Resources
SAFETY ANALYSES
Below are the results of safety analyses conducted for the Grand Valley Metropolitan Council (GVMC) Regional Safety Action Plan. All analyses were conducted using crash data obtained from the MiCAT data portal, used as-is.
Use the tabs below to view two different safety analysis maps for vehicle (cars, trucks, etc.), pedestrians, bicycles, motor cycles, and all modes combined. A detailed explanation for both safety analysis maps is also included.
The high injury network analysis highlights roads in the GVMC planning area that have a history of crashes based on data from 2018 – 2022 (the study period). Crash types that were used for the development of this map were one of two formal crash types:
- Fatal and Serious Injury (FSI) crashes for more common crash modes (motor vehicle, motorcycle, and all transportation modes), or
- Fatal and Injury (FI) crashes for less common crash modes (pedestrian and bicyclist).
Crashes were overlayed on the roads, and examined in segments ( like 0.2 miles for major roads and 0.1 mile for others). This allowed crash patterns to be easily identified. The darker the color, the more crashes that have resulted in deaths and/or injuries have occurred.
All analysis results are include crashes from 2018 – 2022 and summarized in the following scores which can be seen by clicking on map features. Each map below visualizes the top 15% of locations based on their respective scores.
- All Mode FSI Crash Score: Total number of fatal or serious injury crashes of any mode
- Motor Vehicle FSI Crash Score: Total number of fatal or serious injury crashes involving only motor vehicles
- Motorcycle FSI Crash Score: Total number of fatal or serious injury crashes involving motorcycles
- Pedestrian FI Crash Score: Total number of fatal or injury crashes involving pedestrians
- Bicyclist FI Crash Score: Total number of fatal or injury crashes involving bicyclists
The high risk network analysis focuses on roads that have design features linked to higher crash patterns. These are areas to proactively focus on building safety improvements.
Roadways were analyzed using the facility profile analysis methodology, which identifies unique combinations of roadway design and contextual attributes which correlate with elevated crash risk. The analysis produces a risk score for each roadway segment based on the frequency of crashes observed at similar facilities across the study area, representing the average number of crashes at comparable facilities during the study period. All facilities are categorized into one of five tiers based on their relative risk score, namely Critical, High, Medium, Low, and Minimal. Attributes considered in the analysis include:
- Roadway Class: Major Road (functional class of minor arterial and above or major/primary local roads) or Minor Road (all others)
- Lane Configuration: Two-lane or Multilane
- Setting: Urban or Rural context
- Traffic Volume: Average annual daily traffic (<1,000, 1,000-10,000, or 10,000+)
- Speed Category: Posted speed limit (≤30 MPH, 35-45 MPH, or 50+ MPH)
- % Zero Vehicle Households: Percent of households within the census block group which have zero vehicles
- % in Poverty: Percent of population within the census block group at or below 2X the poverty level
- % Young Residents: Percent of population within the census block group below the age of 18
- % Old Residents: Percent of population within the census block group age 65 years or older
- % Disabled Residents: Percent of population within the census block group with a disability
- Housing Cost Burden: Percent of households within the census block group which spend more than 30% of income on housing
- Transportation Access: Equitable Transportation Communities data transportation access subcomponent score
The results are shown on the maps by highlighting the Critical, High, and Medium risk areas. Details like average risk scores and descriptions are available by clicking on the map features.