A Road Safety Audit (RSA) is a formal safety review of an existing, or planned road or intersection. During the audit, an independent, multidisciplinary team identifies potential safety issues and opportunities for safety improvements.
RSAs have become an important part of the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). An RSA (or another engineering or planning report) is required for HSIP funding applications, and if all or part of your project is HSIP-eligible, an RSA is required for 25% design plans. For information about requesting and conducting an RSA, see the MassDOT Road Safety Audit Guidelines.
The RSA program has expanded to cover additional high-crash locations and individual crash types, such as pedestrian and bicycle hot spots. Past RSAs should always be considered when developing new roadway projects.
MassDOT's Road Safety Audit Guidelines were last updated on November 1, 2015.