The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) received a National Highway Safety Award for installing cable barriers and using other practices to reduce interstate fatalities by nearly one-third.

SCDOT is one of six state transportation departments that received National Highway Safety Awards from the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) and the Roadway Safety Foundation.

“This year’s award winners have demonstrated a commitment to saving lives and making a difference,” said Roadway Safety Foundation Executive Director Diane Steed. The award ceremony honors initiatives that save lives by improving roadway design, operations and overall planning.

Award winners include six state transportation departments, a regional transportation consortium, two counties, two cities and a state police agency. The winners were selected from more than 130 entries.

SCDOT won “for its outstanding safety practices program.”

In 2003, four significant interstate safety initiatives were undertaken to reduce fatal cross-over crashes: installation of 315 mi. (507 km) of cable barriers, speed limit reduction in urban areas, truck lane restrictions and interchange ramp upgrades. Interstate fatalities were reduced by 31 percent, saving an estimated 148 lives in 2 years.

“At SCDOT, highway safety is a top priority,” SCDOT Executive Director Elizabeth S. Mabry said. “Our mission is to provide a safe and efficient transportation system in South Carolina, and we are always looking for innovative ways to do that. We consider one highway fatality one too many.”

Mabry thanked the Federal Highway Administration and the Roadway Safety Foundation for the award.

“We have a great partnership with FHWA in South Carolina and are fortunate to have such an excellent, day-to-day working relationship,” Mabry said. “The public benefits greatly from such teamwork.”

Mary Peters, administrator, Federal Highway Administration, and Diane Steed, executive director, Roadway Safety Foundation, presented the award to SCDOT.

This story also appears on Crane Equipment Guide.

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