This research will build on recent advances in intelligent transportation systems (ITS) technology to address a significant public safety problem. Rural Intersection Decision Support focuses on enhancing the driver's ability to successfully negotiate rural intersections. It is a system which will use sensing and communication technology to determine the safe gaps and then communicate this information to the driver so that he or she can make an informed decision about crossing the intersection or entering a major road traffic stream. Our goal is to reduce crashes and fatalities at such intersections without having to introduce traffic signals which on high speed rural roads often lead to an increase in rear end crashes. The State of Minnesota is already partner with California,Virginia and the FHWA in a pooled fund consortium (the Infrastructure Consortium) dedicated to improving intersection safety. Three research teams have been identified: The Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute at the University of Minnesota, the PATH (Partners for the Advancement of Transit and Highways) Program at the University of California's Berkeley campus, and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute at Virginia Polytechnic. Each member of the consortium is tasked with addressing an aspect of intersection safety; Minnesota's efforts focus on the problem of rural intersection crashes.

The Minnesota objective is to develop a better understanding of the causes of crashes at rural intersections and then develop a toolbox of effective strategies to mitigate the high crash rate. Preliminary information seems to point to the driver's inability to correctly identify and select the gap needed for safe passage. Efforts proposed in this program address rural intersection crashes through the application of a suite of advanced surveillance technology, algorithms which predict vehicle and gap location, and driver interfaces designed to best provide necessary information to drivers at intersections. `Low tech' solutions will also be considered. The main program emphasis is on the integration of these key components into an effective, affordable system. We will focus on alternatives to traditional traffic signals as a means to decrease the frequency and severity of rural intersection crashes.

The focus is on driver error at rural intersection crashes which involve a driver on a minor roadway failing to select a proper gap in the traffic stream when trying to cross a high-speed, high-volume highway at a through/stop intersection. This problem was identified by the unsignalized intersection panel of NCHRP Study #17-18(3) which is developing guidelines for the implementation of AASHTO strategic Highway safety plan. In their report which identifies objectives and strategies for dealing with unsignalized intersections, the panel described Objective 17.1.4 Assist drivers in judging gap sizes at Unsignalized Intersections, in effect outlining a similar objective to ours. This project will specifically focus on (a) identifying the relevant rural intersection crash problem in each of the member states, (b) reviewing and reaching a consensus on the nature of a new approach to communicating the intersection conditions to the driver, i.e. a new `interface¿ that allows the driver to make better decisions about entering the intersection, (c) consideration of a test intersection in each state, and (d) working with member states to bring their test intersection into a national demonstration of the new system.

It is anticipated that each state will contribute $70,000 for this project. The funds can be transferred per the agencies discretion over three fiscal years. Committing states are asked to do so electronically.