CARSP SNN Video Interview Transcript (Spring 2025)

Date: February 26, 2025

Interviewer: Dr. Emily McCullogh, York University, CARSP Safety Network Newsletter, Editor

Interviewee: Jennifer Chapman is the current manager of road safety at the Manitoba Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (MTI). Jennifer has spent 20 years working in the public and private sector in the transportation planning and traffic engineering fields and spent 10 years as part of the executive committee for the Manitoba section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers.

Emily: Can you tell us a fun fact about yourself?

Jennifer: I've spent most of my life involved in Winnipeg Ukrainian dance community in some capacity, mainly as a dancer, but also as a board member, and these days just as a proud mom. My most cherished memory as a dancer happened during my final month of university classes, when there are all sorts of assignments due and presentations to be made, exams to study for. My dance group was invited to participate in two large scale shows at Winnipeg Centennial Concert Hall, one of which was with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet's production of Swan Lake, which was just an incredible opportunity. So, I was trying to complete all of the schoolwork between rehearsals and performances, and it all seems like a million years ago now, but it was one of the busiest and best months of my life.

Emily: Thank you so much for sharing, Jennifer. Sounds like quite the adventure. How did you get involved in the road safety world?

Jennifer: Prior to my new position as manager of road safety, I was a MTI traffic analysis engineer within the traffic engineering branch for many years. Whenever a project would come up that would relate to road safety I was usually involved. The more I was exposed to the subject, the more I was interested in it, and the more I realized how important the work is. I was in the right place at the right time when the department decided to create the Road Safety section. It's been exciting to be involved in this work, in building this section from the ground up, and also learning from the City of Winnipeg, who are a few months ahead of us in their creation of a road safety section. It feels like we're all part of something that can really make a difference in this province.

Emily: Thank you for sharing. I have just recently learned about the new road safety section in Manitoba. Can you tell us more about how that came about?

Jennifer: The idea for the section was already on the radar at MTI and the process was dramatically accelerated following a terrible collision that happened between a bus and a semi-trailer on the Trans-Canada Highway near Carberry, Manitoba in June 2023. Shortly after the crash, MTI developed a wide ranging response strategy to address concerns and inquiries related to the crash, and the response included immediate improvements at the intersection and the assignment of an in-service road safety review, which has since progressed to a functional design study that is nearing completion. In addition, as part of the response strategy, the need for more data-driven decisions regarding the implementation of safety improvements on a province-wide basis became apparent. This is how the need arose for dedicated staff to manage these decisions. I became the manager of road safety in June of 2024 and two additional staff members were hired in December. We've hit the ground running. During the hiring processes we've been managing a network screening assignments, an in-house systemic safety initiative, and also developed a comprehensive fatal collision review process. Things have been busy.

Emily: Thank you for sharing. It really highlights the importance of making these data-driven or evidence-informed decisions with regards to road safety and how we design our built environments. It's so unfortunate that it was sparked by a tragedy such as a collision or a crash, but it is inspiring to hear the response from the province so quickly and strongly to make sure that these collisions do not happen. Is there anything else you would like to share about the new road safety section?

Jennifer: We are all very busy trying to manage the initiatives that got started before we were all hired, and then just to keep going with other things that come up.

Emily: You mentioned you are in the process of hiring a lot of folks to fill these roles and get this work done. What advice do you have for anyone who is interested in getting involved in the road safety world?

Jennifer: If it is available to you, it would be helpful to take a course in data science. Road safety is all about data, and it seems like every week I'm learning something new that would have been helpful to know last. We have been integrating Power BI into our systemic safety work, and it's been fabulous to learn as we go, but having that kind of expertise in advance would have been a great benefit. Extensive knowledge in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is another way to enhance analysis and road safety projects. My own GIS background is mediocre at best, but we have a really great GIS group here at MTI that's very willing to listen to what you need and then help to make it happen. It's also important to separate your work life from your life as an average road traveler. A lot of the data and information we're exposed to as road safety professionals is very heavy. It is difficult to keep that from influencing you while you go about your day-to-day activities. I have not been very successful at finding a way to do this, especially in the past few years, as my kids have been learning to drive, but it is important advice to keep in mind. I have been thinking that road safety professionals need a support group to help us to learn how not to dwell on everything we know about what can happen on the road.

Emily: That's a brilliant suggestion. I too find it challenging to separate what I know about road-related injury from my own experience as a traveler, whether that be as a vulnerable road user (pedestrian, cyclist) or as a motor vehicle user or passenger. All of those trips and journeys are influenced by this knowledge we have of how it can go wrong. It is really encouraging to hear about the efforts in the province of Manitoba. Hopefully this work will motivate other provinces in Canada to devote more resources and energy to road safety, to ensure that folks are safe when traveling.

Jennifer: That's the goal.

Emily: Do you have anything else you would like to share with our audience?

Jennifer: I am a brand new CARSP member. I did attend the conference last year and I am interested to see all of what membership has to offer.

Emily: Wonderful. There are lots of really knowledgeable humans working within, and around, the road safety world and CARSP does a really lovely job of highlighting that work. Jennifer, thank you for your time. For our audience, if there is anyone you know who may be interested in sharing their road safety wisdom and work in a future CARSP member interview please feel free to reach out to info@carsp.ca.