ENHANCING VULNERABLE ROAD USER SAFETY WITH DATA-DRIVEN INSIGHTS: A FOCUS ON EQUITY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs) — including pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists — constitute over half of global road traffic fatalities, with the World Health Organization (WHO) highlighting a troubling increase in these deaths. In the U.S., this pattern underscores the urgency for innovative, community-focused safety strategies. This research employs artificial intelligence and machine learning to examine the influence of socioeconomic disparities, environmental justice, and underserved communities on VRU safety. By integrating diverse datasets — including census data, land use, environmental justice metrics, and geometric roadway design — the study identifies critical factors driving VRU crash frequency and severity. Additionally, mobility and trip data for vehicular and VRU traffic are analyzed to pinpoint conflict-prone intersections, enabling the design of targeted safety interventions. Open-source platforms like the NYS GIS Clearinghouse provide crucial data to locate high-risk intersections and propose actionable solutions. Adopting the Safe System approach, the project prioritizes cross-sector collaboration to create safer, human-centered road environments based on shared responsibility. The study focuses on three main objectives: improving data integration and accessibility, advancing predictive analytics, and developing tailored, community-specific interventions. A case study in New York State will perform a detailed risk analysis to generate data-driven, equitable solutions for improving VRU safety in underserved areas.

PRESENTERS

ELLWOOD HANRAHAN II​

With over 24 years of experience in project development, transportation demand management, and operational transportation planning, Ellwood is a seasoned professional in both the public and private sectors. Currently, he manages the development of resources and materials for communities and employers to enhance mobility and operational transportation planning at the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT). Ellwood leads the programming and development of the NYSDOT Statewide Mobility Services program, focusing on strategic planning for operations, developing outcomes-based performance metrics, improving transportation information delivery, and enhancing customer experiences on public transportation. Previously, while employed at the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), he provided program oversight and technical advisory for initiatives involving multiple Federal, State, and Industry partners. His extensive experience includes leading diverse, multi-disciplinary teams and conducting community and stakeholder outreach and technical assistance.

Ellwood has also served as the Information Communication Technology Sub-Group Chair for the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI), where he spearheaded a successful effort against a patent troll, enabling all Transit Agencies to stream real-time arrival data. Additionally, he served as the Data Processing Co-Lead and currently serves as the Outreach Co-Lead for the National Collaboration on Bike, Pedestrian, and Accessibility Infrastructure Data (NC-BPAID). His professional focus areas include Active Transportation Demand Management (ATDM), Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO), micro-mobility, public outreach, strategic planning, and technical advisory.

ABOLFAZL KARIMPOUR, PH.D

Dr. Abolfazl Karimpour is an Assistant Professor at the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute. He is also the founder and director of the Transportation Research and AI Lab. Previously, he held positions as Manager and Assistant Research Professor at the University of Arizona's Center for Applied Transportation Science. Dr. Karimpour’s research interests include Traffic Operation and Safety, Traffic Signal Optimization, Data Analytics, Public Transportation, and Smart Cities Transportation. He has published over 20 peer-reviewed research articles and presented his findings at more than 30 national and international conferences. As a PI and CO-PI, he has led numerous national, regional, and local transportation projects. He is an active member of the Transportation Research Board (TRB), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE). Dr. Karimpour serves on the TRB standing committee on Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Computing Applications (AED50) research coordinator, and is a young member of the Street and Highway Operations committee and an Associate member of the Transportation Safety committee of ASCE. He is also a panelist on NCHRP 17-100: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence and Big Data to Enhance Safety Analysis. Dr. Karimpour has received several prestigious awards, including the 2023 Dean's Excellence Award in Research Excellence, the ITE Western District Outstanding Graduate Student Award, the Jenny L. Grote Student Leadership Award, and the Southern Arizona ITE Hank Warner Scholarship.