The NYSMPOs Safety Working Group (SWG) meets monthly to share information and advance safety initiatives.

Safety Working Group Members

• Aaron Frankenfeld, Adirondack/Glens Falls Transportation Council
• Steven Gayle, Binghamton Metropolitan Transportation Study
• Cyndi Paddick, Binghamton Metropolitan Transportation Study
• Sandy Misiewicz (Co-Chair), Capital District Transportation Committee
• Michael Perry, Elmira-Chemung Transportation Council
• Jay Schissell (Co-Chair), Elmira-Chemung Transportation Council
• Robert Torzynski, Genesee Transportation Council
• Hector Boggio, Greater Buffalo-Niagara Regional Transportation Council
• Matthew VanSlyke, Herkimer-Oneida Counties Transportation Study
• Harry Miller, Herkimer-Oneida Counties Transportation Study
• Fernando de Aragon, Ithaca-Tompkins County Transportation Council
• Chris Hardej, New York Metropolitan Transportation Council
• Marty Neveu, New York State Department of Transportation
• John Czamanske, Orange County Transportation Council
• Eoin Wrafter, Poughkeepsie-Dutchess County Transportation Council
• Mario Colone, Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council
• Sweta Basnet, Ulster County Transportation Council
• Bill Tobin, Ulster County Transportation Council

The SWG held its second annual Safety Roundtable Meeting in June 2007 with statewide stakeholders which included staff from the MPOs, FHWA, NYSDOT, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, the New York Association of Traffic Safety Boards, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The 2006 accomplishments and 2007 goals and action items are summarized below.

Recent Accomplishments

• Hosted the June 2006 and June 2007 Safety Roundtable Discussions in Saratoga Springs and West Point, attended by statewide stakeholders to set the SWG’s agenda for the year and reestablish communication regarding safety planning between NYSMPOs and statewide partners
• Participated in the development of the NYS Strategic Highway Safety Plan
• On behalf of NYSMPOs, advocated reduced duplication of federal safety planning requirements to USDOT through one comprehensive and coordinated Strategic Highway Safety Plan, as opposed to three different safety plans required by SAFETEA-LU
• Presented Safety Working Group activities at the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Upstate Chapter/NYSMPOs conference in Niagara Falls and the NYS Highway Safety conference in Rochester (2006) and Lake Placid (2007)
• Hosted a National Highway Institute (NHI) Safety Conscious Planning course for MPO staff and statewide partners in Utica in December 2006.
• Coordinated with NYSP to assist in the advancement of and dissemination of information related to Traffic and Criminal Software (TraCS)
• Participated in Traffic Records Coordinating Committee

2007 Goals

• Participate in the implementation of the NYS Strategic Highway Safety Plan
• Develop average accident rates for non-state and local highway system facilities throughout New York State through an examination of local highway accident collection, storage, analysis and uses.
• Develop a standardized safety audit process for all MPOs
• Continue to coordinate with the New York State Police to assist in the advancement of TraCS and develop procedures to disseminate information developed by the system
• Establish relationships between MPOs and TSBs
• Develop a statewide resource library regarding safety planning