved Need Area Need Area Need Area Need Area 300 v c �o t 200 d X O 0 Underserved Non-Underserved Need Area Need Area FIGURE 10: FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURY CRASH RATE BY AREA, POPULATION, AND LANE MILES Table 1 presents the summary of fatal and serious injury crashes by emphasis areas in the underserved areas. This analysis evaluates the over -representation of fatal and serious injury crashes in underserved need areas by comparing their share of these crashes to the area's proportion of land (22%), roadway lane miles (39%), and population (40%). An emphasis area is considered overrepresented if its percentage exceeds these three benchmarks, indicating a higher risk in underserved areas. Crashes involving construction zones, poor visibility, and young drivers are the most overrepresented factors. However, all emphasis areas exceed all three benchmarks (land area, population, and roadway miles), highlighting a broader pattern of over -representation. >>> 2 9 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 TABLE 1: FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURY (KA) CRASHES (2019-2023) BY EMPHASIS AREAS IN THE UNDERSERVED NEED AREAS EMPHASIS AREAS NUMBER OF KA CRASHES IN % OF ALL WILLIAMSON COUNTY KA CRASHES UNDERSERVED NEED AREA IN THE UNDERSERVED NEED AREA CONSTRUCTION ZONE RELATED 38 64% _�0�0 DARK CONDITIONS 308 58% OYOUNGER DRIVER RELATED 130 57% 15-20 a DISTRACTED RELATED 79 57% J;L r INTERSECTION RELATED 292 56% I MOTORCYCLE RELATED 116 56% OLDER DRIVER RELATED 109 54% 65+ SPEEDING RELATED 192 54% qIMPAIRED RELATED 92 53% VULNERABLE ROAD USER RELATED 76 52% ROADWAY OR LANE DEPARTURE RELATED 208 48% OCCUPANT RESTRAINED RELATED 92 48% TOTAL KA CRASHES 687 54% * 30 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Summary of Transportation Safety in Underserved Need Areas of Williamson County The analysis identifies underserved need areas based on persistent poverty, Title VI Census Tracts, and vulnerable populations in Williamson County. The crash rate trends observed in Williamson County are consistent with the CAMPO regional trends. Overall, fatal and serious injury crashes are four times higher in underserved need areas compared to non-underserved need areas. The emphasis areas that are overrepresented in the crash rates and countywide fatal and serious injury crashes are dark conditions, intersections, motorcycle -involved, younger drivers, distracted driving, and construction zones. This analysis will serve as a guiding framework for selecting projects. Benefits to underserved communities is a key prioritization criterion, and the identified emphasis areas will help determine effective countermeasures to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes in the County. ))) 31 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Engaging the Community CAMPO invited the public to participate in the Regional Safety Action Plan outreach efforts. The efforts were divided into two rounds of engagement done regionally, focusing on supporting the county Safety Action Plans. Both rounds of outreach included an online open house and in -person pop-up engagement events in Bastrop, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, and Williamson counties. All the outreach events and planning were done concurrently with the CAMPO 2050 Regional Transportation Plan. This section describes both rounds of engagement. Round 1 Engagement Round 1 of the outreach efforts introduced the project to the public and collected input from the community on the most pressing roadway safety issues and specific areas of concern. The first public engagement phase included an in -person engagement event in Williamson County, an online open house, and a comment period open from October 14 through November 27, 2024. The same information was made available online and in -person. The open house materials included downloadable informational exhibits, a fact sheet, a survey, and an interactive mapping tool. All the outreach materials were posted online and available in English and Spanish. Public input was collected through printed or online survey responses, emailed comments, the mapped comment tool, or verbally at in -person engagement events. The following subsections describe the engagement approach and what we heard from the community THE ENGAGEMENT APPROACH This section provides an overview of the approach for an in -person engagement event and the notification tools used for outreach. In -Person Engagement Events A pop-up engagement event in Williamson County occurred at the City of Georgetown Parks and Recreation Department's Trick -or -Treat Trail on October 24, 2024. The project team collected verbal comments about safety concerns, promoted the survey and mapping tool, and distributed push cards with additional information about the online open house and comment period. An estimated 405 people engaged with the project team at this event through verbal comments, push card distribution, and survey responses. One of the most noted comments regarded an area of concern at the intersection of State Highway 195 and Cattleman Drive. ROUND 1 ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS AT THE TRICK -OR -TREAT EVENT IN THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN >>> 3 2 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Notification Tools This section describes the notification tools used- webpage, social media, ads, media, emails, and other methods. CAMPO Webpage Announcement An announcement was posted on the webpage on October 15, 2024, notifying the public about the launch of the online open house and open comment period. Social Media From October 16 through November 27, 2024, CAMPO's X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedln distributed information about the plan and how to participate. Advertisements Print and digital advertisements were placed in Community Impact from October 15 through November 16, 2024, and in local newspapers from October 16 to 18, 2024. Digital advertisements were also placed on Community Impact online from October 16 through November 16, 2024. COMMUNITY IMPACT REGIONAL ADVERTISEMENTS REGION RUN DATE LEANDER / LIBERTY HILL October 15, 2024 GEORGETOWN October 18, 2024 CEDAR PARK/FAR NORTHWEST AUSTIN November2, 2024 ROUND ROCK November 5, 2024 PFLUGERVILLE November 8, 2024 LOCAL NEWSPAPER ADVERTISEMENTS PUBLICATION RUN DATE WILLIAMSON COUNTY SUN October 16, 2024 EL MUNDO NEWSPAPER (SPAN ISH-SPEAKING REGIONAL NEWSPAPER) October 17, 2024 >>> 3 3 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Media Outreach A media release was distributed to local media outlets throughout the region on October 21, 2024. Emails To promote participation, email notices were sent to stakeholders, task force members, and community partners on October 21 and October 24, 2024. Additional Outreach The outreach team made direct phone calls and emails throughout the comment period to promote and encourage the distribution of online open house materials throughout October and November. Push cards were distributed to local jurisdictions, Meals on Wheels deliveries throughout the CAMPO region, health centers, libraries, senior centers, churches, and CARTS stations throughout the comment period. Additionally, the outreach team shared a social media toolkit, including a newsletter and social media content with task force members, regional public information officers, and communications directors from October 16 through November 21, 2024. WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY CAMPO received 42 survey submissions and 71 online mapped comments. Verbal comments and questions from in -person engagement events were also noted. Survey Feedback During the Round 1 comment period, CAMPO received 42 completed or partially completed surveys >>> 3 4 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 AGGRESSIVE DRIVING SPEEDING •-••••--•-••_........_._.__... DISTRACTED DRIVING SAFE AND COMFORTABLE SIDEWALKS & SHARED -USE PATHS FELT "SOMEWHAT SAFE" FELT "UNSAFE" OR "VERY UNSAFE" W In Williamson County, aggressive driving, distracted driving, speeding, and lack of safe and comfortable sidewalks and shared -use paths were the most cited major transportation issues affecting respondents' safety. None of the respondents felt safe engaging in active transportation in Williamson County, with less than 30% of respondents feeling "somewhat safe" and over 42% feeling "unsafe" or "very unsafe" engaging in active transportation in the County. Interactive Comment Map Feedback The overarching themes of the interactive mapped comments within Williamson County: • Lack of adequate lighting throughout the County, but especially along school bus pick-up and drop-off areas • Speeding vehicles • Lack of safe routes to school • Lack of safe pedestrian crossings, especially mid -block Round 2 Engagement Round 2 of the outreach efforts shared with the public a map with suggested improvement locations and descriptions of the proposed safety countermeasures. Public input was collected via survey whether the listed safety countermeasures for each respective county addressed their personal roadway safety concerns. The second public engagement phase included two in -person events, an online open house, and a comment period open from February 14, 2025, through April 15, 2025. The same information was made available online and in -person. The open house materials included downloadable informational exhibits, a fact sheet, a brief survey, and an interactive map. All the outreach materials were posted online and available in English and Spanish. Public input was collected through printed or online survey responses, emailed comments, or verbal comments at in -person engagement events. The following subsections describe the engagement approach and what we heard from the community. >>> 3 5 Williamson County Safety Action Plan ) May 2025 THE ENGAGEMENT APPROACH This section provides an overview of the approach for in -person engagement events and the notification tools used for outreach. In -Person Engagement Events Two pop-up engagement events in Williamson County occurred during the Round 2 outreach efforts. The project team held an event in the City of Cedar Park on March 11 and one in the City of Round Rock on March 21, 2025. The project team collected verbal and written responses to the survey inquiring about whether the safety countermeasures addressed the roadway safety concerns. If their concerns were not addressed, the project team documented the details about their concerns. Additionally, the team distributed push cards with more information about the Safety Action Plan, the online open house, and the comment period. An estimated 57 people engaged with the project team at these events in Williamson County. Notification Tools ROUND 2 ENGAGEMENT POP-UP IN THE CITY OF CEDAR PARK This section describes the notification tools used- webpage, social media, ads, media, emails, and other methods. CAMPO Webpage Announcement An announcement was posted on the CAMPO webpage on February 14, 2025, notifying the public of the launch of the online open house and open comment period. Social Media Information about the plan and how to participate was distributed through CAMPO's X (Formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedln accounts from February 14 to April 15, 2025. >>> 3 6 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Advertisements Print and digital advertisements were placed in Community Impact and local newspapers from February 14 to March 14, 2025. COMMUNITY IMPACT REGIONAL ADVERSTISEMENTS REGION RUN DATE CEDAR PARK/FAR NORTHWEST AUSTIN February 19, 2025 LEANDER/LIBERTY HILL February 21, 2025 GEORGETOWN February 27, 2025 COMMUNITY IMPACT REGIONAL ADVERSTISEMENTS REGION RUN DATE WILLIAMSON COUNTY SUN February 14, 2025 EL MUNDO NEWSPAPER (SPAN ISH-SPEAKING REGIONAL NEWSPAPER) February 20, 2025 Media Outreach A media release was distributed to local media outlets throughout the region on February 14, 2025. Emails Email notices were sent on February 17, February 28, March 5 and March 14, 2025 to stakeholders, task force members, and community partners to promote participation. Additional Outreach The outreach team made direct phone calls and emails throughout the comment period to promote and encourage participation in the online open house. Push cards were distributed to health centers, libraries, senior centers, churches, CARTS stations, city offices, and others throughout the comment period. Additionally, the outreach team shared a social media toolkit including a newsletter blurb and social media content with local jurisdictions, agencies, and community partners on February 14 through April 15, 2025. >>> 3 7 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY CAMPO received 297 survey submissions during the Round 2 outreach efforts. From the survey respondents that answered the question about where they live, work, own property, and travel to for recreation, nearly 41% of them cited an answer involving Williamson County. In the survey, community members were asked whether they feel that the presented safety countermeasures adequately address their roadway safety concerns. If they feel they did not, survey respondents were prompted to give specific feedback on their areas of concern. During the development of the safety plan, community members across Williamson County shared feedback highlighting concerns about traffic congestion, truck traffic, roadway design, and speeding. Residents emphasized the need for safety -focused road expansions, better roadway lighting and signage, and stronger enforcement and education to address reckless driving and speeding, particularly in work zones. In response, additional targeted projects, behavioral strategies, and policy recommendations were incorporated into the plan. These include roadway improvements to address congestion and freight concerns, expanded driver education and enforcement initiatives, and policy refinements aimed at broader roadway safety enhancements — except in areas where existing or planned projects are already mitigating the identified concerns. ROUND 2 ENGAGEMENT POP-UP IN THE CITY OF ROUND ROCK. >>> 3 8 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Williamson County Task Force The Williamson County Safety Action Plan Task Force was formed to guide the development of this SAP. The Task Force included state, regional, and local agencies and met with the project team on four occasions starting in July of 2024 to February of 2025. The agencies represented in the Williamson County Safety Action Plan Task Force: Williamson County TxDOT Austin District CARTS CapMetro • CTRMA City of Cedar Park • City of Georgetown City of Hutto City of Jarrell City of Leander City of Liberty Hill • City of Round Rock City of Taylor 'ft CAMPO The Task Force was updated throughout the development of the SAP beyond the four meetings via email and one-on-one sessions. The individual meetings also provided the project team with vital feedback on the recommended improvements specific to their jurisdiction. Figure 11 provides a timeline of Task Force engagement throughout the development of the SAP. The Task Force was engaged at key project milestones, provided input on all components of the SAP, and helped the project team coordinate engagement efforts in their respective jurisdictions. The Task Force will also serve as a body for monitoring the progress on implementing the recommended improvements. WILLIAMSON COUNTY TASK FORCE MEETING ))) 39 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 WILLIAMSON COUNTY July SAFETY ACTION PLAN 2024 TASK FORCE TIMELINE August 2024 September 2024 October 40 2024 Oct. 14 - Nov.14 Round 1 Engagement November 46 ------------- 2024 December 2024 January Jan. - Feb. 2025 One -on -One project meetings with Task Force members --------February 2025 Feb.10 - April 15 Round 2 Engagement • March - April Task Force reviews the final SAP April 2025 Task Force Meeting #1 July 23, 2024 Project introduction, schedule Vision, goals, and objectives Outreach strategy ideas Task Force Meeting #2 October 10, 2024 Feedback on vision and goals Review High Injury Network Share Engagement Plan (Round 1) Task Force Meeting #3 December 11, 2024 Discuss Round 2 engagement strategies Review systemic analysis, policies, and prioritization criteria Feedback on draft infrastructure improvements Task Force Meeting #4 February 13, 2025 SAP adoption timeline Review underserved communities analysis Review recommended policies and behavioral and systemic improvements Discuss implementation plan FIGURE 11: WILLIAMSON COUNTY SAFETY ACTION PLAN TASK FORCE MEETINGS SUMMARY >>> 4 0 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Policy Recommendations This section summarizes the review of existing plans, policies, programs, guidelines, and standards regarding transportation safety and recommends updating these policies and programs and adopting new ones. Policy Review As part of the development of the Williamson County Safety Action Plan, an assessment was conducted of existing policies, guidelines, standards, and plans related to transportation planning and the current prioritization of safety. The review concentrated on important county and city documents that affect the safety of roadways, sidewalks, trails, and other transportation facilities within Williamson County. This process established a baseline and outlined a path for identifying county- and city -level policy recommendations and opportunities to enhance transportation safety for all road users. This review highlighted how safety and transportation reflect a commitment to public safety, targeting enhancements that better protect and serve the transportation network and its users. Policy and Program Recommendations for Williamson County The review of safety needs through data analysis and public feedback, coupled with a review of current policies and practices, resulted in the following policy and program recommendations to improve transportation safety in Williamson County and its cities. These recommendations focus on closing communication gaps, promoting better coordination among local agencies, schools, and law enforcement, reducing fatal and serious injuries, and ensuring safer travel for everyone on the road. Each recommendation is rooted in the core elements of the Safe System Approach and aligned with the emphasis areas of the Texas Road to Zero effort as described in the 2022-2027 Strategic Highway Safety Plan. By aligning with these frameworks, the recommendations focus on creating a transportation system that is safe, reliable, and resilient, prioritizing both proactive measures and system -level improvements. A full list of Policy, Plan, and Program recommendations can be found in Appendix B. The following are a few representative policy recommendations: • Speed Management. Assess current regulatory speed limits and motor vehicle operating speeds to develop a research -backed speed limit setting policy. Consider infrastructure, education, and enforcement actions to support safer speeds, including traffic calming strategies where appropriate. • Occupant Protection Enforcement. Use data analytics to identify high -risk areas and times for targeted enforcement associated with seat belt use. Ensure strategies align with state-wide enforcement campaigns for consistency. • Traffic Signal Improvement for First Responders. Follow TxDOT's Traffic Signal Manual guidelines for integrating preemption control technologies to enhance traffic flow and emergency response times. • Intersection Control Evaluation Policy. Develop an Intersection Control Evaluation (ICE) policy consistent with TxDOT's framework to determine appropriate intersection improvements. • School Zone Speed Enforcement. Develop programs that collaborate with schools and parent -teacher associations to identify areas of enhanced safety improvements (rapid flashing beacons, speed feedback signs, etc.). • Truck/Freight Route Policy. Develop a policy per TxDOT's guidelines on truck routes and parking restrictions. Consider local ordinances for designated truck routes and parking to identify areas where freight and vulnerable road user paths intersect. Implement measures such as designated truck lanes or time -based restrictions. • Public Awareness Campaign. Develop a program aligned with TxDOT's safety campaigns to increase public awareness of traffic safety issues. >» 41 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Safety Countermeasures The proposed improvements and strategies incorporate a range of safety countermeasures tailored to Williamson County's specific needs. This section briefly describes each infrastructure improvement, behavioral strategy, and policy recommendation, the types of collisions they address, and high-level cost estimates. Safety countermeasures are categorized into segment -related (non -intersection), intersection -related, and vulnerable road users. See Appendix C for a detailed list of the safety countermeasures described in this section. Segment -Related Safety Countermeasures Roadway and lane departure crashes account for 59% of fatal and serious injury crashes in Williamson County. Table 2 provides a list of recommended segment -related safety countermeasures including infrastructure treatments, behavioral strategies, and policy recommendations. Roadway U ght i ng treats dark roadway conditions i L Speed Management v such asrumblestrips, v feedback signs, etc. vAccess Management %00 suchasmedians, i5_pavement markings 4% Roadway Departure Improvements such as wide shoulders, rumble strips, fixed object treatments, and medians v I »> Warning Signage and Detection such as curve warnings, wrongwaydetection, etc. 0 1 zt! >>> 42 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 TABLE 2: RECOMMENDED SEGMENT -RELATED SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES STRATEGY COUNTERMEASURES • Install: o Centerline rumble strips o Raised medians or median barriers o Raised pavement markers or profiled center lines o Chevron signs, curve warning signs, posted speed limit reductions, and/or sequential flashing beacons in curves o High friction pavement surface treatments Infrastructure Treatments o Wider, brighter, and more durable edge lines, especially on curves ---- --- o Signage to increase awareness of vulnerable road users who may be in the clear zone or in a sight -limited location such as a curve or tunnel o Roadside safety hardware such as guardrail, cable barrier, or concrete barrier • Locate and inventory fixed objects inside the clear zone to support development of programs and projects to reduce the severity of lane departure crashes. • Widen shoulders. • Reconfigure vehicle lanes to mixed -use lanes. • Disseminate outreach materials and social media posts educating the public on the major causes of lane departure crashes (e.g., speeding). Host the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) Speed Management Program course for local engineers, planners, and law enforcement. Behavioral Strategies • Use dynamic speed feedback signs on sections of roadways where { speed related crashes are of concern. }0 Encourage the use of coordinated high -visibility enforcement activities addressing high -risk driving behavior, particularly on weekends and evenings for alcohol and drug -impaired crashes. • Use Texas Highway Safety Office (TxHSO) Law Enforcement Liaisons to improve participation from law enforcement in conducting high - visibility enforcement to address impaired driving and distracted driving. * 43 .11 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 STRATEGY COUNTERMEASURES • Develop a policy consistent with TxDOT's and the Illuminating Engineering Society's guidelines for roadway lighting installation, focusing on areas identified with CRIS data analysis. Implement a feedback mechanism for road users to report maintenance issues in real time. • Follow TxDOT's and Department of Public Safety's guidelines for high - visibility enforcement operations and public awareness campaigns targeted at aggressive driving. • Partner with local organizations in Central Texas to implement Policy Recommendations interactive workshops and virtual reality simulations to demonstrate the dangers of impaired driving and distracted driving. • Develop a program that aligns with TOCIT's "Talk. Text. Crash." campaign aimed at informing drivers of the risks of distracted driving. • Incorporate data from the HIN to determine areas where safety enhancement strategies (rumble strips, guardrail, wider edge lines, etc.) are prioritized. • Deploy automated speed enforcement tools in work zones. Ensure compliance with TOCIT's work zone safety regulations. • Develop an implementable regular maintenance schedule of existing road signs to ensure sign visibility and compliance. • Develop a speed limit policy and procedures process based on current research and methodologies that include contextual factors and align with TxDOT's Speed Zone Manual. >>> 44 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Intersection -Related Safety Countermeasures Intersection -related crashes account for 41% of fatal and serious injury crashes in Williamson County. Intersections present complex traffic interactions that contribute to higher crash frequencies. Table 3 provides a list of recommended countermeasures to reduce potential conflicts at an intersection. Intersection Lighting treats dark Roundabout intersection Design conditions to help reduce �f v angle crashes v I%� v v Intersection Re -Design and Realignment such as adding dedicated left and right turn lanes, utilizing innovative intersection designs, etc. Timing Enhancements such as protected left turns and leading pedestrian intervals. O >>> p O � o � e <<< Signal � I Improvements such as improved coordination and timing design, etc. I <<< Additional Signage and Pavement Markings >>> 45 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 TABLE 3: RECOMMENDED INTERSECTION -RELATED SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES STRATEGY COUNTERMEASURES Infrastructure Treatments: 0Install transverse rumble strips on rural stop -controlled Speed Reduction/ approaches. Management Provide advanced dilemma zone detection (real-time warning) for high-speed approaches at rural signalized intersections. d • Install curb extensions or daylighting treatments at intersections. • Install or convert intersections to roundabouts. • Convert permitted left turns to protected left turns at signals. • Use intersection conflict warning systems (real-time warning) Infrastructure Treatments: Intersection to warn drivers on mainline or side roads of conflicting traffic Reconfiguration at rural intersections. • Increase pavement friction using high -friction surface -- �' -- treatments at intersection approaches. • Restrict or eliminate turning maneuvers at intersections that create conflicts for drivers, pedestrians, and/or bicyclists. • Restrict access to properties/driveways adjacent to intersections using closures or turn restrictions. • Install emergency vehicle signal preemption. • Modify signal phasing to implement a leading pedestrian Infrastructure Treatments: interval. Add bicycle traffic signals where bike lanes are Traffic Signal Improvements installed. • Implement flashing yellow arrows at signals. O O • Optimize traffic signal clearance intervals, including consideration for leading pedestrian intervals. • Coordinate arterial signals. * 46 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 STRATEGY COUNTERMEASURES • Increase sight distance (visibility) of intersections on approaches such as applying daylighting treatments (e.g., Infrastructure Treatments: Intersection markings, curb bulb outs) and increasing vegetation Visibility Improvements management. 0 Add retroreflective borders to traffic signal head back plates. / I \ 0 Increase the visibility of signals and signs at intersections. Add lighting, including pedestrian -scale lighting. • Install retroreflective markings and pavement treatments to enhance visibility at night. • Support and educate the public on the safety advantages of using emerging technologies such as intelligent transportation systems and connected vehicles. • Use TxHSO Law Enforcement Liaisons to improve participation from law enforcement in conducting high -visibility enforcement to address red light running. Behavioral Strategies Conduct focused intersection enforcement patrols with high - visibility behavioral campaigns (e.g., impaired driving, t occupant protection, distracted driving). `4 Encourage the use of coordinated high -visibility enforcement activities addressing high -risk driving behavior, particularly on weekends and evenings for alcohol and drug -related crashes. • Conduct impaired driving training for law enforcement personnel, including Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) and Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) training programs. • Develop an Intersection Control Evaluation (ICE) policy Policy Recommendations consistent with TxDOT's ICE framework to determine —� appropriate intersection improvements. ti Develop a traffic calming program. e -` Follow FHWA and TxDOT guidance for adaptive signal control to improve traffic flow and emergency response. >>> 4 7 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Vulnerable Road User Safety Countermeasures Vulnerable road users include pedestrians and pedalcyclists. Pedestrians accounted for 88 fatal and serious crashes, and pedalcyclists accounted for 41 fatal and serious injury crashes within Williamson County from 2019 to 2023. Table 4 provides a list of recommended countermeasures to improve the safety of vulnerable road users. Enhanced Pedestrian Crossings Si na e, Si nalization such as crosswalks, and Pavement Marking lighting, timing includes signal timing coordination, etc. Dedicated Facilities for Pedestrians and Bicyclists such as shared use paths, bike lanes, and sidewalks NOTE: Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety Countermeasures are also used in the segment and intersection countermeasures. >>> 4 8 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 TABLE 4: RECOMMENDED VULNERABLE ROAD USER SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES STRATEGY COUNTERMEASURES • Update existing or develop new pedestrian crossings with additional features such as marked crosswalks, rectangular rapid flashing beacons, curb extensions, raised crosswalks, or advanced warnings. Infrastructure Treatments: Enhance • Increase sight distance and visibility at pedestrian and bicyclist Pedestrian and Bicycle Crossings crossings by clearing vegetation, extending crossing times, adding pedestrian and bicyclist leading intervals, and/or adding o p pedestrian -scale illumination. At mid -block locations, provide adequate distance between stop bars and the crossing; apply speed management as needed to provide sufficient stopping time for motorists; and consider the use of raised crossings. • Add refuge islands and raised pedestrian and bicyclist crossings and shorten crossing distances with bicycle -friendly curb extensions or daylighting treatments where these crosswalk enhancements are needed. Infrastructure Treatments: Improve Lighting Illuminate crosswalks with positive contrast to make it easier for a driver to identify the pedestrian visually. • Reduce the number of travel lanes, assess posted speed limit, Infrastructure Treatments: Roadway narrow travel lanes, and install separated bicycle and pedestrian Reconfiguration facilities in areas with high multi -modal use. • Install center and/or bicycle -friendly edge line rumble strips. • Install separated pedestrian facilities (sidewalks and multi -use paths), especially in urban areas and adjacent to schools, bus stops, and school walk areas. Right -size the facilities to the projected pedestrian and pedalcyclist demand. * 49 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 STRATEGY COUNTERMEASURES Infrastructure Treatments: Intersection Install left turn lanes designed and operated with explicit Improvements Designed for Active consideration for safety of active transportation users. Transportation User Safety Restrict or eliminate turning maneuvers at intersections that Mcreate • conflicts for drivers, pedestrians, and/or bicyclists. At traffic signals, add bicycle signal heads and provide a leading signal interval. At intersections, install colored bicycle boxes where appropriate for bicycle movements. • Remove permissive left turn signals that conflict with pedestrian/bicyclist movements, eliminate right turn on red Infrastructure Treatments: Separated at signals, and provide protected signal phases for Pedestrian/Bicycle Facilities pedestrian/bicyclist movements. Install separated pedestrian and bicycle facilities such as sidewalks, buffered or protected bike lanes, shared use -- paths, and regional trails. Right -size the facilities to the projected pedestrian and pedalcyclist demand. • Add a delay between pedestrian walk phase and vehicle green phase. Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 STRATEGY COUNTERMEASURES • Educate the public about the need to be self -aware when traveling and be conspicuous, particularly when walking or biking. Encourage the public to wear bright -colored clothing and carry a flashlight. Provide reflective tapes and materials to the public. • Partner with local law enforcement to conduct high -visibility speed enforcement in and around school zones during start and end times. • Use dynamic speed feedback signs in school zones during start Behavioral Strategies and end times. • Promote public awareness of vulnerable user safety issues, contributory circumstances, and provide education/ training for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists of all ages on ways to avoid crashes. • Coordinate and support vulnerable road user safety and enforcement by law enforcement to conduct high -visibility enforcement of bicyclists, pedestrians, and motorists who are violating traffic safety laws that may endanger them or other multi -modal travelers. • Disseminate outreach materials and provide training to educate the public and law enforcement personnel on new traffic control device installations, such as Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons (HAWK signals). >>> 51 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 STRATEGY COUNTERMEASURES Increase enforcement strategies (speed feedback signs, high - visibility enforcement, etc.) that comply with Texas state laws regarding speeding within a school zone. • Develop a policy to include crash data analysis and community input involving vulnerable road users in Central Texas to identify specific needs and concerns. • Develop initiatives to improve safety for vulnerable road users and adhere to TxDOT's design standards and national best practices. These include pedestrian countdown signals, protected bike lanes, and public engagement campaigns. • Develop a Complete Streets policy to enhance the pedestrian/bicyclist environment along roadways with higher -than -normal pedestrian/bicyclist activity. Policy Recommendations • Consider developing a policy based on TxDOT's methodologies for assessing pedestrian and bicyclist level of V traffic stress (LTS). • Develop a plan to assess existing Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and TxDOT's accessibility guidelines to prioritize improvements in areas with high ped/bike activity and documented accessibility issues. • Develop a policy in accordance with TxDOT's guidelines on truck routes and consider local ordinances for designated truck routes to identify areas where freight routes and ped/bike paths intersect and implement measures such as designated truck lanes or time -based restrictions. • Develop a program that collaborates with local schools and parent -teacher associations to identify areas for enhanced safety improvements (e.g., rectangular rapid flashing beacons, speed feedback signs). • Develop a program that follows national best practices for traffic calming guidelines. >>> 5 2 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Systemic Safety Countermeasure Packages Systemic safety countermeasure packages are a proactive approach to eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries. Unlike traditional safety measures that react to past crashes, systemic safety focuses on identifying and addressing high -risk factors before crashes occur. By analyzing roadway design, traffic patterns, and human behavior, these improvements implement proven countermeasures to create safer streets for all users. Emphasizing data -driven decision -making, systemic safety projects aim to build a transportation network where mistakes do not result in severe harm, ultimately advancing the goal of zero traffic deaths. For example, a package of systemic treatments to improve safety at rural stop -controlled intersections could include several of the following HSIP-eligible countermeasures: • Install Overhead Signs • Install Advanced Warning Signals (Intersection - Existing Warning Signs) • Install Advanced Warning Signals and Signs (Intersection) • Install Advanced Warning Signs (Intersection) • Install Flashing or LED -embedded Stop Signs • Install Pavement Markings This combination of treatments addresses crash patterns in which drivers fail to stop, including angle, turning vehicle, and rear -end crashes. Appendix D outlines the systemic safety countermeasure packages for Williamson County, organized by Texas Road to Zero Emphasis Area. Where several safety countermeasures can be applied to a location with common characteristics, packages of treatments are proposed that can be applied in combination to produce a more comprehensive safety project. * 53 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Targeted Improvement Development and Prioritization This section describes the development of targeted safety improvements and prioritization of those improvements. Targeted Improvement Development Targeted safety improvements focus on locations within the high injury network where the severity and frequency of crashes are most concentrated. By prioritizing these high -risk areas, these improvements aim to deliver immediate, life-saving interventions where they are needed most. Using crash data, local knowledge, and community input, proven countermeasures are recommended to mitigate safety risks. These improvements were developed for many of the highest-ranking corridors and intersections within the Williamson County High Injury Network and other locations identified by the Task Force and the public. The location of each targeted improvement is shown in Figure 12 for corridors and Figure 13 for intersections and spot locations. The corresponding improvement list with descriptions are included in Table 5 for corridors and Table 6 for intersections. Prioritization This section outlines the Prioritization Criteria Process to guide the implementation of safety -driven infrastructure improvements within Williamson County. The prioritization criteria are tailored towards selecting the most beneficial safety projects that implement the vision of the Williamson County Safety Action Plan. The criteria are also intended to be a helpful framework for ranking identified safety projects to use multiple funding sources through local, regional, statewide, and national programs. Through prioritization, Williamson County and its partner agencies can employ data -driven decision -making regarding the allocation of limited funds to address the most prominent safety issues and support the County in moving towards zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries. Each improvement is evaluated based on a set of five criteria: 1. Crash Reduction Potential, estimates the potential for crash reduction, with greater weight given to projects addressing more severe and numerous crashes. 2. Cost Estimate, categorizes projects based on high-level ballpark estimated costs, providing a sense of financial investment and a proxy for constructability. 3. Vulnerable Road Users Benefits, assesses the project's ability to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists, the most vulnerable road users facing the highest risk of serious or fatal crashes. Pedestrian and bicycle crashes are also often underreported, highlighting the importance of prioritizing projects for these users to address unrecorded safety risks. 4. Underserved Communities Benefits, prioritizes projects benefiting underserved or vulnerable communities. 5. Readiness Level, evaluates the project's readiness for implementation, considering design status and funding availability. After evaluating projects based on the prioritization criteria, each improvement receives a total score by summing the points across all five criteria. The total score comprehensively measures the improvement's overall benefit, feasibility, and alignment with County goals. >>> 5 4 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Improvements are grouped into a three -tiered system, the thresholds for each tier were determined using natural breaks in the score distribution. Tier 1 is the highest priority, Tier 2 is medium priority, and Tier 3 is lower priority. This approach supports effective resource allocation, focusing on improvements that best use safety funding to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes in Williamson County while maintaining flexibility in implementation. LEGEND — — — — COUNTY BOUNDARY / BURNET COUNTY 9s TARGETED CORRIDOR � B IMPROVEMENT o SCALE / F9721 C 28 / D \ / ® \ WILLIAMSON / COUNTY IF ® \ / \ J 130 / u13 J ue0 / I' M I %N \ Q R i'P iu ens: \ \ —r TRAVIS COUNTY / BASTROP'- / COUNTY FIGURE 12: TARGETED IMPROVEMENT LOCATIONS - CORRIDORS ))) 55 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 LEGEND r - - - -- —— COUNTY BOUNDARY BURNET • TARGETED INTERSECTION COUNTY ® IMPROVEMENT o ® nos N rH / +� NO SCALE / B73 3B / �4611 41 3 92 \ ;6 •a WILLIAMSON +u+ \\ / COUNTY \ ` nu uw 100 • ® 3.1 \ 17 25 26 22 0 23 30,0 \ 1 13 18 •29 \ 1 • • 21 19 • 28M n3 \ \ �....16 • •�......:.P7 \ 14 020 34 •33 e e \ •24 as �.........35 TRAVIS COUNTY / BASTROP'- / COUNTY FIGURE 13: TARGETED IMPROVEMENT LOCATIONS - INTERSECTIONS/SPOT LOCATIONS * 56 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 TABLE 5: LIST OF TARGETED CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS ID ROADWAY NAME LIMITS FROM LIMITS TO IMPROVEMENT DESCRIPTION SAFETY ISSUES LEAD AGENCY TIER A US 183 FM 970 Williamson Add centerline rumble strips Angle, Head-on TxDOT Tier 3 County Line and refresh edgeline rumble strips, add roadway safety lighting, widen shoulder. B FM 487 Spears Ranch Road CR 234 C SH 195 D Shell Road Ronald Reagan IH 35 Boulevard Shell Spur SH 195 Add curve advisory signs and Roadway and Lane TxDOT Tier 3 chevrons. Departure, Speed Management Add rumble strips and Roadway and Lane TxDOT Tier 2 roadway lighting. Install Departure, wrong -way detection system. Dark Conditions Replace "signal ahead" warning sign with roadside flashing beacon and "signal ahead" warning sign at IH 35. Add edge line and center line Roadway and Lane Williamson Tier 3 rumble strips. Widen paved Departure County shoulder. E Williams Drive Jim Hogg Road Austin Avenue Add raised median with Angle Crashes, Georgetown Tier 2 strategically placed hooded Roadway and Lane lefts, raised profile lane line Departure, markings, raised profile Dark Conditions markers, safety treat fixed objects, and roadway lighting. F Austin Avenue Williams Drive Approximately Add a raised median with Angle Crashes, Georgetown Tier 3 0.2 miles north hooded lefts. Pedestrian/Bicyclist of Williams Crashes Drive G IH 35 Southbound Rivery Blvd River Hills Dr Add roadway lighting. Dark Conditions TOOT Tier 2 Frontage Road ))) 57 �,' Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 ID ROADWAY NAME LIMITS FROM LIMITS TO IMPROVEMENT DESCRIPTION SAFETY ISSUES LEAD AGENCY TIER H SH 29/University CR 200/LP 332 South Austin Add raised median at Speed Management, TxDOT Tier 3 Avenue Avenue strategic locations. Add Roadway and Lane rumble strips. Fill sidewalk Departure, gaps at strategic locations. Pedestrian/Bicyclist Add chevrons, curve Crashes ahead/speed advisory signs. Widen shoulder and extend the guardrail around curve (safety treat fixed objects). CR 279 S-curve on either - Add curve advisory signs and Angle Crashes Williamson Tier 3 side of the bridge chevrons. Add rumble strips County crossing the South where they do not exist. Fork San Gabriel Widen paved shoulder. River J IH 35 Southbound Southwest Bypass Approximately Relocate southbound Roadway and Lane TxDOT Tier 3 Entrance Ramp 0.5 miles south entrance ramp farther from Departure, of Entrance Southwest Bypass, Rear End Crashes Ramp approximately 3,000 ft. south Unsafe weaving from its current location. K L M N SH 95 Carlos G Parker Approximately Fill sidewalk gap. Roadway and Lane TxDOT Tier 3 Boulevard 0.1 miles south Departure, of Carlos G Dark Conditions Parker Boulevard Hero Way Bagdad Road Approximately Extend raised median. Roadway and Lane Leander Tier 3 0.3 miles east Departure, of Bagdad Road Dark Conditions Crystal Falls Parkway US 183A Ridgmar Road Close cross-overs where Angle Crashes Leander Tier 3 possible and align left -turns for a positive offset where possible. Add roadway lighting. US 183A Northbound Volta Drive North of Add a speed limit sign near Roadway and Lane TxDOT Tier 3 Frontage Road Scottsdale the exit ramp. Add guardrail Departure Drive on the east side of the roadway. ��� 5 8 "�' Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 ID ROADWAY NAME LIMITS FROM LIMITS TO IMPROVEMENT DESCRIPTION SAFETY ISSUES LEAD AGENCY TIER O FM 1431/University Railroad tracks CR 110 Add rumble strips and Angle Crashes, TxDOT Tier 3 Boulevard west of IH 35 median cable barrier at Rear End Crashes, strategic locations. Pedestrian/Bicyclist Crashes P Lakeline Boulevard Cedar Park Drive West Park Add raised profile markings. Roadway and Lane Cedar Park Tier 3 Street Departure Q Hairy Man Road Great Oaks Drive Creek Bend Add additional guardrail and Head On Crashes, Williamson Tier 3 Blvd remove trees from clear zone Rear End Crashes County where applicable. R US 79 IH 35 AW Grimes Fill sidewalk gaps. Pedestrian/Bicyclist TxDOT Tier 1 Boulevard Crashes, Head On Crashes 5 US 79 Carlos G Parker Sloan Street Add raised median with Angle Crashes Taylor Tier 3 Boulevard strategically placed hooded _ lefts. T Cypress Creek Road Sun Chase Lakeline Add edgeline delineators. Angle Crashes, Cedar Park Tier 3 Boulevard Boulevard Evaluate speed limit using Pedestrian/Bicyclist USLIMITS2. Crashes U AW Grimes Thompson Trail SH 45N Add chevrons and curve Speed Management, Round Rock Tier 3 Boulevard ahead/speed advisory signs. Roadway and Lane Extend median to create Departure hooded lefts. V SH 130 Northbound CR 138 FM 685 Add rumble strips. Add Roadway and Lane TxDOT Tier 3 Frontage Road channelization at driveways Departure to prevent wrong -way turns. W CR 138 West of Spring - Add/replace curve advisory Roadway and Lane Williamson Tier 3 Valley St signs and chevrons. Departure County * 59 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 TABLE 6: LIST OF TARGETED INTERSECTION/SPOT LOCATION IMPROVEMENTS ID LOCATION IMPROVEMENT DESCRIPTION LEAD AGENCY TIER 1 SH 195 and Shell . Signal head backplates TxDOT Tier 2 Rd . Additional intersection signage . Signal head improvements 2 South of SH 195 . Replace "signal ahead" warning sign with TOOT Tier 3 at IH 35 SBFR roadside flashing beacon with "signal ahead" warning sign 3 Williams Dr and . Signal head backplates Georgetown Tier 3 Jim Hogg Dr . Pavement marking improvements . Signal timing evaluation 4 DB Wood Rd and . Supplemental signal heads Georgetown Tier 1 Williams Dr . Additional intersection signage . Intersection lighting . Signal head backplates 5 SH 29 at Ranch . Add pedestrian signals and crosswalks to TOOT, Liberty Hill Tier 1 Road 1869 existing signal . Signal timing evaluation . Pavement marking improvements . Signal head backplates 6 SH-29 at Main St . Evaluate a pedestrian hybrid beacon TOOT, Liberty Hill Tier 3 7 University Ave . Signal head backplates TOOT, Georgetown Tier 3 and DB Wood Rd . Additional intersection signage 8 W University Ave . Evaluate a pedestrian hybrid beacon TOOT, Georgetown Tier 3 at Hart St 9 Leander Rd and . Signal head backplates TOOT, Georgetown Tier 2 Southwest . Replace "signal ahead" warning sign with Bypass roadside flashing beacon with "signal ahead" warning sign . Additional intersection signage 30 University Blvd . Signal head backplates Round Rock Tier 2 and CR 110 . Pavement marking improvements 11 FM 1660 and . Pavement marking improvements TOOT, Hutto Tier 2 Chandler Rd . Roadside flashing beacons 12 CR 366 and . Evaluate a new traffic signal Taylor Tier 3 Chandler Rd 13 New Hope Dr . Additional intersection signage Cedar Park Tier 1 and Bell Blvd . Signal timing evaluation . Signal head backplates 14 W Whitestone . Signal timing evaluation TOOT, Cedar Park Tier 3 Blvd at Walton Way 15 W Whitestone . Signal timing evaluation TOOT Tier 2 Blvd at US 183 . Evaluate Leading Pedestrian Interval (LPI) . Additional signage at intersection 16 E Whitestone . Realign left turn lanes to improve sight TOOT, Cedar Park Tier 3 Blvd and Quest distance * 60 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 ID LOCATION IMPROVEMENT DESCRIPTION LEAD AGENCY TIER 17 E Whitestone . Evaluate LPI TxDOT, Cedar Park Tier 3 Blvd and Discovery Blvd 18 Whitestone Blvd . Supplemental signal heads TxDOT Tier 3 at Parmer Ln 19 Parmer Ln at . Supplemental signal heads Cedar Park Tier 2 Ranch . Intersection lighting Trails/Kenai Dr 20 Cypress Creek Rd . Supplemental signal heads TxDOT, Cedar Park Tier 3 and Bell Blvd . Signal head backplates 21 Old Settlers Blvd . Signal timing evaluation Round Rock Tier 2 and Creek Bend . Signal head backplates Blvd . Intersection lighting 22 Grimes Blvd and . Signal head backplates TxDOT, Round Rock Tier 1 Old Settlers Blvd . Pavement marking improvements • Supplemental signal heads . Additional signage at intersection 23 CR 108 and . Adjust pavement markings to create a left- Hutto Tier 1 Limmer Loop turn lane . Roadside flashing beacons . Intersection lighting . Evaluate a new traffic signal 24 Cypress Creek Rd . Evaluate a roundabout Cedar Park Tier 3 at El Sol Dr 25 US 79 (650 ft) . Close median opening and facilitate u-turns TxDOT Tier 2 west of Palm at adjacent signalized intersections Valley and Mays St (At U-Turn) 26 US 79 at Egger . Pedestrian crosswalk TxDOT, Round Rock Tier 2 Ave 27 US 79 at . Pedestrian crosswalk TxDOT, Round Rock Tier 1 Georgetown St . Evaluate LPI . Intersection lighting . Pavement marking improvements 28 US 79 and Chris . Supplemental signal heads TxDOT, Hutto Tier 1 Kelley Blvd / Ed . Evaluate LPI Schmidt Blvd . Signal timing improvements . Intersection lighting . Additional signage at intersection 29 US 79 at . Signal timing evaluation TxDOT, Hutto Tier 3 Exchange Blvd 30 Carlos G Parker . Add chevrons to curve TxDOT Tier 3 Blvd Northbound to Westbound US 79 Loop 31 Loop from US 79 • Add chevrons to curve TxDOT Tier 3 to Carlos G Parker Blvd >>> 61 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 ID LOCATION IMPROVEMENT DESCRIPTION LEAD AGENCY TIER 32 Loop from Carlos . Add chevrons to curve TxDOT Tier 3 G Parker Blvd to US 79 33 Gattis School Rd . Signal head backplates Round Rock Tier 2 and Grimes Blvd . Pavement marking improvements 34 SH 45 Toll and . Signal head backplates TOOT, Williamson Tier 1 CR 172 . Additional intersection signage County . Intersection lighting . Signal ahead roadside flashing beacon . Pavement marking improvements 35 600 ft North of . Evaluate a rectangular rapid flashing beacon Williamson County Tier 3 Grand Avenue Pkwy and Quick Hill Rd on Quick Hill Rd 36 Grand Avenue . Pedestrian crosswalk Williamson County Tier 3 Pkwy and Quick . Additional intersection signage Hill Rd . Evaluate a roundabout * 62 Williamson County Safety Action Plan I May 2025 Implementation Plan The suggested improvements, proposed safety countermeasures, and recommended policy updates identified in the Williamson County SAP require guidance and transparency. The County SAP Implementation Plan includes a general approach to different funding sources for implementing the project strategies, methods for championing and achieving policy updates, and a method to measure and monitor progress in reaching the Road to Zero goal. Funding Safety Improvements To be awarded funding from most sources, the suggested improvements, safety countermeasures, and policy updates need to be identified in a publicly available document, which this SAP accomplishes. The suggested improvements and project strategies in this plan are more likely to be awarded funding if they are included in other plans or programs, such as local agency long-range transportation plans or a transportation/capital improvement program. Incorporating the identified improvements in other areas allows the agency to cast a wider net for funding sources. Funding to help implement the suggested project strategies and improvements and to advocate and enact policy updates can come from various federal, regional, state, and local sources. State funding for roadway safety improvements include, but are not limited to, programs such as the Highway Safety Improvement Program and Transportation Alternatives (TA) set -aside program. Regionally, agencies can apply for funding from sources such as the CAMPO call for projects. Improvements identified in this SAP can also be used to apply for federal funds from programs such as the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant Program. Championing Policy Changes Policy changes and adoption can become an unexpected uphill battle, frequently shouldered by the most passionate advocates who find themselves fighting for these changes seemingly alone. The updates to roadway safety policies in Williamson County require fierce championing and cross collaboration within agencies and departments such as planning departments, public works departments, zoning departments, public health departments, transit agencies, school district boards, and city council members, to name a few. Task Force members can help achieve the Road to Zero goal in the County and propel these policy changes locally. Task Force members can: • Identify a governing body and/or official, ideally one that advocates transportation or roadway safety. • Contact the governing body and/or official about the SAP, inform them of policy improvements identified in the plan, and encourage the legislation and development and adoption of the policy update(s). • Publicly promote the policy update(s) with other advocates. • Facilitate a public commitment to achieving the county's Road to Zero goal through the various policy updates. Measuring & Monitoring Progress CAMPO is developing a process for monitoring the implementation of the suggested improvements, safety countermeasures, and policy updates to measure the projects' effectiveness and desired outcomes. Member jurisdictions of Williamson County can continue to work with CAMPO to measure and monitor progress. This process will measure the outcomes of the SAP goals and objectives (i.e., the number and severity of roadway crashes in the county) in achieving the Road to Zero goal. >>> 6 3 APPENDIX CONTENTS APPENDIX A: WILLIAMSON COUNTY SAFETY ANALYSIS TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM APPENDIX B: WILLIAMSON COUNTY POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM APPENDIX C: WILLIAMSON COUNTY SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM APPENDIX D: WILLIAMSON COUNTY SYSTEMIC SAFETY PACKAGES '!�' Williamson County Safety Action Plan Appendices I April 2025 Appendix A WILLIAMSON COUNTY SAFETY ANALYSIS TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM C l'^�"" MPO cav�rai aara ..Eraovoiirax viar.rvinc oacar,�zar�or. ceH,vs� � .Exas WILLIAMSON COUNTY SAFETY ANALYSIS TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM Introduction Improving the safety of Williamson County roadways is imperative to the Capital Area Metropolitan Organization (CAMPO), local agencies, and the community. CAMPO is developing a county -level safety action plan (SAP) for Williamson County, including local agencies and other partners within the county. The Williamson County SAP will roll into the greater Regional Safety Action Plan (RSAP) that CAMPO is conducting concurrently. The safety analysis aims to provide key observations about the state of safety and recommend targeted safety improvements in Williamson County. This report summarizes the historical crash analysis, the systemic safety analysis, and the development of a hotspot and high -injury network (HIN) for Williamson County. This county -level analysis considers all roadway classes, including local roads (i.e., the analysis is not constrained by the regional significance thresholds defined in the 2045 Regional Transportation Plan). Crash data from the most recent five years (2019 — 2023) was obtained for Williamson County, and crash patterns by severity, lighting condition, weather condition, intersections, impaired driving and many other contributing factors were studied and presented in this report. Analyzing crash patterns by contributing factors helps identify focus areas that are areas of high potential safety risks in Williamson County. These findings are presented in a systemic analysis that allows the project team to identify location characteristics that are more susceptible to fatal and serious injuries. Hotspot and high injury network development enables the project team to geospatially locate safety issues related to the high risk of fatal and serious injuries, traffic stress for active transportation, excessive speeding, and safe transit access. The Williamson County safety analysis follows the Texas Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) and the RSAP. The recommendations and countermeasures in this analysis aim to support local safety planning efforts to eliminate fatal and serious injury crashes and reduce crashes overall for all roadway users in the County. Williamson County Safety Analysis Technical Memorandum I April 2025 Crash Analysis Methodology Crash analysis was conducted using the most recent five years of crash data from 2019 to 2023 in Williamson County. The project team obtained crash data from the Texas Crash Records Information System (CRIS) maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). Crash data was obtained in CSV file format via the public request portal available at https://cris.dot.state.tx.us/. The crash data consists of crashes by severity type using the KABCO scale': fatal injury (K), suspected serious injury (A), suspected minor injury (B), possible injury (C), non -injured (0), and unknown. This dataset also contains information on different crash contributing factors, manner of collision, date and time, and other information. This dataset relies on law enforcement reporting and may not have all the information for all the crashes. For example, hit and run crashes where the injury of the driver is unknown fall under the "unknown" crash severity type. A roadway inventory dataset of Williamson County was downloaded from the TxDOT Geographic Information System (GIs) Portal. The crash data is overlayed on this roadway layer. This layer has information on the name, functional classification, and facility type of the roadway. As part of the systemic and high injury network analysis, crash and roadway inventory datasets were used to conduct the analysis. The crashes are associated with the respective roadway corridors that allow the project team to understand crash patterns by different roadway characteristics such as facility type, length of the corridor, etc. As part of the HIN analysis, crashes are weighted based on the Texas Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) cost per crash: • $4,000,000 for a fatal or suspected serious injury crash • $330,000 for a suspected minor injury crash Fatal (K) and suspected serious injury (A) crashes are weighted 12 points ($4,000,000/$330,000) Suspected minor injury (B) and possible injury crashes (C) are weighted 1 point. Historical Crash Analysis The existing condition analysis was conducted for the whole of Williamson County and then broken down by state-owned roadways and local roadways. The state-owned roadways are freeways, ramps, and state-owned highways. The local are all other roadways excluding the state-owned ones. Crash patterns by years, severity type, and combined fatal and suspected serious injury type were studied. STATEWIDE EMPHASIS AREAS In the context of the Strategic Highway Safety Plan, "emphasis areas" refer to specific focus areas identified to address key safety issues on roadways. These areas are prioritized based on data analysis, crash trends, and overall safety goals. By concentrating resources and efforts on these emphasis areas, agencies aim to reduce fatalities and serious injuries more effectively. The KABCO scale, developed by the Federal Highway Administration (FH WA), is a standardized system used by law enforcement to classify traffic crash injuries, ranging from K (fatal injury), A (serious injury), B (minor injury), C (possible injury), to O (property damage only, no injury). >>> 2 *:� Williamson County Safety Analysis Technical Memorandum I April 2025 The Texas SHSP recommends the following emphasis areas for reducing highway fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads of Texas: • Roadway or Lane Departures — Crashes where a vehicle departs from the traveled way by crossing an edge line, a centerline, or otherwise leaving the roadway • Occupant Protection — Crashes involving improper or complete lack of vehicle occupant protection such as wearing a seatbelt or using a car seat for children • Older Drivers — Crashes involving drivers 65 years old or older • Younger Drivers — Crashes involving drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 • Speed Related — Crashes where speeding was a contributing factor • Impaired Driving— Crashes involving drug or alcohol impairment • Intersection Related — Crashes occurring at or near an intersection • Distracted Driving — Crashes involving inattention or distractions such as use of a cell phone • Pedestrian — Crashes involving pedestrians • Pedalcyclist— Crashesinvolvingcyclists • Post Crash Care — Secondary, tertiary, etc. crashes occurring due to another primary crash The project team used the Texas SHSP framework to identify crashes for the above -mentioned emphasis areas. It should be noted that there is insufficient data involving post crash care in the crash database, so this emphasis area was not analyzed in this study. COUNTY -SPECIFIC EMPHASIS AREAS The countywide crash trends were analyzed to capture regional emphasis areas in addition to the statewide emphasis areas. The following additional emphasis areas were identified: • School Zones — Crashes occurring at or near schools • Dark Conditions — Crashes occurring at night or in areas with low to no lighting • Work Zones — Crashes occurring within road construction or maintenance areas • Time of Day/Day of Week — Crash patterns related to the time of day and day of the week Systemic Safety Analysis The systemic safety approach used fatal and suspected serious injury (KA) crash data from 2019-2023, focusing on the Texas SHSP emphasis areas associated with the highest crash proportions. This data -driven methodology aimed to uncover patterns and commonalities across emphasis areas to identify the most critical crash types and their corresponding contributing factors. By analyzing these relationships, the study targeted systemic characteristics associated with high crash proportions rather than isolated hotspots, enabling a broader and more effective application of countermeasures. To support this analysis, crash tree diagrams were developed that visualized the distribution of crashes based on characteristics such as lighting conditions, roadway type, and ownership. These diagrams highlighted focus crash types, such as crashes occurring under dark conditions, roadway and lane departures, and intersection -related incidents, alongside focus facilities like urban, rural, state-owned, and local roadways. The findings informed the recommendation of low-cost, systemic countermeasures tailored to specific crash types and facility characteristics, such as improved lighting, enhanced signage, and targeted intersection safety improvements. This proactive, systemic approach ensures that safety investments address both high -crash locations and underlying risk factors to maximize their effectiveness countywide. X) 3 ';� Williamson County Safety Analysis Technical Memorandum i April 2025 High Injury Network Analysis A vital component of regional safety analysis is the development of a high injury network that identifies areas with a high need of safety enhancements. To carry out a more localized and thorough evaluation of transportation safety issues in Williamson County, the project team created both an intersection HIN and a road segment HIN. By establishing these two networks, the team identified high -priority intersections and segments of roadways that require improvements to reduce potential safety risks. INTERSECTION HIGH INJURY NETWORK The following is the methodology adopted to identify intersection HIN: 1. The project team obtained crash data from TxDOT CRIS in Williamson County between 2019 and 2023. 2. The base roadway network with all roadway types was required to perform this study. The Roadway Inventory dataset from the TxDOT GIS Portal served as the base roadway linework. 3. Intersections were identified by creating points where the lines from the base roadway linework intersected, using the Unsplit Lines and Intersection GIs tools. A 10-foot tolerance was applied to ensure that intersections were accurately captured, even when lines did not fully intersect due to minor data creation errors. 4. The intersection crashes were joined by intersections created in Step 3 using the Spatial Join tool with the closest matching option. This resulted in identifying intersection crashes with geolocated intersection information. 5. The crash data with intersection information was exported to Excel to provide a summary of crashes by severity type for each intersection. This summary table was joined to the intersection layer in GIs. This resulted in intersections with information on the total number of crashes by severity type. 6. The project team followed the Texas HSIP cost per crash to weigh crashes based on severity type. Fatal (K) and suspected serious injury (A) crashes were given 12 points and suspected minor injury (B) and possible injury crashes (C) were given 1 point. No points were given to non -injured or unknown crash types. Total points for each intersection were calculated based on these weighted points. Intersections with high severity type crashes have high weighted points. 7. Through trial -and -error visualization in GIS, the project team determined that a crash weight score of 25 serves as an effective threshold for identifying high -injury intersections. This score corresponds to the equivalent of two fatal or suspected serious injury crashes (each weighted at 12) plus one suspected minor injury or possible injury crash (weighted at 1). SEGMENT HIGH INJURY NETWORK The project team adopted the Sliding Window methodology to identify segment HIN. A recent technical report on innovative safety analysis tools in identifying highway safety improvement projectS2 recommended this method to perform network screening in Texas. Sliding Window Method In this method, a window of a certain length is moved by incremental length along a study segment from start to end of the study segment. For each window of the segment, performance measures are calculated that are used to rank the segments. (N d ) (rep.). Statewide Implementation of Innovative Safety Analysis Tools in Identifying Highway Safety Improvement Projects Technical Report 5 6912-01-P I * 4 Williamson County Safety Analysis Technical Memorandum I April 2025 Figure 1 shows an example from the technical report of conducting the sliding window method using a window length of 0.3 miles and an increment distance of 0.1 miles. Site No. 1 Second Sliding Window W m 0.3 mi MP 1.0 MP 2.6 siding rnr4ow is movod rxromarYalty Iby 0 1 n along t1w roadway sogmont I Jim 02" 03m a4m1 05ev First Sliding Window W•0.3mi FIGURE 1: ILLUSTRATION OF THE SLIDING WINDOW METHOD In this study, the project team, in coordination with the other counties in the CAMPO region, decided to use a window of 0.5 miles with a 0.1-mile increment. The following steps were used to perform the sliding window method: 1. The TxDOT GIS roadway layer was used as the base network roadway layer. Using the Dissolve tool, this roadway layer was dissolved based on the name and facility type of the roadway. 2. The dissolved roadway layer was used to generate points along each corridor for every 0.1 mile. This point layer was then used to split each corridor into 0.1-mile-long segments. 3. Only crashes that occurred on segments were used. These crashes were joined to the 0.1-mile segment layer. The Spatial Join tool with matching street name fields between the crash data and the centerline only layer was used. Approximately 75% of the crashes were joined to their respective roadway layer. 4. The remaining crashes that did not get joined to a roadway layer in the above step were spatially joined based on the closest matching option using a search distance of 200 feet with one-to-one mapping. 5. Once the crashes were joined by roadway layer, the table was exported to Excel. A table that summarizes the 0.1- mile segment layer's unique ID and crashes by severity was created. 6. The crash summary table was joined to the 0.1-mile segment layer. This layer now had 0.1-mile or smaller segments with information on the total number of crashes by severity type. This table was then exported to CSV file format. 7. Python coding was used to summarize the crashes by severity for five smaller segments. Five was used because it summarized crashes for 0.5 miles or less. Additional fields such as fatal and injury, equivalent injury (KA -12, BC- 1), total crashes per mile, and equivalent injury per mile were calculated. This table was then exported to CSV file format. 8. The above table was then joined to the centerline roadway layer in GIS using the unique ID as the matching field. VIN fff 5 Williamson County Safety Analysis Technical Memorandum I April 2025 Historical Crash Analysis Results Table 1 and Figure 2 summarize the crashes in Williamson County by year and severity for all roadway types; it should be noted that Figure 2 does not include non -injury and unknown crashes. There were 44,668 crashes from 2019 to 2023 of which 1 percent were fatal injury type and 2 percent were suspected serious injury type crashes. There were 1,311 (3%) crashes with 'unknown' severity type. The year 2020 observed the lowest number of crashes in five years after which the crashes continued to increase every year. Since 2020, the total number of crashes increased by 41% in 2023. Overall, a consistent upward trend in the total number of crashes was observed. TABLE 1: SUMMARY OF CRASHES (2019-2023) BY SEVERITY TYPE SUSPECTED SUSPECTED FATAL SERIOUS MINOR YEAR INJURY INJURY INJURY (K) _ (A) (B) _ 2019 41 180 991 2020 2021 39 48 149 215 842 1,004 2022 59 255 1,275 2023 TOTAL 42 229 245 1,044 1,495 5,607 1% 2% 13% 1,600 POSSIBLE INJURY (C) 1,176 _928 1,216 - 1,368 1,314 6,002 13% - NOT INJURED (0) UNKNOWN TOTAL 6,142 253 8,783 5,057 260 7,275 6,022 266 8,771 6,303 285 9,545 6,951 _ 247 10,294 30,475 1,311 44,668 68% 3% 100% WILLIAMSON COUNTY CRASH TOTALS BY YEAR 1,400 1.363 1.278 1.295 1.200 1,200 1.129 1,238 1,145 1,144 a, s 1.016 i 1.000 901 U 0 800 a, E 600 Z 400 217 213 210 249 200 15s 11 42 46 53 38 50 0 46 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 ■ Fatal Injury (K) ■ Suspected Serious Injury (A) ■ Suspected Minor Injury (B) ■ Possible Injury (C) FIGURE 2: CRASHES (2019-2023) BY YEAR AND BY SEVERITY >>> 6 Williamson County Safety Analysis Technical Memorandum I April 2025 Fatal and Serious Injury Crashes in Williamson County The highest number of 53 fatal crashes occurred in 2021, and the lowest of 38 fatal crashes in 2022. The serious injury crashes show a consistent upward trend, increasing from 217 serious injury crashes in 2019 to 249 in 2023. Figure 3 presents the crash trend of fatal and suspected serious injury crashes and Figure 4 summarizes fatal and serious injury crashes by crash type in Williamson County from 2019 to 2023. FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES BY YEAR 400 a� svJ 299 U 300259 266 248 ° 201 .Q 200 E Z 100 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 FIGURE 3: FATAL (K) AND SUSPECTED SERIOUS INJURY (A) CRASHES (2019-2023) BY YEAR FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURY CRASH TYPES (2019-2023) Roadway and Lane Departure Angle Crash Same Direction Single Vehicle Crash Opposite Direction 0 100 200 300 400 500 ■ Intersection Crashes ■ Non -Intersection Crashes FIGURE 4: FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES BY TYPE (2019 - 2023) Williamson County Safety Analysis Technical Memorandum I April 2025 Crash Analysis by Other Factors Figure 5 presents percentage distribution of crashes for lighting condition, weather condition, and road surface condition. More than 70 percent of crashes occurred in daylight, clear sky, and dry road surface condition. The percentage of combined KA crashes was higher in dark condition. LIGHTING WEATHER CONDITION CONDITION 8% NN3% /0% 16% 1% ` �- E DARK, LIGHTED r DAYLIGHT DARK, NOT LIGHTED • OTHER ■ CLEAR CLOUDY ■ RAIN ■ OTHER ROAD SURFACE CONDITION E • DRY WET ■ ICE/SNOW/SLUSH . OTHER FIGURE 5: LIGHTING, WEATHER, AND ROAD SURFACE CONDITIONS FOR CRASHES IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY (2019 - 2023) Table 2 summarizes the number of crashes by crash type in Williamson County from 2019 to 2023, including fatal and serious injury crashes in particular. TABLE 2: SUMMARY OF CRASHES (2019-2023) BY CRASH TYPES CRASH TYPE NO. OF CRASHES % KA %KA SAME DIRECTION 18,968 42% 232 18% ANGLE CRASH 10,057 23% 279 22% ROADWAY AND LANE DEPARTURE 7,367 16% 432 34% OPPOSITE DIRECTION 4,272 10% 148 12% SINGLE VEHICLE CRASH 3,693 8% 182 14% OTHER 311 1% 0 0% TOTAL 44,668 100% I 1273 100% The crash types were further analyzed by crash contributing factors. In the crash database, there were more than 70 contributing factors, which were aggregated into 14 categories. Table 3 presents a summary of crashes by crash types and contributing factors. Overall, speed related, failure to yield right of way, aggressive driving, and distracted driving contribute to 80% of crashes in Williamson County. Speed related (45%) was a major contributing factor for same direction crash types. More than 90% of the angle and opposite direction crash types occurred at intersections; failure to yield right of way was the major contributing factor for these two crash types. Aggressive driving and distracted driving were the third and fourth highest contributing factors; the majority of these were same direction crash types. >>> 8 Williamson County Safety Analysis Technical Memorandum I April 2025 TABLE 3: SUMMARY OF CRASHES (2019-2023) BY CRASH TYPES AND CRASH CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ROADWAY SINGLE SAME ANGLE OPPOSITE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS AND LANE VEHICLE OTHER TOTAL N DIRECTION CRASH DIRECTION DEPARTURE CRASH SPEED RELATED 8,590 258 2,066 49 362 11.338 25% FAILED TO YIELD ROW 103 5,020 39 2,588 115 1 7.878 18% AGGRESSIVE DRIVING 4,233 586 687 266 141 6 5,919 13% DRIVER DISTRACTION 2,389 905 1,056 290 690 36 5366 12% OTHER 1,298 720 1,202 456 985 4.856 11% NONE 1,108 511 535 231 638 3.058 7% DISREGARD TRAFFIC 242 1,816 52 284 - ! 2,402 5% SIGN FAILURE TO FOLLOW 387 126 582 35 1 1,235 3% RULE IMPAIRED 297 75 582 39 209 1,207 3% ANIMAL ` 16 2 160 2 360 0 540 1% FATIGUED OR ASLEEP 59 5 327 1 47 0 439 1% PASSING RELATED 243 24 6 25 18 1 317 1% WRONG SIDE 4 72 6 10 0 95 0% PEDESTRIAN 5 1 0 1 f 18 0% TOTAL 18,968 10,057 7,367 4,272 3,693 311 44,668 1.00% PERCENT 42% 23% 16% 10% 8% 1% 100% Table 4 presents a summary of crashes by time of day and day of week. Friday (17 %) had the highest and Sunday (10%) had the lowest number of crashes. In a day, from 3 PM to 6 PM had the highest number of crashes, which coincides with the evening rush hour traffic. The highest number of crashes occurred at 5 PM, particularly on Fridays. The morning crashes began to increase significantly starting at 6 AM, with a peak between 7 AM and 9 AM. Crash frequency was also high around midday (12 PM to 2 PM), peaking at 1 PM. Overall, crashes were more frequent during the afternoon and evening rush hours, particularly on weekdays, and dropped during early morning and late evening hours. Williamson County Safety Analysis Technical Memorandum I April 2025 TABLE 4: SUMMARY OF CRASHES IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY (2019-2023) BY TIME OF DAY AND DAY OF WEEK HOUR MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN TOTAL 0 81 55 62 84 89 148 153 672 1 40 46 48 68 62 109 111 484 2147 41 52 57 65 142 145 549 3 44 37 29 41 37 107 99 394 4 45 32 44 53 44 70 77 365 5 102 93 93 111 106 76 73 654 6 236 289 294 274 220 99 69 1,481 7 397 466 481 442 391 146 68 2,391 8 384 457 460 413 386 174 94 2,368 9 288 325 298 301 271 202 126 1,811 10 278 275 267 281 302 259 185 1,847 11 322 274 319 326 377 366 232 2,216 12 372 396 432 392 478 441 298 2,809 13 410 384 404 397 511 414 319 2,839 14 415 384 401 413 460 408 313 2,794 15 491 476 436 481 513 403 295 3,095 16 554 585 565 621 6 354 280 3,654 17 = 649 627 638 71 358 289 3,795 18 453 488 512 518 595 387 279 3,232 19 242 293 319 352 431 313 268 2,218 20 211 215 226 230 295 273 205 1,655 21 176 193 202 207 261 233 191 1,463 22 100 119 164 149 228 231 146 1,137 23 bL80 68 88 87 169 151 1040 745 Total 6,291 6,640 6,823 6,936 7,697 5,864 4,417 44,668 X) 10 1-1 Williamson County Safety Analysis Technical Memorandum I April 2025 Table 5 presents a summary of crashes by time of day and month. October (9%) had the highest number of crashes and February (8%) had the lowest. The winter months from October to December had more crashes, particularly in the evening peak hours from 4 PM to 7 PM. The dark condition crash types occurred more during these winter months. TABLE 5: SUMMARY OF CRASHES (2019-2023) BY TIME OF DAY AND MONTH HOUR JAN FEB MAR APR MAY 0 60 56 56 51 62 1 40 36 34 39 39 2 46 37 33 49 55 3 33 32 28 25 34 4 39 25 28 27 21 5 53 75 51 44 36 6 139 156 125 124 104 7 218 219 213 175 170 8 213 192 209 172 190 9 171 133 146 129 147 10 147 146 159 132 145 11 166 135 170 156 196 12 216 186 201 206 258 13 217 214 217 209 248 14 217 192 244 225 228 15 269 218 264 238 273 16 272 260 280 319 318 17 278 292 315 324 322 18 297 217 218 219 214 19 182 192 203 133 143 20 127 128 162 122 123 21 102 87 115 114 103 22 84 74 94 77 110 23 Total 3,651 3,357 3,604 3,363 3,603 JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC TOTAL 52 71 61 52 54 4s 672 43 42 40 39 50 52 30 484 42 43 47 39 60 49 49 549 24 43 41 42 32 26 34 394 43 19 28 38 41 28 28 365 62 56 53 54 61 54 55� 654 81 92 89 134 154 140 143 1,481 139 140 218 219 270 206 204 2,391 149 152 209 229 255 207 191 2,368 150 144 144 154 170 163 160 1,811 175 143 170 158 158 163 151 1,847 200 178 197 193 214 197 214 2,216 223 241 270 255 247 234 272 2,809 227 295 257 221 269 221 244 2,839 215 244 265 239 237 247 241 2,794 256 267 262 271 260 251 266 3,095 283 273 334 320 332 330 ; 3,654 309 298 302 336 '= 324 297 3,795 213 224 263 229 269 3,232 189 170 155 158 238 219 236 2,218 95 121 134 158 181 163 141 1,655 145 146 157 122 130 124 118 1,463 132 105 109 80 92 90 90 ` 1,137 72 I 62 fd �� .�:- 745 3,519 3,558 3,867 3,804 4,235 4,041 4,066 44,668 Figure 6 shows the number of crashes (y-axis) by time of day and day of week (x-axis) in Williamson County from 2019 to 2023. The graph shows the aggregate number of crashes (All Severities) over a five-year period (2019-2023) during a typical weekend day (Sat -Sun) versus a typical weekday (Mon -Fri). The number of crashes during the weekdays (green line) predictably peaked during the AM and PM peak hours of traffic — 7 AM to 8 AM and 4 PM to 6 PM, respectively. During the weekend (purple line), the peak number of crashes occurred between 12 PM and 2 PM. * 11 Williamson County Safety Analysis Technical Memorandum I April 202S St;._ N600 L r 0 400 i 200 z 0 WILLIAMSON COUNTY CRASHES BY TIME OF DAY I i z F 1 iz I z I i x x f I I I 12_ I I x i i i 4 ¢ a Q aoo a app < ¢ <p d dpp app pap a asp CcL as a a asp asp Qa as p O b O 8 0 0 C) b 8 000 0 8 aU 6 O 8 O 0088 O 8 -O n co 00 N ^ N m V Ln -dD n CO P p .- --Weekday --Weekend FIGURE 6: CRASHES BY TIME OF DAY AND DAY OF WEEK (2019-2023) Heat Maps The project team developed two heat maps using the available Williamson County crash data from 2019 to 2023. Figure 7 shows the crash density at intersections in the County, while Figure 8 shows the crash density at non -intersections (segments) in the County. Most of the intersection crash density occurred in urban areas where state-owned roads intersect with one another or a local road. The following intersections have a "High" or "Very High" crash density: • IH 35 Northbound Frontage Road and RM 2338 • SH 29 and IH 35 • US 183 and RM 1431 • RM 1431 and FM 734 • US 183 and Lakeline Boulevard • US 183 and Lakeline Mall Drive • US 183 and FM 620 • FM 620 and Pearson Ranch Road • US 183 and Pecan Park Boulevard • IH 35 and SH 45 • SH 45 and Greenlawn Boulevard • SH 45 and South A.W. Grimes Boulevard • South A.W. Grimes Boulevard and Gattis School Road • IH 35 and McNeil Road • IH 35 and Round Rock Avenue • IH 35 and US 79 • IH 35 and Old Settlers Boulevard • IH 35 and RM 1431 • US 79 and FM 685 12 Williamson County Safety Analysis Technical Memorandum ( April 2025 u N Burnet , County`/ Williamson \ County Intersection Crash Density �,' �—� ; T r a v i s IDNMiE-Hgh � 1 Lwv-Mid High �l C o u n t y Mid Very High 5 / \—iMiles FIGURE 7: HEAT MAP OF INTERSECTION CRASH DENSITY IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY (2019-2023) Most of the non -intersection (segment) crash density also occurred in urban areas where state-owned roads intersect with one another or a local road. The following intersections have a "High' or "Very High' crash density: • RM 2338 (Williams Drive/North Austin Avenue) from Southbound IH 35 Frontage Road to FM 971 • Williams Drive from Southbound IH 35 Frontage Road to south of Rivery Boulevard • SH 29 from west of D.B. Wood Road to east of South Rock Street • IH 35 from south of Blue Springs Boulevard to south of San Gabriel Village Boulevard • RM 1431/University Boulevard from west of IH 35 Northbound Frontage Road to Sunrise Boulevard • North Mays Street from about 1,300 feet north of University Boulevard to 1,000 feet south of University Boulevard • IH 35 from SH 45 to Old Settlers Boulevard • SH 45 from Pecan Park Boulevard to Lyndhurst Street • US 183 from south of Pond Springs Road to north of SH 45 ») 13 Williamson County Safety Analysis Technical Memorandum I April 2025 N a Burnet CountyL L"Williamson County vi Non -Intersection � "' \ Crash Densityy- T r a V S ^u'� 1- Mid High ! on weMa;P. I / - Mid High C O u n t y Mid Very High 5 - - / Miles FIGURE 8: HEAT MAP OF NON -INTERSECTION CRASH DENSITY (2019-2023) Emphasis Area Analysis Crash data from 2019 to 2023 was analyzed for the emphasis areas identified in this study. Table 6 summarizes the crashes by year and emphasis area for all public roadways in Williamson County. Trendline rates in this table present a linear trendline fitted by the crashes and year, where the higher trendline rate relates to an increase in crashes over the years. Table 7 summarizes total crashes and combined fatal and serious injury crashes. The percentages are respective of countywide total crashes and total combined fatal and serious injury crashes, respectively. TABLE 6: SUMMARY OF CRASHES BY YEAR (2019-2023) AND EMPHASIS AREAS EMPHASIS AREAS 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 TOTAL CRASHES TRENDLINE RATE OF INCREASE IN CRASHES PER YEAR* INTERSECTION RELATED 3,934 3,174 3,828 4,201 4,551 19,688 226.1 SPEED RELATED 2,551 2,192 2,560 2,765 2,990 13,058 145.1 DARK CONDITIONS 2,475 2,161 2,426 2,649 2,912 12,623 136.2 ROADWAY DEPARTURES 1,435 1,231 1,446 1,603 1,652 7,367 80.6 DISTRACTED DRIVING 1,389 1,117 1,505 1,582 1,677 7,270 104.1 YOUNGER DRIVERS 461 385 398 441 533 2,218 20 IMPAIRED DRIVING 341 339 384 388 412 1,864 19.1 OLDER DRIVERS 327 291 280 371 423 1,692 27.2 WORK ZONE 332 237 300 355 431 1,655 31.6 OCCUPANT PROTECTION 166 119 155 175 183 798 9 X) 14 Williamson County Safety Analysis Technical Memorandum I April 2025 TRENDLINE TOTAL RATE OF EMPHASIS AREAS 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 CRASHES INCREASE IN CRASHES PER YEAR* VRU: PEDESTRIANS 63 60 67 68 77 335 3.6 VRU: PEDALCYCLISTS 52 29 46 57 47 231 1.8 SCHOOL ZONE RELATED 6 13 11 10 10 50 0.5 *NOTE: THE TRENDLINE RATE OF INCREASE IN CRASHES PER YEAR REPRESENTS THE ESTIMATED NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL CRASHES EACH YEAR BASED ON A LINEAR TRENDLINE; IT IS EXPRESSED AS A COUNT, NOT A PERCENTAGE. Except for the school -related emphasis area, all other categories had the lowest number of crashes in 2020, aligning with the countywide trend. Since 2020, crashes have continued to rise each year, except in the school and pedalcyclist emphasis areas. The five emphasis areas with the highest number of total crashes are dark conditions, intersection related, speed related, roadway departure, and distracted driving. These five emphases also have the highest trendline rates; the crashes in these five emphasis areas are increasing at a higher rate compared to other emphasis areas. Table 7 breaks down the number of total crashes and the number of total fatal and serious injury crashes (KA) for each of the identified statewide and countywide emphasis areas. Table 7 also shows the percentage of total crashes and KA crashes that were reported in each emphasis area. For example, 1,655 total crashes were reported under the "work zone" emphasis area, which accounts for 4% of the total crashes in Williamson County from 2019 to 2023; 59 fatal and serious injury crashes were reported under the "work zone" emphasis area, accounting for 5% of all the fatal and serious injury crashes in Williamson County from 2019 to 2023. Figure 9 shows the six emphasis areas with the most reported fatal and serious injury crashes in Williamson County from 2019 to 2023. TABLE 7: SUMMARY OF KA CRASHES (2019-2023) FOR EMPHASIS AREAS EMPHASIS AREAS TOTAL CRASHES % OF TOTAL TOTAL KA % OF KA CRASHES CRASHES CRASHES INTERSECTION RELATED 19,688 44% 520 41% SPEED RELATED 13,058 29% 355 29% DARK CONDITIONS 12,623 28% 529 42% YOUNGER DRIVERS 9,583 21% 227 18% ROADWAY DEPARTURES 7,367 16% 432 34% DISTRACTED DRIVING 7,270 16% 139 11% OLDER DRIVERS 6,814 15% 202 16% IMPAIRED DRIVING 1,864 4% 174 14% WORK ZONE 1,655 4% 59 5% OCCUPANT PROTECTION 798 2% 190 15% VRU: PEDESTRIANS 335 1% 88 7% VRU: PEDALCYCLISTS 231 1% 41 3% SCHOOL ZONE RELATED 50 0% 2 0% Williamson County Safety Analysis Technical Memorandum I April 2025 Dark Roadway Speed Occupant Impaired Conditions Intersection Departure Related Protection Driving FIGURE 9: EMPHASIS AREAS WITH THE MOST REPORTED FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES (2019-2023) The project team examined emphasis areas on both state-owned versus local roadways. Table 8 and Table 9 summarize the distribution of total and combined KA crashes for each emphasis area, respectively. The data revealed that pedestrian, pedalcyclist, and school -related crashes occur more frequently on local roadways, while speed -related, dark conditions, and work zone crashes are more prevalent on state-owned facilities. Emphasis areas where the percentage of crashes is equal to or exceeds 10% between state-owned and local roadways are highlighted in red within the tables for easier identification of pattern over -representation. TABLE 8: SUMMARY OF CRASHES (2019-2023) FOR EMPHASIS AREAS BY STATE-OWNED AND LOCAL ROADWAYS EMPHASIS AREAS COUNTYWIDE NO. OF CRASHES STATE-OWNED NO. OF CRASHES % LOCAL NO. OF CRASHES % INTERSECTION RELATED 19,688 10,213 52% 9,475 48% SPEED RELATED 13,058 8,030 61% 5,028 39% DARK CONDITIONS 12,623 6,964 55% 5,659 45% YOUNGER DRIVERS 9,586 4,860 51% 4,723 49% ROADWAY DEPARTURES 7,367 3,625 49% 3,742 51% DISTRACTED DRIVING 7,270 3,788 52% 3,482 48% OLDER DRIVERS 6,814 3,577 52% 3,237 41% IMPAIRED DRIVING 1,864 888 48% 976 52% WORK ZONE 1,655 1,141 69% 514 31% OCCUPANT PROTECTION 798 400 50% 398 50% VRU: PEDESTRIANS 335 102 30% 233 70% VRU: PEDALCYCLISTS 231 47 20% 184 80% SCHOOL ZONE RELATED 50 4 8% 46 92% NOTES: 1. THE PERCENTAGES FOR STATE-OWNED AND LOCAL ARE CALCULATED 2. THE RED FONT INDICATES A 10 % OR MORE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIGHLIGHTED. BASED ON RESPECTIVE EMPHASIS AREA STATE-OWNED AND LOCAL PERCENTAGES. COUNTYWIDE CRASH NUMBERS. HIGHEST PERCENTAGE 15 Williamson County Safety Analysis Technical Memorandum I April 2025 TABLE 9: SUMMARY OF KA CRASHES (2019-2023) FOR EMPHASIS AREAS BY STATE-OWNED AND LOCAL ROADWAYS KA CRASHES EMPHASIS AREAS COUNTYWIDE STATE-OWNED LOCAL NO. OF CRASHES g' CRASHES CRASHES DARK CONDITIONS 529 355 67% 174 33% INTERSECTION RELATED 520 294 57% 226 43% ROADWAY DEPARTURES SPEED RELATED 432 355 265 223 61% 63% 167 132 39% 37% YOUNGER DRIVERS 227 128 56% 99 44% OLDER DRIVERS 202 119 59% 83 41% OCCUPANT PROTECTION 190 117 62% 73 38% IMPAIRED DRIVING 174 113 65% 61 35% DISTRACTED DRIVING 139 83 60% 56 40% VRU: PEDESTRIANS 88 47 53% 41 47% WORK ZONE 59 44 75% 15 25% VRU: PEDALCYCLISTS 41 18 44% 23 56% SCHOOL ZONE RELATED 2 0 0% 2 100% NOTES: 1. THE PERCENTAGES FOR STATE-OWNED AND LOCAL ARE CALCULATED BASED ON RESPECTIVE EMPHASIS AREA COUNTYWIDE KA CRASH NUMBERS. 2. THE RED FONT INDICATES 10 % OR MORE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STATE-OWNED AND LOCAL PERCENTAGES. HIGHEST PERCENTAGE 15 HIGHLIGHTED. Systemic Safety Analysis Results The project team used the Texas Strategic Highway Safety Plan -defined Emphasis Areas as a foundation for the Williamson County systemic safety analysis to uncover patterns in crash data specific to common emphasis area crash types. This approach enabled analysts to examine where these crashes are occurring, distinguishing between rural and urban areas, segments versus intersections, and state -maintained (state-owned) versus locally owned (local) facilities. By identifying patterns across these dimensions, we identified commonalities and overlaps among emphasis area crash types, aiding in a more holistic understanding of systemic safety issues and needs. To visualize these patterns and support data -driven decision -making, we developed crash tree diagrams to illustrate the relationships and contributing factors associated with emphasis area crashes. Shared Patterns Across Emphasis Areas This analysis revealed significant commonalities across the emphasis areas, bringing attention to the interconnected nature of crash factors. Dark conditions played a critical role across various crash types, strongly linked to intersections, roadway departures, and speed -related incidents. Similarly, intersections consistently intersected with speed -related crashes, young driver involvement, and dark conditions. Roadway departures and speed -related crashes also shared strong ties with dark conditions, intersections, and impaired driving. These overlaps highlight the need for integrated strategies addressing multiple emphasis areas. The results in Table 10 provide insights into these relationships. 17 � Williamson County Safety Analysis Technical Memorandum I April 2025 TABLE 10: COMMONALITIES IN FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES BY EMPHASIS AREA (2019-2023) DARK INTERSECTION ROADWAY SPEED YOUNG OLDER NO DISTRACTED CONDITIONS RELATED OR LANE RELATED DRIVER DRIVER SEATBELT IMPAIRED DRIVING VRU DEPARTURE DARK - 31% 44% 27% 18% 8% 19% 24% 8% 12% CONDITIONS INTERSECTION 32/ RELATED o 9% 18% 23% 22% 9% 9% 11% 8% ROADWAY OR LANE 54% 11% - 37% 16% 8% 25% 21% 10% 2% DEPARTURE SPEED RELATED 40% 26% 45% - 17% 13% 19% 15% 10% 2% YOUNG DRIVER 41% 52% 30% 27% - 11% 15% 11% 10% 5% OLDER DRIVER 21% 56% 17% 23% 12% - 9% 4% 13% 9% NO SEATBELT 54% 24% 56% 36% 18% 9% - 25% 14% 2% IMPAIRED 72% 26% 53% 32% 14% 5% 27% - 4% 12% DISTRACTED DRIVING 31% 41% 31% 26% 17% 19% 19% 5% - 7% VRU 50% 33% 5% 5% 9% 15% 3% 16% 8% NOTES: IT IS IMPORTANT TO READ TABLE 11 CAREFULLY TO DETERMINE THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE EMPHASIS AREAS. THE "OVERLAPS" CAN BE DESCRIBED IN TWO DIFFERENT WAYS FOR EACH PAIR OF INVOLVED FACTORS. HERE ARE TWO EXAMPLES TO DESCRIBE HOW IT WORKS: • OF ALL CRASHES OCCURRING IN DARK CONDITIONS, 44% OF THOSE CRASH EVENTS INVOLVED A ROADWAY OR LANE DEPARTURE. • OF ALL ROADWAY OR LANE DEPARTURE CRASHES, 54% OCCURRED IN DARK CONDITIONS. EACH ROW (EMPHASIS AREA) HAS TWO DATA POINTS DIFFIRENTIATED IN RED TEXT. THESE DATA POINTS REPRESENT THE TOP TWO COMMON EMPHASIS AREAS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT ROW (E.G., OF THE CRASHES OCCURRING IN DARK CONDITIONS, 31% ARE INTERSECTION RELATED AND 44% ARE ROADWAY OR LANE DEPARTURE RELATED). Focus Crash Types Based on results from the emphasis area analysis in Table 10, we identified several focus crash types that are significantly associated with serious injuries and fatalities. Each focus area highlights specific conditions and contributing factors that demand targeted safety improvements. A summary of crash severity by focus crash types is provided in Table 11. TABLE 11: CRASH SEVERITY BY FOCUS CRASH TYPE (2019-2023) FOCUS CRASH TYPE K KA TOTAL CRASHES DARK CONDITIONS 124 (54%) 529 (42%) 12,623 (28%) INTERSECTION RELATED 75 (33%) 520 (41%) 19,688 (44%) ROADWAY AND LANE DEPARTURE 98 (43%) 432 (34%) 7,367 (16%) NOTE: PERCENTAGES DO NOT SUM TO 100% BECAUSE NOT ALL CRASHES ARE ATTRIBUTED TO A FOCUS CRASH TYPE, AND SOME CRASHES MAY BE ATTRIBUTED TO MULTIPLE FOCUS CRASH TYPES. Intersection Related: Intersection -related crashes represent the largest portion of total crashes, accounting for 44% of all crashes within Williamson County. These crashes resulted in 75 fatal crashes (33% of total fatal crashes) and 520 fatal or suspected serious injury (KA) crashes (41% of KA crashes). Intersections present complex traffic interactions that contribute to higher crash frequencies, warranting interventions to reduce conflict points. * 18 Williamson County Safety Analysis Technical Memorandum I April 2025 Roadway and Lane Departure: Roadway and lane departure crashes, which occur when vehicles unintentionally leave their designated lanes, make up 16% of total crashes. These incidents led to 98 fatal crashes (43% of total fatal crashes) and 432 fatal or suspected serious injury (KA) crashes (34% of KA crashes), marking them as one of the most severe crash types. Dark Conditions: Crashes in areas with dark conditions account for 28% of total crashes. Low visibility conditions contributed to 124 fatal crashes (54% of total fatal crashes) and 529 fatal or suspected serious injury (KA) crashes (42% of KA crashes), emphasizing the need for improved lighting in dark roadway segments and intersections to enhance visibility and reduce nighttime crash risks. Crash Tree Diagrams The project team developed a crash tree diagram for each of the top two emphasis areas with the highest percentage of fatal and serious injury crashes relative to the total among the emphasis area of focus (i.e., those highlighted in red in Table 10). These diagrams explore where crashes are occurring, such as whether they are state-owned or locally -owned (local), on urban or rural facilities, and at intersections or along roadway segments. The analysis aimed to reveal systemic safety challenges within these critical emphasis areas, providing insights to target specific location types with effective countermeasures. The crash tree diagram visualizes the distribution of fatal and serious injury crashes across different categories, with percentages shown at each decision level. Each level splits crashes based on a specific characteristic, such as lighting conditions, urban versus rural location, roadway ownership (local or state), and whether the crashes occur at intersections or roadway segments. The percentages represent the proportion of crashes in each category relative to the total crashes at that level. Thicker lines are used exclusively on the right-hand branch, as this branch corresponds to the emphasis area under study. The thickness of these lines is proportional to the total crashes within the emphasis area, illustrating their relative contribution. The red lines further highlight the branches at each level with the highest number of crashes, drawing attention to key patterns and critical locations for safety countermeasures. Recommended safety treatments should target facilities with the highest concentration of over -represented crash events, ensuring interventions are directed to areas with the greatest safety improvement potential. An example of the tree diagram is shown in Figure 10. FIGURE 10. EXAMPLE OF A CRASH TREE DIAGRAM USED IN THE EMPHASIS AREA ANALYSIS In Figure 10, the crash tree diagram shows that crashes in dark conditions (the emphasis area analyzed in this tree) occur most often (62.6%) on urban roadways. Of those, 65.0% occur on state-owned routes (versus local roads); and of those, 67.4% occur on segments (versus intersections). T herefore, it can be concluded that state-owned route segments in urban areas are a good target location type for systemic treatment of dark condition crashes. These treatments may include delineators along the roadway (e.g., on roadside appurtenances), lighting along segments, or other identified countermeasures. >>> 19 Williamson County Safety Analysis Technical Memorandum I April 2025 Countermeasure Selection The systemic approach to safety in Williamson County focuses on deploying countermeasures across the network to address crash types that occur at multiple locations with similar risk characteristics. This allows Williamson County's jurisdictions to implement cost-effective safety measures across a broader range of sites that share similar high -risk site characteristics, supporting widespread safety improvements. Countermeasures for Williamson County's focus crash types were selected based on data -driven analysis and guidance from TxDOT's Highway Safety Improvement Program. Systemic countermeasures align with TxDOT's HSIP guidelines, which define each safety countermeasure using specific "work codes" for streamlined planning and deployment. Table 12 summarizes the focus crash types and the corresponding systemic countermeasures selected for evaluation across Williamson County. The primary facility types are identified in the crash tree diagrams and the countermeasures are accompanied by the associated HSIP work code numbers in parentheses. TABLE 12: FOCUS CRASH TYPES AND SYSTEMIC COUNTERMEASURES ROADWAY CRASH TYPE SYSTEMIC COUNTERMEASURE PRIMARY FACILITY TYPE (HSIP WORK CODE) (FROM CRASH TREE DIAGRAMS) Install Traffic Signal (107), Signal Head Backplates, Yellow Change Intervals (108), Urban state-owned signalized and Intersection Related Install Advanced Warning Signals and Signs (124), unsignalized (Dark Conditions), Safety Lighting at Intersection (305), Urban local unsignalized Transverse Rumble Strips (545) Install Delineators (113), Install Advanced Warning Signals (123), Install Advanced Warning Signals and Signs (125), Install Advanced Warning Signs (130), Install LED Flashing Chevrons (136), Install Chevrons (137), Install Surface Mounted Delineators on Centerline (139), Install Median Barrier (201), Safety Treat Fixed Objects (209), Roadway and Lane Install Impact Attenuation System (217), Departure Install Pavement Markings (401), Rural state-owned segments Install Edge Marking (402), Install Centerline Striping (404), Install Safety Edge (532), Milled Edgeline Rumble Strips (532), Profile Edgeline Markings (533), Raised Edgeline Rumble Strips (534), Install Milled Centerline Rumble Strips (542), Profile Centerline Markings (543), Raised Centerline Rumble Strips (544) Dark Conditions Install Delineators (113), Urban state-owned segments Safety Lighting (304) ��� 20 Williamson County Safety Analysis Technical Memorandum I April 2025 High Injury Network Analysis and Results The High Injury Network identifies the specific roadways and intersections where a disproportionate number of severe and fatal crashes occur. By focusing on locations with the highest concentrations of serious injuries and fatalities, the HIN serves as a foundational tool for prioritizing safety improvements and resource allocation. It highlights critical areas where targeted interventions can have the greatest impact on reducing severe crash outcomes and improving overall roadway safety. The project team developed two maps to represent the high injury network of intersection and non -intersection (segment) crashes in Williamson County from 2019 to 2023. Intersection High Injury Network Results Figure 11 below represents all the intersections in Williamson County that are classified as "high injury' based on the crash data from 2019 to 2023. Only 7% of intersections in Williamson County that experienced at least one crash (118 out of 1,461 total intersections) account for 55% of fatal crashes and 35% of all crashes. Burnet County / _, Bzr tt + Williamson, County_... � — _I_ eprgetown T — -_ / i y'- -- i - Leandr.`r _ -- T '' _j 9vlar \ -i'F T__ __ ' Jr -_ r High Injury' - PfI.9e,,ie, , r a v i s L Intersections Intersection C o u n t y ® 5 OMiles FIGURE 11: HIGH INJURY INTERSECTIONS IN THE HIGH INJURY NETWORK (2019-2023) * 21 Williamson County Safety Analysis Technical Memorandum I April 2025 Segment High Injury Network Results Figure 12 below represents all the non -intersections (segments) in Williamson County that are classified as "high injury" based on the crash data from 2019 to 2023. Only 8% (-171 of 1,867 total roadway miles) of all roadways that experienced at least one crash in the past 5 years account for 71% of fatal and serious injury crashes and 51% of all crashes. � \ n Burnet County / fl Williamseo<rifga / 4 �,. i , Cede P3�rk d R k 173 I — ' h Injury JLr Hi y Network ����e��11J r a v i s Local C o u n t y 5 State Owned -- - - --- --- OKies FIGURE 12: HIGH INJURY SEGMENTS IN THE HIGH INJURY NETWORK (2019-2023) * 2 2 Williamson County Safety Action Plan Appendices I April 2025 Appendix B WILLIAMSON COUNTY POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM C^MPO CQPITQL AREA METaoPOLITQI P_.— oR4 .1-T— CEnTwai 4V TE WILLIAMSON COUNTY POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM Introduction The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) is developing a county -level safety action plan (SAP) for Williamson County, including local agencies and other partners within the county. The Williamson County -level SAP will be integrated into the Regional Safety Action Plan (RSAP) that CAMPO is developing simultaneously. The purpose of the SAP is to find specific, actionable projects and strategies to improve roadway safety for all road users in all communities throughout the CAMPO region. As part of the SAP development, an assessment was conducted of existing plans, policies, guidelines, and standards pertaining to transportation planning and how safety is currently being prioritized in Williamson County. The review focused on significant county and city documents that impact the safety of roadways, sidewalks, trails, and other transportation facilities. This process established a baseline and provided a path forward for the identification of county- and city -level policy recommendations and opportunities to improve transportation safety for all road users, including the most vulnerable. Assessment of Existing Policies and Plans The initial region -wide assessment of existing policies, plans, and guidelines included reviewing several safety - related search terms on a sample of documents in each county, including Williamson. These key search terms were safe,- traffic,- signal- intersection,- speed- calming,- crash,- seatbelt- texting,- stop sign,- construction zone, -safe routes,- light and signal synchronization, -speed bumps,- pedestrian,• bike orbicycle,- driversafety,- complete streets,' curb cuts,-andaccessmanagement The list of assessed documents is included at the end of the document. The assessment provided the team with an understanding of the safety -related efforts already in place across the county and cities and a foundation for making the recommendations in this memo. Williamson County Policy Recommendations I April 2025 Policy and Program Recommendations A set of targeted policy and program recommendations were formulated based on the comprehensive assessment and a review of safety needs through crash data analysis and public engagement efforts. This review will assist transportation safety enhancements in the county and its cities. These recommendations are designed to address existing gaps; enhance coordination among local agencies, educational institutions, and law enforcement; implement effective strategies to reduce fatal and serious injury collisions; and promote safer travel for all road users. Each recommendation is rooted in the core elements of the Safe System Approach and aligned with the emphasis areas of the Texas Road to Zero effort as described in the 2022-2027 Strategic Highway Safety Plan. By aligning with these principles, the recommendations focus on creating a transportation system that is safe, reliable, and resilient, prioritizing both proactive measures and system -level improvements. An Excel -based workbook has been developed to organize and track each policy and program recommendation, with each categorized under the relevant Safe Systems Approach element. This structure allows for a clear overview of how each contributes to the overarching goal of improving transportation safety for all road users in Williamson County. Tables 1 through 6 summarize the recommended policies and programs, including a description, the targeted emphasis area, and who may lead the effort along with their primary and secondary support. Williamson County Policy Recommendations I April 2025 TABLE 1: RECOMMENDED TRANSPORTATION POLICIES AND PROGRAMS ADDRESSING POST CRASH CARE SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH CORE ELEMENT: POST CRASH CARE POLICY OR PROGRAM DESCRIPTION EMPHASIS CATEGORY LEAD PRIMARY SECONDARY RECOMMENDATION AREA SUPPORT SUPPORT TRAFFIC SIGNAL Follow TxDOT's Traffic Signal Manual IMPROVEMENT guidelines for integrating preemption Intersection Intersection Task Force City and public Works PROGRAM control technologies to enhance traffic flow Related Design County Staff and emergency response times. Develop a centralized database to track and monitor collision data and response COLLISION outcomes, aligning with local Central Texas post Crash DATABASE emergency response protocol and data- Care PROGRAM sharing agreements. Leverage ongoing efforts of the Central Texas Traffic Management System. Task Force, Emergency Central Texas Responders Partnerships Traffic Hospitals Management (Police, EMS, System Partners Fire) >>> 3 Williamson County Policy Recommendations I April 2025 TABLE 2: RECOMMENDED TRANSPORTATION POLICIES AND PROGRAMS ADDRESSING SAFER ROAD USERS SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH CORE ELEMENT: SAFER ROAD USERS POLICY OR PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION DESCRIPTION EMPHASIS CATEGORY LEAD PRIMARY SECONDARY AREA SUPPORT SUPPORT DISTRACTED DRIVING Develop a program that aligns with TxDOT's EDUCATIONAL "Talk. Text. Crash." campaign aimed at Distracted Partnerships Task Schools Enforcement PROGRAM informing drivers of the risks of distracted Driving Force driving. IMPAIRMENT Partner with local organizations in Central EDUCATIONAL Texas to implement interactive workshops Impaired partnerships Task Schools Enforcement PROGRAM and virtual reality simulations to demonstrate Driving Force the dangers of impaired driving. SEAT BELT Incorporate seat belt safety modules into EDUCATIONAL local school curriculums and driver's "Click Occupant Partnerships Task Schools Enforcement PROGRAM education programs that use TxDOT's Protection Force it or Ticket" initiative materials and support. SAFE DRIVING Develop mentorship programs supported by Younger EDUCATIONAL TxDOT or Students Against Destructive Drivers, Older Partnerships Task Schools TxDOT and/or PROGRAM Driving (SADD) to educate younger and older Drivers Force SADD drivers of safe driving practices. Partner with the Texas Department of Public YOUNG DRIVER Safety to provide information on new driver EDUCATIONAL requirements and Impact Texas Teen Driver Younger Drivers Partnerships Task Schools Texas Department PROGRAM Course material access to local driver's Force of Public Safety education programs. OLDER DRIVER Establish a confidential reporting system for EDUCATIONAL medical professionals to refer at -risk drivers Older Drivers Partnerships Task Health Enforcement PROGRAM for evaluation. Force Departments GDL ENFORCEMENT Develop a program to enforce the Graduated Driver License (GDL) and Hardship licensing Younger Driver, Partnerships Task Schools Texas Department PROGRAM program. Distraction Force of Public Safety ))) 4 Williamson County Policy Recommendations I April 2025 SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH CORE ELEMENT: SAFER ROAD USERS POLICY OR PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION DESCRIPTION EMPHASIS AREA CATEGORY LEAD PRIMARY SECONDARY SUPPORT SUPPORT SCHOOL ZONE Increase enforcement strategies (speed SPEEDING feedback signs, high -visibility enforcement, Task ENFORCEMENT etc.) that comply with Texas state laws Speed Related Safe Speeds Force Enforcement Schools PROGRAM regarding speeding within a school zone. Use data analytics to identify high -risk areas SEAT BELT and times for targeted enforcement ENFORCEMENT associated with seat belt use. Ensure Occupant Enhanced Task Enforcement PROGRAM strategies align with state-wide enforcement protection Enforcement Force campaigns for consistency. AGGRESSIVE DRIVING FollowTxDOT's guidelines for high -visibility ENFORCEMENT enforcement operations and public Speed Related Enhanced Task Enforcement PROGRAM awareness campaigns targeted at aggressive Enforcement Force driving. WORK ZONE SPEED Deploy automated speed enforcement tools ENFORCEMENT in work zones to enhance safety. Ensure Speed Related Enhanced Task Enforcement PROGRAM compliance with TxDOT's work zone safety Enforcement Force regulations. WORK ZONE SAFETY Establish comprehensive safety protocols ENHANCEMENT aligned with TxDOT's work zone safety Speed Related Safe Speeds Task City and County POLICY regulations, using smart work zone Force Staff technologies. >>> 5 Williamson County Policy Recommendations I April 2025 TABLE 3: RECOMMENDED TRANSPORTATION POLICIES AND PROGRAMS ADDRESSING SAFER ROADWAYS SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH CORE ELEMENT: SAFER ROADWAYS POLICY OR PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION DESCRIPTION EMPHASIS AREA CATEGORY LEAD PRIMARY SUPPORT SECONDARY SUPPORT Develop a policy that uses TxDOT's Crash DATA COLLECTION Records Information System (CRIS) to Applicable to AND ANALYSIS regularly update analysis methods All Emphasis Local Task City and County Public Works PROGRAM incorporating the latest predictive analytic Areas policies Force Staff techniques to identify potential areas of transportation safety risks. PRIVATE Develop a policy/program requiring private Applicableto DEVELOPMENT developments to meet current roadway, All Emphasis Local Task City and County Developers STANDARDS lighting, and pedestrian facility standards. Areas policies Force Staff Develop initiatives aimed at improving safety for non -motorized road users and adhering to PEDESTRIAN AND industry best design practices. This includes Speed Related, BICYCLE SAFETY treatments such as installing pedestrian Pedestrians, Local Task City and County Public Works PROGRAM countdown signals, creating protected bike Pedalcyclists policies Force Staff lanes, and implementing public engagement campaigns. Develop a policy to include crash/collision CRASH ANALYSIS data analysis and community input involving Applicable to Local Task City and County POLICY vulnerable road users into development or All Emphasis Policies Force Staff public Works updates to city or county plans. Areas Consider developing jurisdictional Complete COMPLETE SREETS Streets policies to enhance the Speed Related, Local Task City and County POLICY pedestrian/bicyclist environment along Pedestrians, Policies Force Staff Public Works roadways with higher -than -normal Pedalcyclists pedestrian/bicyclist activity. Enhance/improve an ATMS to monitor and ADVANCED TRAFFIC manage traffic flow using real-time data that MANAGEMENT is compatible with existing infrastructure and Applicable to Local Task City and County ATMS SYSTEM � ) adheres to regional intelligent transportation All Emphasis Policies Force Staff Public Works IMPLEMENTATION system (ITS) architectures. Work with Areas neighboring agencies to communicate traffic flows and traffic issue response needs. >>> 6 Williamson County Policy Recommendations I April 2025 SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH CORE ELEMENT: SAFER ROADWAYS POLICY OR PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION DESCRIPTION EMPHASIS AREA CATEGORY LEAD PRIMARY SUPPORT SECONDARY SUPPORT Develop an Intersection Control Evaluation INTERSECTION (ICE) policy consistent with TxDOT's ICE Intersection Local Task City and County CONTROL POLICY framework to determine appropriate Related Policies Force Staff public Works intersection improvements. Develop program that incorporates DATA COLLECTION Geographic Information System (GIS) data Applicable to AND MANAGEMENT collection of existing organizational assets All Emphasis Local Task City and County Public Works PROGRAM (roadway signs, lighting, ( Y ns 9 9 g, guardrail, etc.). Areas Policies Force Staff Leverage ongoing efforts of the Central Texas Traffic Management System. ROADWAY SIGN Develop an implementable regular Applicable to MANAGEMENT maintenance schedule of existing road signs All Emphasis Local Task City and County Public Works POLICY to ensure sign visibility and compliance of Areas Policies Force Staff retroreflectivity. PAVEMENT MARKING Develop an implementable regular Applicable to MANAGEMENT maintenance schedule of existing pavement All Emphasis Local Task City and County public Works POLICY markings to ensure visibility and compliance Areas Policies Force Staff of usage and retroreflectivity. Incorporate data from the High Injury ROADWAY ASSET Network (HIN) to determine areas where Applicable to Street IMPLEMENTATION safety enhancement strategies (rumble strips, All Emphasis Design that Task City and County Public Works POLICY guardrail, wider edge lines, etc.) are Areas Protects Force Staff prioritized. People Develop a systematic approach to roadway OPERATIONS AND maintenance, focusing on timely repairs, Applicable to MAINTENANCE following TxDOT's maintenance guidelines All Emphasis Local Task City and County Public Works PROGRAM and prioritizing tasks based on safety impact Areas policies Force Staff assessments. Implement a feedback mechanism for road COMMUNITY INPUT users to report maintenance issues in real Applicableto Information WEBPAGE time, such as potholes, lighting concerns, and All Emphasis Partnerships Task City and County Technology DEVELOPMENT road sign maintenance needs. Provide Areas Force Staff Departments feedback to submitted concerns resolution. Williamson County Policy Recommendations I April 2025 SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH CORE ELEMENT: SAFER ROADWAYS POLICY OR PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION DESCRIPTION EMPHASIS AREA CATEGORY LEAD PRIMARY SUPPORT SECONDARY SUPPORT Develop a policy consistent with industry Street STREET LIGHTING standard/best practices for roadway lighting Roadway or Design that Task City and County POLICY installation focusing in areas identified with Lane Departure Protects Force Staff public Works CRIS data analysis. People Consider developing a policy based on Street LEVEL OF STRESS industry standards and best practices Pedestrian, Design that Task City and County ASSESSMENT POLICY methodologies for assessing pedestrian and Pedalcyclists Protects Force Staff public Works bicyclist stress levels. People Develop a plan to assess existing Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and TxDOT's Street ADA TRANSITION accessibility guidelines to prioritize Pedestrian Design that Task City and County public Works PLAN improvements in areas with high vulnerable Protects Force Staff road users (VRU) activity and documented People accessibility issues. Evaluate emerging transportation technology and perform pilot tests for applications that enhance safety, such as TRANSPORTATION video analytics that activate warning systems Applicable to Street TECHNOLOGY when pedestrians approach a crossing or All Emphasis Design that Task City and County Public Works PROGRAM traffic signal detection that supports timing Areas protects Force Staff changes that address the dilemma zone. [See People also Vehicle Advancement (V2X) Program in the Safer Vehicles table.] >>> 8 Williamson County Policy Recommendations I April 2025 TABLE 4: RECOMMENDED TRANSPORTATION POLICIES AND PROGRAMS ADDRESSING SAFER SPEEDS SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH CORE ELEMENT: SAFER SPEEDS POLICY OR PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION DESCRIPTION EMPHASIS CATEGORY LEAD PRIMARY SECONDARY AREA SUPPORT SUPPORT Develop a speed limit policy and procedures PROCEDURE FOR process based on current research and ESTABLISHING SPEED methodologies that include contextual Speed Related Local Task City and County Public Works ZONES factors and align with TxDOT's Speed Zone policies Force Staff Manual. Develop a program that collaborates with SCHOOL ZONE local schools and parent -teacher associations Street ENHANCEMENT to identify areas of enhanced safety Speed Related Design that Task City and County Local School PROGRAM improvements (rapid flashing beacons, speed Protects Force Staff Districts feedback signs, etc.). People TRAFFIC CALMING Develop a program that follows industry Set Safe Task City and County PROGRAM standards/best practices for traffic calming Speed Related Speeds Force Staff guidelines. >>> 9 Williamson County Policy Recommendations I April 2025 TABLE 5: RECOMMENDED TRANSPORTATION POLICIES AND PROGRAMS ADDRESSING SAFER VEHICLES SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH CORE ELEMENT: SAFER VEHICLES POLICY OR PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION DESCRIPTION EMPHASIS AREA CATEGORY LEAD PRIMARY SECONDARY SUPPORT SUPPORT Evaluate and identify Texas' initiatives on VEHICLE connected and autonomous vehicles Applicable to ADVANCEMENT (V2X) (Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Task All Emphasis Autonomous Task City and County Public Works PROGRAM Force) in order to provide the necessary Areas Vehicles Force Staff infrastructure and facility upgrades. Develop a policy in accordance with TxDOT's guidelines on truck routes and truck parking restrictions. Consider local ordinances for TRUCK/FREIGHT designated truck routes and parking to Pedestrian, Commercial Task City and County ROUTE POLICY identify areas where freight routes and VRU Pedalcyclists Vehicle Force public Works Staff paths intersect and implement measures such as designated truck lanes or time -based restrictions to enhance safety. Develop a safety protocol for public transit systems that includes regular vehicle PUBLIC inspections, driver training programs, and Applicable to TRANSPORTATION emergency preparedness plans. Align with All Emphasis Transit Task Transit SAFETY POLICY state and federal transit safety regulations Areas Vehicles Force Organization and collaborate with transit agencies to implement best practices. >>> 10 Williamson County Policy Recommendations I April 2025 TABLE 6: RECOMMENDED TRANSPORTATION POLICIES AND PROGRAMS ADDRESSING SAFETY LEADERSHIP AND CULTURE SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH CORE ELEMENT: SAFETY LEADERSHIP AND CULTURE POLICY OR PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION DESCRIPTION EMPHASIS AREA CATEGORY LEAD PRIMARY SUPPORT SECONDARY SUPPORT Commit to a "Zero" Goal. Elected officials and ROAD TO ZERO department leaders adopt public Applicable to Task City and County COMMITMENT commitment for zero traffic fatalities and All Emphasis Leadership Force Officials serious injuries goal within a specific Areas timeframe. Develop a program to continue efforts in SAFETY GRANTS applying for and receiving funding for safety Applicable to Stakeholder Task City and County INITIATIVE improvements (safe routes to schools, All Emphasis Engagement Force Staff Highway Safety Improvement Program, etc.) Areas Develop a program/policy to participate in existing TxDOT Strategic Initiatives and TRANSPORTATION Innovation Division staying informed of new Applicable to Information TECHNOLOGY programs, emerging technologies, digital All Emphasis Leadership Task City and County Technology PROGRAM roadway data, enterprise artificial intelligence Areas Force Staff Departments (AI) strategies and future traffic management centers and systems. PUBLIC AWARENESS Develop a program aligned with TxDOT's Applicable to Task City and County Community CAMPAIGN safety campaigns to increase public All Emphasis Leadership Force Staff Organizations awareness of traffic safety issues. Areas Williamson County Policy Recommendations I April 2025 Sample Documents Identified and Reviewed WILLIAMSON COUNTY LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN' CITY OF CEDAR PARK 2023 MOBILITY MASTER PLAN 2 CITY OF GEORGETOWN 2023 FUTURE MOBILITY PLAN 3 AUSTIN AVENUE IMPROVEMENTS 4 SIDEWALK MASTER PLAN' BICYCLE MASTER PLAN 6 NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT POLICIES' CITY OF LEANDER 2020 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN e CITY OF ROUND ROCK 2023 TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLAN 9 https://www.wilcotx.gov/1 2 https://www.cedarparktexas.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5782/Cedar-Park-Mobility-Master-Plan-Report?bidld= 3 https://2030.georgetown.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/12/Future-Mobility_Plan 12-12-2023-webl.pdf ' https://georgetowntexas.gov/ 5 https://2030.georgetown.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/GeorgetownSidewa]kMasterPlan_FINAL-02142024-c.pdf 6 https://transportation.georgetown.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/46/2019/12/Georgetown-Bicycle-Master-Plan-and-Appendix-11-10-2019.pdf https://georgetowntexas.gov/ " https://www.leand ertx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1058 /2020-Comprehensive-Plan---AI I-Chapters-P D F?b id Id= ` htt ps://www.rou nd rocktexas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/01 /11.6-Round- Rock -TM P-Fin al -Repo rt-red uced-size.pdf »> 12 � Williamson County Safety Action Plan Appendices I April 2025 Appendix C WILLIAMSON COUNTY SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM C11'^`*11MP0 CDO�TpI PPER METYOOOI�TpH V �(1MH I.. O.... IPTI CEM , J# T.- WILLIAMSON COUNTY SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM Introduction The proposed improvements and strategies incorporate a range of safety countermeasures tailored to Williamson County's specific needs. This section briefly describes each infrastructure improvement, behavioral strategy, and policy recommendation, along with the types of collisions they address and high-level cost estimates. Safety countermeasures are categorized into segment -related (non -intersection), intersection -related, and vulnerable road users. Segment -Related Roadway and lane departure crashes account for 59% of fatal and serious injury crashes in Williamson County. Table 1 provides a list of recommended segment -related countermeasures including infrastructure treatments, behavioral strategies, and policy recommendations. TABLE 1: RECOMMENDED SEGMENT -RELATED COUNTERMEASURES STRATEGY TIMELINE COST CRASH TYPES ADDRESSED Infrastructure Treatments Install centerline rumble strips. Mid-term $, $$ Lane Departure, Head - On Install raised medians or median barriers. Mid-term $, $$ Lane Departure, Head - On, Angle Install raised pavement markers or profiled center lines. Near-, Mid- Lane Departure, Head - term On Install chevron signs, curve warning signs, posted speed limit Near-, Mid - Lane Departure, reductions, and/or sequential flashing beacons in curves. term $$ Curve -Related, Speed - Related Install high friction pavement surface treatments. Mid-, Long - $$, $$$ Lane Departure term Install wider, brighter, and more durable edge lines, especially Near-, Mid Lane Departure, $$' $$$ on curves. term Curve -Related Install signage to increase awareness of vulnerable road users Lane Departure, who may be in the clear zone or in a sight -limited location such Near-, Mid-, $, $$, $$$ Curve -Related, as a curve or tunnel. Long-term Pedestrian Williamson County Safety Countermeasures Technical Memorandum I April 2025 STRATEGY TIMELINE COST CRASH TYPES ADDRESSED Install roadside safety hardware such as guardrail, cable Near -term $, $$ Lane Departure barrier, or concrete barrier. Locate and inventory fixed objects inside the clear zone to Mid-, Long- Lane Departure, support development of programs and projects to reduce term $$' $$$ Pedestrian the severity of lane departure crashes. Widen shoulders. Mid, Long- Lane Departure, $$" $$$ term Bicyclist Reconfigure vehicle lanes tomixed-uselanes. Mid-, Long- $$ Pedestrian/Bicyclist, term Speed Management Behavioral Strategies Disseminate outreach materials and social media posts educating the public on the major causes of lane departure Near -term $, $$ Lane Departure crashes, (e.g., speeding). Host the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) Speed Management Program Mid-term $. $$ Lane Departure,Speed course for local engineers, planners, and law enforcement. Management Use dynamic speed feedback signs on sections of Near-, Mid- Lane Departure, $' $$ roadways where speed related crashes are of concern. term Speed Management Encourage the use of coordinated high -visibility enforcement activities addressing high -risk driving Near-, Mid- Lane Departure, $' $$ behavior, particularly on weekends and evenings for term Impairment alcohol and drug -impaired crashes. Use Texas Highway Safety Office (TxHSO) Law Enforcement Liaisons (LELs) to improve participation from Near-, Mid- Lane Departure, $' $$ law enforcement in conducting high -visibility enforcement term Impairment to address impaired driving. Use TxHSO LELs to improve participation from law enforcement in conducting high -visibility enforcement to Near-, Mid $$ Lane Departure, address distracted driving. term Distracted Driving Policy Recommendations Develop a policy consistent with TxDOT's and the Illuminating Engineering Society's guidelines for roadway Mid-term $,$$ Lane Departure, lighting installation, focusing on areas identified with CRIS Dark Conditions data analysis. Williamson County Safety Countermeasures Technical Memorandum I April 2025 STRATEGY TIMELINE COST CRASH TYPES ADDRESSED Implement a feedback mechanism for road users to report Mid-, Long $ $$ Lane Departure maintenance issues in real time. term Follow TxDOT's and Department of Public Safety's guidelines for high -visibility enforcement operations and public awareness Mid-, Long- $ $$ Lane Departure, term Speed Management campaigns targeted at aggressive driving. Partner with local organizations in Central Texas to implement Lane Departure, interactive workshops and virtual reality simulations to Mid-, Long $ $$ Impairment, demonstrate the dangers of impaired driving and distracted term Distracted Driving driving. Develop a program that aligns with TxDOT's "Talk. Text. Crash." campaign aimed at informing drivers of the risks of distracted Mid-, Long- $ $$ Lane Departure, driving. term Distracted Driving Incorporate data from the HIN to determine areas where safety enhancement strategies (rumble strips, guardrail, wider edge Mid-term $, $$ Lane Departure lines, etc.) are prioritized. Deploy automated speed enforcement tools in work zones. Mid-, Long Speed Management, $$' $$$ Ensure compliance with TxDOT's work zone safety regulations. term Work Zone Develop an implementable regular maintenance schedule of Near-, Mid existing road signs to ensure sign visibility and compliance. term $, $$ Lane Departure Develop a speed limit policy and procedures process based on current research and methodologies that include contextual Mid-, Long - $$ Speed Management factors and align with TxDOT's Speed Zone Manual. term > 3 .11 Williamson County Safety Countermeasures Technical Memorandum I April 2025 I ntersection- Related Intersection -related crashes account for 41% of fatal and serious injury crashes in Williamson County. Intersections present complex traffic interactions that contribute to higher crash frequencies. Table 2 provides a list of recommended countermeasures to reduce potential conflicts at an intersection. TABLE 2: RECOMMENDED INTERSECTION -RELATED COUNTERMEASURES STRATEGY TIMELINE COST CRASH TYPES ADDRESSED Infrastructure Treatments: Speed Reduction/Management Install transverse rumble strips on rural stop -controlled Near-, Mid- $ $$ Angle approaches. term Provide advanced dilemma zone detection (real-time warning) Mid-term $$ Speed Management, for high-speed approaches at rural signalized intersections. Angle, Rear -End Install curb extensions at intersections. Near-, Mid- $' $$ Pedestrian/Bicyclist, term Speed Management Infrastructure Treatments: Intersection Reconfiguration Install or convert intersections to roundabouts. Long-term $$$ Angle, Speed Management Convert permitted left turns to protected left turns at signal. Mid-, Long- $$$ Angle g term Use intersection conflict warning systems (real-time warning) to warn drivers on mainline or side roads of conflicting traffic at Mid-, Long - $$$ Angle rural intersections. term Increase pavement friction using high friction surface treatments Near-. Mid - $$ Rear Angle at intersection approaches. term -End, Restrict or eliminate turning maneuvers at intersections that Near-. Mid- create conflicts for drivers, pedestrians, and/or bicyclists. term $ $$ Angle, Pedestrian Restrict access to properties/driveways adjacent to intersections Near-. Mid - using closures or turn restrictions. term Infrastructure Treatments: Traffic Signal Improvements Install signal preemption at intersections. Mid-term $$ $$$ Emergency Vehicles, Rear -End, Angle Modify signal phasing to implement a leading pedestrian Mid-, Long interval. Add bicycle traffic signals where bike lanes are installed. term $$, $$$ Pedestrian, Bicyclist Coordinate arterial signals. Near -term $$ Rear -End, Angle Implement flashing yellow arrows at signals. Near-. Mid- $$, $$$ Angle term IN Williamson County Safety Countermeasures Technical Memorandum I April 2025 STRATEGY TIMELINE COST CRASH TYPES ADDRESSED Optimize traffic signal clearance intervals, including Near-. Mid - $$$$$ Angle, Pedestrian consideration for leading pedestrian intervals. term Infrastructure Treatments: Intersection Visibility Improvements Increase sight distance (visibility) of intersections on approaches Near-. Mid - such as applying claylighting treatments (e.g., markings, curb $1 $$ Angle bulb outs) and increasing vegetation management. term Add retroreflective borders to traffic signal head back plates. Near -term $, $$ Dark Conditions Increase the visibility of signals and signs at intersections. Near-. Mid- $, $$ Dark Conditions term Add lighting, including pedestrian -scale lighting. Mid-, Long- $$$ Dark Conditions, term Pedestrian Install retroreflective markings and pavement treatments to Near -term $ Dark Conditions, enhance visibility at night. Lane Departure Behavioral Strategies Support and educate the public on the safety advantages of Mid-, Long - using emerging technologies such as intelligent transportation $� $$ Angle systems and connected vehicles. term Use TxHSO Law Enforcement Liaisons to improve participation from law enforcement in conducting high -visibility enforcement Near-, Mid - $$ Angle to address red light running. term Conduct focused intersection enforcement patrols in Mid-, Long- Impairment, conjunction with high -visibility behavioral campaigns (e.g., $$, $$$ Distracted Driving, impaired driving, occupant protection, distracted driving). term Seatbelt Use Encourage the use of coordinated high -visibility enforcement activities addressing high -risk driving behavior, particularly on Near, Mid-term $, $$ Impairment, Speed weekends and evenings for alcohol and drugged -related crashes. Management Conduct impaired driving training for law enforcement personnel, including Drug Recognition Expert and Advanced Near-, Mid - $� $$ Impairment Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement training programs. term Policy Recommendations Develop an Intersection Control Evaluation (ICE) policy consistent with TxDOT's ICE framework to determine Mid-term $$ Angle, Speed appropriate intersection improvements. Management Develop a traffic calming program. Mid-term $, $$ Speed Management Follow FHWA's Adaptive Signal Control Technologies guidance when planning and implementing adaptive signal control Near-, Mid- $$ Angle, Speed systems to improve emergency response times. term Management Williamson County Safety Countermeasures Technical Memorandum I April 2025 Vulnerable Road Users Vulnerable road users include pedestrians and pedalcyclists. Pedestrians accounted for 88 fatal and serious crashes and pedalcyclists accounted for 41 fatal and serious injury crashes within Williamson County from 2019 to 2023. Table 3 provides a list of recommended countermeasures to improve the safety of vulnerable road users. TABLE 3: RECOMMENDED VULNERABLE ROAD USER -RELATED COUNTERMEASURES STRATEGY TIMELINE COST CRASH TYPES ADDRESSED Infrastructure Treatments: Enhance Pedestrian and Bicycle Crossings Update existing or develop new pedestrian crossings that include additional features such as marked crosswalks, Near-, Mid-, rectangular rapid flashing beacons, curb extensions, g P� g Long-term $$ Pedestrian/Bicyclist raised crosswalks, or advanced warnings. Increase sight distance and visibility at pedestrian and bicyclist crossings by clearing vegetation, extending crossing times, adding pedestrian and bicyclist leading intervals and/or adding pedestrian -scale illumination. At Near-, Mid-, Pedestrian/Bicyclist, $' $$' $$$ mid -block locations, provide adequate distance between Long-term Speed Management stop bars and the crossing; apply speed management as needed to provide sufficient stopping time for motorists; and consider the use of raised crossings. Add refuge islands and raised pedestrian and bicyclist crossings and shorten crossing distances with bicycle Pedestrian/Bicyclist, Mid-, Long-term $$, $$$ friend) curb extensions or da li htin treatments where Y Y g g Speed Management these crosswalk enhancements are needed. Infrastructure Treatments: Improve Lighting Illuminate crosswalks with positive contrast to make it Pedestrian/Bicyclist, Dark $$$ easier for a driver to identifyLong-term the Pedestrian visually. Conditions Infrastructure Treatments: Roadway Reconfiguration Reduce the number of travel lanes, assess posted speed limit, narrow travel lanes, and install separated bicycle Near-, Mid-, Pedestrian/Bicyclist, $$$ and pedestrian facilities in areas with high multi -modal Long-term Speed Management use. Install center and/or bicycle -friendly edge line rumble Pedestrian/Bicyclist, Mid -, Long-term $$, $$$ strips. Roadway Lane Departure Install separated pedestrian facilities (sidewalks and multi -use paths), especially in urban areas and adjacent to schools, bus stops, and school walk areas. Right -size Mid -, Long-term $$, $$$ Pedestrian/Bicyclist the facilities to the projected pedestrian and pedalcyclist demand. IN Williamson County Safety Countermeasures Technical Memorandum I April 2025 STRATEGY TIMELINE COST CRASH TYPES ADDRESSED Infrastructure Treatments: Intersection Improvements Designed for Active Transportation User Safety Install left turn lanes designed and operated with explicit Long-term $$, $$$ Pedestrian/Bicyclist, Angle consideration for safety of active transportation users. Restrict or eliminate turning maneuvers at intersections that create conflicts for drivers, pedestrians, and/or Near -term $$ Pedestrian/Bicyclist, Angle bicyclists. At traffic signals, add bicycle signal heads and provide a leading signal interval. At intersections, install colored Mid-, Long-term $$$ Pedestrian/Bicyclist bicycle boxes where appropriate for bicycle movements. Infrastructure Treatments: Separated Pedestrian/Bicycle Facilities Remove permissive left turn signals that conflict with pedestrian/bicyclist movements, eliminate right turn on Near-, Mid-term $$$ Pedestrian/Bicyclist red at signals, and provide protected signal phases for pedestrian/bicyclist movements. Install separated pedestrian and bicycle facilities such as sidewalks, buffered or protected bike lanes, shared use Long-term $$$ Pedestrian/Bicyclist paths, and regional trails. Right -size the facilities to the projected pedestrian and pedalcyclist demand. Add a delay between the pedestrian walk phase and Near $ vehicle green phase. -term Pedestrian Behavioral Strategies Educate the public about the need to be self -aware when traveling and conspicuous, particularly when walking or biking. Encourage the public to wear bright -colored Near -term $ Pedestrian/Bicyclist clothing and carry a flashlight. Provide reflective tapes and materials for handing out. Partner with local law enforcement to conduct high - visibility speed enforcement in and around school zones Near-, Mid-term $ $$ Pedestrian/Bicyclist, during start and end times. Speed Management Use dynamic speed feedback signs in school zones during Pedestrian/Bicyclist, Near-, Mid-term $, $$ start and end times. Speed Management Promote public awareness of vulnerable user safety issues, contributory circumstances, and provide Mid-, Long-term $$ Pedestrian/Bicyclist $, education/ training for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists of all ages on ways to avoid crashes. 114 7 .11 Williamson County Safety Countermeasures Technical Memorandum I April 2025 STRATEGY Coordinate and support vulnerable road user safety and enforcement by law enforcement to conduct high - visibility enforcement of bicyclists, pedestrians, and motorists who are violating traffic safety laws that may endanger them or other multi -modal travelers. Disseminate outreach materials, and training to educate the public and law enforcement personnel on new traffic control devices, such as Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons (HAWK signals). Policy Recommendations Increase enforcement strategies (speed feedback signs, high -visibility enforcement, etc.) that comply with Texas state laws regarding speeding within a school zone. Develop a policy that includes crash data analysis and community input involving vulnerable road users in Central Texas to identify specific needs and concerns. Develop initiatives to improve safety for vulnerable road users and adhere to TxDOT's design standards and national best practices. These include pedestrian countdown signals, protected bike lanes, and public engagement campaigns. Develop a Complete Streets policy to enhance the pedestrian/bicyclist environment along roadways with higher -than -normal pedestrian/bicyclist activity. Consider developing a policy based on TxDOT's methodologies for assessing pedestrian and bicyclist level of traffic stress (LTS). Develop a plan to assess existing Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and TxDOT's accessibility guidelines to prioritize improvements in areas with high ped/bike activity and documented accessibility issues. Develop a policy in accordance with TxDOT's guidelines on truck routes and consider local ordinances for designated truck routes to identify areas where freight routes and ped/bike paths intersect and implement measures such as designated truck lanes or time -based restrictions. Develop a program that collaborates with local schools and parent -teacher associations to identify areas for enhanced safety improvements (e.g., rectangular rapid flashing beacons, speed feedback signs). Develop a program that follows national best practices for traffic calming guidelines. TIMELINE COST CRASH TYPES ADDRESSED Near-, Mid-term $, $$ Pedestrian/Bicyclist Mid-term $, $$ Pedestrian/Bicyclist Near-, Mid-term $, $$ Pedestrian/Bicyclist Mid-, Long-term $$, $$$ Pedestrian/Bicyclist Mid-, Long-term $$, $$$ Pedestrian/Bicyclist Mid-, Long-term $$, $$$ Pedestrian/Bicyclist Mid-, Long-term $, $$ Pedestrian/Bicyclist Mid-, Long-term $, $$ Pedestrian/Bicyclist Mid-, Long-term $$, $$$ Pedestrian/Bicyclist Mid-, Long-term $$ Pedestrian/Bicyclist Mid-, Long-term $$ Pedestrian/Bicyclist * 8 Williamson County Safety Action Plan Appendices I April 2025 Appendix D WILLIAMSON COUNTY SYSTEMIC SAFETY PACKAGES E5 �� Y setI pis �P gc E$ a 9affi i R 888 Fb a c¢., 3 R - m $ 4 5 3 3 Zvi s 8 a $ R = m V y Y a � s do e€ o b 5 � e ` pit 0 g m E 3Y� 'Q�°b S;� _ad _xs FRS �g 'o m „il �W ' o ag8 w a eta �5 m 2ffi8 ��g a ��8 am mRd E V m y i H 3 E - SOrc E E - pit ill ez H. cEE ILIA PA go �h EH EEtc�i? g __ as _ m cmck c c €mE¢¢'E rc' SF Fss rc -ma6t y '8SeFg8 of 'w"R= Smm2 a c. 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