PSI Wins ACEC Grand Conceptor Award for the Traffic Safety Input (TSI) Prioritization Model
In 2021, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) launched its Traffic Safety Investigation (TSI 1.0) program, empowering residents to report neighborhood traffic safety concerns. However, the first-come, first-served model led to a growing backlog of requests and equity concerns, as more vocal and connected communities often received faster attention, leaving higher-risk, underserved areas behind.
Recognizing the need for change, DDOT partnered with PSI and other consultants to develop the Traffic Safety Input (TSI 2.0) program – a smarter, data-driven prioritization model designed to advance transportation equity and public safety.
The TSI 2.0 model scores and prioritizes traffic safety requests using objective factors, including:
- Roadway Characteristics and Crash Patterns
- Proximity to Vision Zero High Injury Network corridors
- Presence of vulnerable users near schools, transit hubs, and community centers
- Social Equity Metrics – based on the DC Equity Area Study’s Race and Ethnicity Index, Disability Index, and Census-based income data.
By weighting requests in areas with higher vulnerability scores and lower incomes, the new model ensures that transportation safety interventions are prioritized where they are needed most – helping to correct historic inequities and protect all residents, regardless of zip code.
The TSI 2.0 program stands as a national model for embedding equity into transportation safety planning, translating data into real, measurable community impact.