Original article published by Ministry of Transport and Public Works (MTOP) (in Spanish)

The first presentation of results of Uruguay’s national road network safety assessment, carried out using iRAP’s Methodology, was held at the Ministry of Transport and Public Works (MTOP) this week.

The assessment covered 7,964 kilometres of national roads, excluding sections currently under construction. The iRAP system rates roads on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, with 1 representing the lowest level of safety and 5 the highest.

The results show that 82% of the sections analysed obtained at least 3-stars, meeting the road safety standard recommended by the United Nations through the World Health Organization.

The report also compared the results with a 2014 survey, which evaluated 3,700 km of roads. At that time, 50% of the sections had 3-stars or less. Ten years later, 82% have achieved the 3-star or better target, reflecting a substantial improvement in infrastructure safety.

The Minister of Transport and Public Works, Lucía Etcheverry, stated that “there is a priority and a real commitment to moving forward” on road safety issues, and that it is necessary to work together with other stakeholders.

“The results are excellent,” said Julio Urzúa, director of Global Strategic Projects at iRAP, adding that Uruguay is positioned as one of the leading countries in Latin America in terms of road safety.

Likewise, the designs of Routes 5 and 9 were evaluated and rated at least three stars, indicating that they are safe designs. “However, if users don’t respect the speed limits, the designs will no longer provide the same level of safety,” Mr Urzúa stated.

The project also included the evaluation of 50 school zones in Montevideo and its surrounding areas using the Star Rating for Schools methodology. ⁠Areas requiring improvement were identified, along with potential safety measures including safe crossings and footpaths to school.

The National Director of Roads, Federico Magnone, emphasized the importance of having “an international and objective methodology” and highlighted the progress in road safety (when comparing the results with the evaluation from 10 years ago, although noted there are still sections to address.

“This assessment will inform our budget preparation, to study these areas, define possible solutions, and attempt to continue making progress in terms of safety, which is one of the priorities set for the period,” Mr Magnone emphasized.

The presentation also included the participation of Claudia Peris, Undersecretary of Transportation and Public Works; Franco Azzato, iRAP’s Training and Accreditation Coordinator; Gabriel Guevara, Colombia’s Senior Road Safety Engineer; Adriana Varela, Manager of the Traffic Safety Division; Teresa Aisemberg, Head of the Signaling Department; and professionals and technicians from the National Roads Directorate.

Read more about the project here https://irap.org/2024/08/national-assessment-launches-in-uruguay/.

Watch video from event below (in Spanish):