Development of Guidance for Deployment Decisions on Safety Service Patrols in Florida

Abstract

This research had the objective of providing a decision support system for managers who must decide whether a roadway warrants the addition of a safety service patrol (SSP). Unlike the familiar signal warrants that guide the installation of traffic signals at candidate intersections, no such guidelines exist for decisions on SSPs. A proven framework for deploying intelligent transportation system equipment is adapted for this purpose. Meetings with managers from the service patrol program of the Florida Department of Transportation and a survey of national state points of contact for service patrols provided insight into critical factors that might contribute to guidelines. Historical incidents from Florida fed models that predict incidents and crashes on candidate roadways by using proven negative binomial regression models like those found in the Highway Safety Manual. Qualitative and quantitative thresholds for critical factors were established in the form of rules in decision tables that, when evaluated, render recommended actions for decisions on SSPs. The critical factors, thresholds, and use of decision tables proved to be an effective means by which to guide deployment decisions on SSPs, as evidenced by testing with a candidate roadway in Florida. Ultimately, computer software, with a graphical user interface, facilitated the collection of needed information, analysis, and recommendations in implementation of the guidelines.