BACKGROUND

The Human Factors Guidelines (HFG) for road systems serves as a reference to assist practitioners in safety, operations, and design. The HFG aims to develop a greater understanding of road users’ capabilities and limitations and how these issues could be incorporated into transportation agencies' decision-making processes. A fourth edition of the HFG is currently under development as part of the NCHRP Project 22-46. This edition seeks to document the best available human factors and road user interactions research and practices in road safety analyses and design to optimize data-driven safety analysis and decision-making.

Although significant efforts have been made to develop the HFG and support its use, many practitioners are not familiar with the guidelines, and even fewer utilize them. As the transportation community continues to work toward zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries, it is necessary to promote widespread use of the HFG so that a data-driven approach on how road users interact with the roadway environment contributes to traffic safety efforts that are underway. Furthermore, it is important to acknowledge that within the Safe System Approach (SSA), there is a need to create self-enforcing/self-explaining roads. Achieving this will require the integration of vital human factor knowledge into design and operational systems to support the SSA.

Research is needed to develop an implementation plan to enhance awareness, promote the use of available resources for implementation, and identify additional needs for the successful deployment of the HFG.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this research is to develop an implementation plan to help incorporate the use of HFG into state departments of transportation’s (DOTs) decision-making process, and support expanding and integrating human factors more thoroughly into transportation projects, programs, and practices.

The implementation plan comprises two components:

• An application handbook, which is designed for state DOT staff, focusing on the integration of the HFG into their day-to-day responsibilities. The document shall include references, real-world case studies, and additional material providing resource needs, benefits, challenges, and other factors to consider when implementing the HFG.
• A communication, outreach, and marketing plan, which is designed for state DOT subject matter experts to articulate and promote the benefits of the HFG to potential audiences including peers, upper management, other stakeholders, and the general public.

Accomplishment of the project objective will require at least the following tasks.

TASKS

PHASE I — Planning

Task 1. Conduct a comprehensive literature review to determine the use of the HFG within transportation projects, programs, and practices at international, national, state, and local levels. The review shall include published and unpublished research conducted through the NCHRP; the Federal Highway Administration; other national, state, and local agencies; and international organizations.

Task 2. Based on the results from Task 1, identify HFG's stakeholders and target audience.

Task 3a. Research the existing implementation, experiences, and/or gaps in adoptions of the HFG among the stakeholders identified in Task 2. This would include lessons learned and communications activities related to other safety or transportation tools or programs, e.g., SSA, Complete Streets, and data-driven safety analysis. Investigate the NCHRP Active Implementation approach and frameworks to support implementation (see Special Note J).

Task 3b. Request feedback from stakeholders on how to successfully incorporate the HFG into transportation projects, programs, and practices.

Task 4. Synthesize the results of Tasks 1 and 3 to identify resources (e.g., presentations, stand-alone multimedia interactive tools) to support the use of HFG in transportation programs and the knowledge gaps related to the project objective. These gaps shall be addressed in the final product or the recommended future research as budget permits.

Task 5. Develop an annotated outline for the implementation plan to accomplish the research objective.

Task 6. Prepare Interim Report No.1 that documents Tasks 1 through 5 and provides an updated work plan for the remainder of the research. The updated work plan must describe the tasks and rationale for the work proposed for Phase II.

PHASE II — Execution

Task 7. Develop resources to support the use of HFG in transportation programs, such as SSA, Complete Streets, and data-driven safety analysis by transportation agency staff per the approved Interim Report No. 1.

Task 8. Prepare the draft implementation plan. The plan may also include a roadmap and other supplemental implementation materials and activities. The draft implementation plan shall be submitted to the NCHRP 7 months before the contract end date.

Task 9a. Identify at least 15 representatives of state, regional, tribal, and local DOTs and other appropriate practitioners and stakeholders. The final list of representatives will be reviewed and approved by the NCHRP.

Task 9b. Conduct a workshop with the approved representatives and collect feedback on the draft implementation plan. Revise the draft implementation plan taking into account feedback gathered during the workshop.

Task 10. Identify additional resources needed to support HFG implementation to be developed under future efforts based on the findings from Task 9b.

Task 11. Prepare the final deliverables, which at a minimum shall include the following:

• A research report that documents the entire research effort;
• An implementation plan that includes an application handbook and a communication, outreach, and marketing plan;
• Media and communication material (e.g., presentations, 2-page executive level flyer, graphics, graphic interchange format (GIF)s, press releases); and
• A stand-alone technical memorandum with the additional resources needed to support HFG implementation. 

STATUS: A response has been received for this RFP. The project panel will meet to determine next steps.