Category 8 Safety Projects (HSIP and FSP)

General
“Category 8 safety projects” are traffic safety projects with federal and local funds.
  • The
    Highway Safety Improvement Program
    (HSIP) is federally funded, and program funds are eligible to cover 90 percent of project construction costs. The remaining 10 percent of project construction costs must be covered by state or local participation. The Texas HSIP is made up of two safety construction programs, the
    Hazard Elimination (HES) program
    and the
    High Risk Rural Roads (HRRR) program
    .
    • The HES program focuses on construction and operational improvements for locations both on and off the state highway system (excluding interstate highways).
    • The HRRR program focuses on construction and operational improvements on high-risk rural roads. High-risk rural roads are paved roadways functionally classified as rural major or minor collectors, or rural local roads with a fatal and incapacitating injury crash rate above the statewide average for those functional classes of roadways.
  • Federal Railroad Signal Program
    (FSP) projects include installations or updates to railroad signals and/or signage improvements to highway-rail grade crossings both on and off the state highway system.
TxDOT does not allow the LG to let and manage HSIP and FSP projects. The district will execute an Advance Funding Agreement (AFA) with the LG outlining the financial responsibilities of the LG for HSIP projects not on the state highway system. An AFA is not required on FSP projects.
Federal Requirements
  1. The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), §1112
    – Addresses development and implementation of a strategic highway safety improvement program and plan in each state.
State Requirements
  1. The Category 8 programs are part of the
    Unified Transportation Program
    .
  2. 43 TAC §15.56
    – Requires projects to be designed in accordance with TxDOT procedures, standards, manuals and guidelines.
Required Practices
In general, TRF selects projects based upon available funding and defined scoring criteria for FSP and HSIP projects and defines the funding and level of involvement for the LG based upon program criteria. The
LGPM Guide
provides details for the procedures and responsibilities of each party.