VHB was recognized for our contributions to the North Carolina Strategic Highway Safety Plan (NC SHSP) at last night’s 2025 Engineering Excellence Awards hosted by the American Council of Engineering Companies of North Carolina (ACEC NC). The annual awards celebration honors outstanding engineering projects across different practice areas: Planning & Mapping, Site Design, Transportation, Vertical, and Water & Environment. The technology-driven 2024 update to North Carolina’s SHSP received a 2025 Grand Award in the Planning and Mapping category.
Developed in collaboration with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP), and other key stakeholders, the NC SHSP aims to provide a comprehensive, data-informed roadmap to reduce fatalities and serious injuries on North Carolina’s roadways. VHB provided an innovative and technology-driven approach. The success of the project highlights VHB's leadership in the field of transportation engineering and planning and our dedication to creating safer, more sustainable communities across North Carolina.
Kara Peach, the Project Manager, was especially proud of the innovation VHB applied to the project’s equity analysis.
"We were able to use NCDOT's Transportation Disadvantage Index and crash data to identify the counties with the highest transportation disadvantage index and crash risks,” said Kara. “The resulting maps highlight the important relationship between crashes and communities with the greatest need. State, regional, and local leaders can use this information to prioritize safety improvements, investments in infrastructure, and programs, like education, that will have the greatest impact in reducing fatalities and serious injuries."
The statewide safety plan involved coordination with diverse groups and clear communication to effectively include all key stakeholders. More than 100 people from across the State, including Department Heads, participated in an in-person statewide meeting facilitated by VHB. The working groups collaborated quickly through nearly 20 meetings in a three-month span, analyzing and sharing data and developing strategies to address specific types of crashes.
The safety goals and objectives detailed in the SHSP support performance-based highway safety programs and provide strategic direction for agencies and stakeholders to move towards zero roadway fatalities. State and local agencies across the U.S. can also incorporate SHSP-related strategies and emphasis areas into similar local and regional comprehensive safety action plans, and standalone mode-specific plans, such as bicycle and pedestrian plans.
Learn how VHB is committed to improving mobility, enhancing safety, and enriching the communities we serve.
