Jason Spilak, FHWA
Peter Amakobe Atepe
Tom Notbohm
WisDOT Bureau of Highway Operations
Contractor – Engineer
Conference
January 20, 2010
ARRA Work Zone Reviews
Transportation Management Plan (TMP) Process
Reviews
Work Zone Pedestrian Accommodation
Night Work Zone Lighting Specification
Oversize/Overweight Load Permitting & Lane
Closure System Notification
Work Zone Training
Strategic Highway Safety Plan and Work Zone
Advisory Group Action Plan Update
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
(MUTCD) Update
WTBA-WisDOT Conference
January 20, 2010
Traffic Management / Work Zone Safety
FHWA - Jason P. Spilak, PE &
Bill Bremer, PE
Evaluate the overall quality and effectiveness of
work zone traffic control on WisDOT ARRA
projects.
FHWA and WisDOT engineers conducted in-depth
work zone field reviews on 28 projects.
Supplemented by other Division staff during
routine project oversight reviews.
Full range of project types from freeway
reconstruction to local bridge replacements.
Examples of traffic control layouts observed in accordance with
design standards and devices complying with specifications
Due to significant concern on lack of ability to inspect
steel pins passing through both top and bottom sets of
wire rope loops to ensure integrity of joints, and
overall poor quality of older barriers reviewed, FHWA
recommended elimination on high speed situations of
10’ barriers.
WisDOT concurred in FHWA finding that all use of old
10’ barriers must be eliminated on high speed
roadways for new projects starting in 2010.
Under the Concrete Barrier Temporary bid items, use
12.5-foot concrete barrier. The engineer will allow 10-foot
barrier in locations meeting both of the following:
- Anchoring, as specified in the plan details, is not
required.
- The posted speed is less than or equal to 40 mph.
General conclusion is that overall work zone traffic
control practices and condition of devices
continues to improve over past years but issues
(mostly isolated) continue to be observed.
General conclusion is that when WisDOT &
consultant inspection staff and prime contractor &
traffic control sub work together, a high quality
work zone safety product is achieved.
WisDOT Standard Specs 643.2.1(1) requires work zone
devices conform to the MUTCD and are in acceptable
condition as measured using ATSSA Quality Guidelines
for Temporary Traffic Control Devices & Features when
project is started.
Replace devices the Guide defines as unacceptable at
any time through the life of the project.
Maintain devices on the project at or above marginal as
defined by the Guide using techniques described in the
WisDOT spec.
Reviews found that many inspection staff did
not have a copy of the ATSSA Guide available for
use to inspect when project started.
FHWA has arranged for the purchase of an
adequate quantity of the ATSSA Guides for all
2010 project leaders and inspectors.
A Focus Review will be on the effectiveness of
Transportation Management Plans for ensuring
mobility and safety in work zones on ARRA
projects.
Review and inspection of work zone plans and
devices will continue to be a routine part of ongoing ARRA field reviews.
Transportation Management Plan
Findings:
Decisions made early on most projects
Stake holders are involved in process
Meet regularly to discuss impacts on OSOW
Public outreach helps mitigate delay
Traffic Control Devices are marginal
Flagger training is still an issue
Nighttime TC reviews are rarely conducted
Transportation Management Plan
Findings Cont.:
Contractors are not aware of the requirements in
the TMP
Chain of Communication is not clearly defined
Need for reference to TMP in contract documents
Lane closure need to be in specials
Guidance for amendment to TMP
Pedestrian Accommodation
Guidance will address:
Planning Elements
Design Elements
Considerations in the field
Pedestrian Accommodation
Planning Elements:
Determine TTC Impacts on peds
Schools,
Senior centers
Shopping areas
Transit stops etc.
Determine the level of accessibility needed
Minimize conflicts
Address ADA
Outreach to the community
Pedestrian Accommodation
Design Elements:
Provide pedestrian information
Ensure compliance with ADA
Maintain continuous accessible path
Provide TTC details for peds.
Advance signage at intersection
Advance Warning
Avoid conflict with construction equipment
Pedestrian Accommodation
Pedestrian Accommodation
During Construction in the field
Advance warning
Advance signage at intersection
Minimize ped and equipment interaction
Maintaining pathways
Sign reflectivity
Path is clear of debris and other hazards
Sidewalk detours/Closures
Provide access.
Pedestrian Accommodation
Pedestrian Accommodation
Pedestrian Accommodation
Nighttime Work Lighting
• Developed pilot Special Provision
• Lighting layout (light placement, mounting
height)
• Glare control
• Light level and uniformity
• Aiming of fixtures
Oversize/Overweight Loads
Signing for width/height restrictions
Notification needs for closures & restrictions
Install width/height restriction warning signs
if:
Available width is less than or equal to 16 feet
(show actual width minus approx. 1 foot on
sign)
Available height reduced during construction
(falsework, etc.) – allow 3-inch shy
distance/tolerance on
Review of alternate routes
Web-based system for tracking closures and
restrictions
Notification needs – required for proper
Oversize/Overweight permit issuance
Timeframes
14 days – Project start, full roadway closure, or
restriction of width, height, weight
7 days - System ramp closure
3 days – Lane and service ramp closure
Project Special Provisions
UW Transportation Information Center (TIC)
Work Zone and Flagger Safety
WisDOT Work Zone Training
Flagger Training – identify common objectives
http://tic.engr.wisc.edu/Workshops/Listing.lasso
March 23 – Barneveld
March 24 – Waukesha
March 30 – Tomah
March 31 – Stevens Point
April 1 – DePere
April 6 – Eau Claire
April 7 – Hayward
April 8 Tomahawk
March 2010 – Dates & locations to be determined
Modules for construction, design, and work zone traffic
analysis
Work zone traffic control plan/device implementation
Oversize/overweight loads
Lane closure system and analysis
Work zone TMP process review outcomes
Mitigation strategies & best practices
Temporary concrete barrier placement
Identify common training objectives
Equipment
Advance warning signing
Signaling procedures
Visibility and positioning
Appropriate flagging operation scenarios
Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) & Work
Zone Advisory Group Action Plan
Work zone crash/data analysis
Alternative project execution strategies
Law enforcement training/resources
Work zone automated speed enforcement
Work zone public awareness
Work zone crash/data analysis
Review broad statistics on number of work zone
crashes and fatalities
Identify common crash types and causes
Determine potential solutions
Alternative project execution strategies
CA4PRS software pilot
Analyze multiple staging alternatives for project
duration, production rates and all associated
costs
Law enforcement training/resources
Work zone traffic control layouts and devices
Enforcement mitigation contracts, agreements
and contingencies
Work zone automated speed enforcement
Currently prohibited by statutes
Some form of automated enforcement in at least
13 states
Evidence of reductions in high speeds and injury
crashes
Work zone public awareness
National Work Zone Awareness Week media
event
Wisconsin Broadcasters Association spots
WKOW-TV announcements
Brewers radio network
Revisions to MUTCD Part 6 –
Temporary Traffic Control
Type of Taper
Taper Length
Merging Taper
at least L
Shifting Taper
at least 0.5 L
Shoulder Taper
at least 0.33 L
One-Lane, Two-Way Traffic Taper
50 feet minimum, 100 feet maximum
Downstream Taper
100 feet per lane
- Required for all workers within the public right of
way
- Applies to all roads, not just those on the
Federal-aid system
- Option for law enforcement and first responders
to use new ANSI “public safety vests”
- Firefighters and law enforcement are exempted
from the requirement under certain conditions
- December 31, 2011 compliance date
G20-5aP
R2-1
R2-10
R2-6aP
R2-11
R2-12
Delineate path through the TTC zone when the
permanent markings are either removed or
obliterated during the work activities.
Should not be left in place longer than 14 days
Some allowable exceptions to normal
longitudinal markings requirements
Except for the TA “Notes,” information in the TA
drawings can generally be regarded as Guidance
TA 4 – stationary signs may be omitted for mobile work
if the work vehicle displays high-intensity strobe lights
TA 7 – ROAD CLOSED sign eliminated
TA 16 – lanes should be at least 10 feet wide
- TAs 37, 38, 39, 42, and 44
- Arrow board shall be used for
all freeway lane closures
- Separate arrow board shall be
used for each closed lane for
multi-lane closures