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Main ContentUpdate on Work Zone Mobility and Safety Research from TRBJerry Ullman
Work Zone Safety and Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Countermeasures (Session 146) – This one-day workshop was devoted to the examination of work zone crash characteristics, their implications for improvements from a human factors perspective, and an assessment of how various countermeasures could help improve traffic safety in the work zone. Countermeasures examined included improved management and control of temporary traffic control signs and markings within the work zone, the use of merge management strategies, the collection and use of real-time traffic data to advise drivers approaching a work zone, the use of variable speed limits, and the use of photographic enforcement in work zones. Planning and Operating Congested Urban Work Zones (Session 208) – This session was devoted to an examination of the unique challenges encountered for work zones in highly-congested urban corridors. Discussions focused on traffic control issues, community involvement, costs, scheduling, and logistics. Presentations were provided on the contractor's perspective on urban work zone issues; coordination of work in lower Manhattan and effect of community input on work zones; methods of achieving positive public support during a major arterial reconstruction project in Austin, Texas; and strategies to mitigate the impacts of closing the Fort Bridge and Tunnel in Pittsburgh.
New Tools and Procedures to Manage Work Zone Safety and Mobility in the United States, Japan, and China (Session 539) – Papers presented in this session include: Driving Simulator Validation for Nighttime Construction Work Zone Devices; Study on Improving Worker Safety at Roadway Worksites in Japan; Influence of Heavy Vehicles on Traffic Flow in Freeway Work Zones; Data Collection Needs for Work Zone Incidents; Pavement Resurfacing Intervals in Work Zone Optimization; Estimation of Traffic Impacts at Work Zones: State of the Practice; and Functional Requirements for Highly-Portable Positive Protection Technologies in Work Zones. Evaluation of Work Zone Speed Control Tools (Session 595) – Papers presented in this session include: Development and Evaluation of Speed-Activated Sign to Reduce Speeds in Work Zones; Field Evaluation of Variable Advisory Speed Limit System for Reducing Traffic Conflicts at Work Zones; Use of Radar-Equipped Portable Changeable Message Sign to Reduce Vehicle Speed in South Carolina Work Zones; Revisiting the Use of Drone Radar to Reduce Speed in South Carolina Work Zones; and Evaluation of Strategies to Manage Speed in Highway Work Zones. Presentations from sessions 146 and 208 can be found on the TRB Work Zone Traffic Control Committee website — http://www.trb.org/directory/comm_detail.asp?c=AHB55 Papers from the other sessions will be accessible under the publications section of the National Work Zone Safety Clearinghouse website — www.workzonesafety.org Copies of all papers presented at the TRB meeting can be obtained by purchasing the 86th Annual Meeting CD-ROM, available at http://trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=7286. It is expected that TRB will eventually put individual papers from the CD-ROM on sale as it has in past years. This article may be reprinted with appropriate citation.
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Work zone safety and mobility was a popular topic at the 86th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) held January 21-25, 2007 in Washington, DC. Approximately 10,000 researchers, transportation agency personnel, educators, and students gathered during this five-day event to hear more than 3,000 papers presented and to exchange ideas on all facets of transportation. Five sessions were devoted this year specifically to work zone safety and mobility issues.
Assessment of Work Zone Traffic Control Devices and Safety Features (Session 263) – The following papers were presented in this session: Work Zone Crashes Involving Traffic Control Devices, Safety Features and Work Vehicles and Equipment; Driver Understanding of Messages Displayed on Sequential Portable Changeable Messages Signs in Work Zones; Evaluation of Alternative Date Displays for Advance Notification Messages on Portable Changeable Message Signs in Work Zones; and Assessing the Benefits of Smart Work Zone Systems.