Fourteen states, three counties and two parishes will receive $14.7 million in Rural Safety Innovation Program funds to improve safety on rural roads, including projects on Interstates such as I-10 and I-55.


Rural roads carry less than half of America's traffic but account for more than half of the nation's vehicular deaths. Last February, the U.S. Department of Transportation launched the "Rural Safety Initiative" to address this issue.

The awards, made possible by funds from the U.S. DOT's Delta Region Transportation Development Program and Intelligent Transportation Systems Program, are part of a $287 million effort to help local and state governments reduce crashes on dangerous rural roads.

The RSIP recipients include projects such as a severe weather warning system on I-10 in Arizona, a cable media barrier on I-55 in Arkansas, dynamic message signs and road weather information system in Kansas, roadway departure crash reduction measures in a number of states, and others.

For more information on the DOT's Rural Safety Initiative, visit www.dot.gov/affairs/ruralsafety/