Safety-Driven Design in Action: A Case Study from the San Benito Turbo Roundabout Project

When: June 5, 2025 | 3:00 - 4:00 PM ET

This webinar is led by the ITE Safety Council.

Webinar Description:

Safety-driven design represents a fundamental shift in transportation engineering—a fresh perspective where safety isn't merely a compliance checkpoint but the primary force shaping every design decision. This approach inverts traditional methodologies by integrating comprehensive safety analysis from the earliest conceptual phases, quantitatively identifying safety risks for all road users and enabling designers to actively engineer solutions that eliminate these hazards before they're built.

The San Benito turbo roundabout at the intersection of highways 25 and 156—the first turbo roundabout in California and only the second of its kind in the United States—stands as a compelling case study in this design philosophy by making design decisions based on the safety of all users of this location. This webinar explores how this groundbreaking project demonstrates the principles of safety-driven design in action, transforming a previously challenging highway junction into a space where all road users can navigate with confidence.

Through examining this successful implementation, attendees will gain valuable insights into how safety-driven design represents the only viable path to achieving Vision Zero. By fundamentally understanding safety issues and incorporating them into initial decision-making processes, this project demonstrates how communities can create more effective, efficient, and inclusive transportation solutions that eliminate fatalities and serious injuries.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the key principles of safety-driven design and how they differ from traditional design approaches
• Gain insights into the specific safety features and innovations implemented in the San Benito turbo roundabout project
• Understand how to apply the safety-driven design approach in your future projects to create safer, more inclusive transportation networks

Moderator: Karen Giese, P.E., Vice President of Business Development | Transoft Solutions | Portland, Oregon, USA

Presenters:

• Ben Jensen. Project Manager | California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) | San Luis Obispo, California, USA
• Anurag Pande, Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering | California Polytechnic State University | San Luis Obispo, California, USA