Evaluation of Orange Removable Rumble Strips for Highway Work Zones

2000 ◽  
Vol 1715 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Meyer
Keyword(s):  
New Product ◽  
Work Zone ◽  
Department Of Transportation ◽  
Work Zones ◽  
Repair Site ◽  
Maintenance Work

Rumble strips can be effective in alerting drivers to road conditions that merit special attention. The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) requires the deployment of rumble strips on state routes during maintenance work that necessitates the closure of a lane on a two-lane highway. In such a case, a temporary signal is placed at each end of the work zone, and rumble strips are used to alert drivers that they may need to stop. Currently, cold-mix asphalt is used to create the rumble strips. A new product, orange removable rumble strips, promises to reduce significantly the effort required to apply and to remove rumble strips, while improving safety by increased conspicuity. These removable rumble strips were evaluated at a bridge repair site in rural Kansas. Vehicle speeds were recorded with only the standard asphalt rumble strips in place; then the removable rumble strips were installed and more speed data were collected. Installation and removal times also were compared. Strips were easily applied and easily removed. The audible and tactile effects of the strips were weak due to their 3.2-mm (1/8-in.) thickness in comparison with the 12.7 to 19 mm (1/2 to 3/4 in.) thickness of standard asphalt rumble strips. However, the orange removable rumble strips were found to have a significant effect on vehicle speeds, attributable to their high visibility. KDOT plans to conduct another evaluation using a version of the same device that is 20 percent thicker.

Work Zone Coordination Software Tool

2017 ◽  
Vol 2617 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bekir Bartin ◽  
Kaan Ozbay ◽  
Matthew D. Maggio ◽  
Hao Wang
Keyword(s):  
New Jersey ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Software Tool ◽  
Work Zone ◽  
Department Of Transportation ◽  
Work Zones ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Departments Of Transportation ◽  
Transportation Agencies

Faced with a growing number of work zones, transportation agencies are being challenged to effectively manage the impacts of these zones, alleviate congestion, and maintain the safety of motorists and workers without disrupting project schedules. Coordinating work zones has already been practiced by various state departments of transportation and transportation agencies, yet there are no universal department of transportation policies that address how agencies should coordinate or consolidate projects. In addition, only a few states utilize computer tools specific to regional or corridor-based work zone coordination. State departments of transportation mostly coordinate significant and long-term projects. However, the majority of roadway projects include minor repair, roadway maintenance, bridge maintenance, surveying, and landscape and utility work that require relatively short-term work zones. The Work Zone Coordination Software tool was developed to provide the New Jersey Department of Transportation with an easy-to-use tool to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of coordinating short- and long-term work zones and to measure the benefits. This online tool is implemented with a web-based user interface. It integrates all scheduled and active construction projects, identifies conflicts between work zone projects, and estimates the benefits of conflict mitigation. The Work Zone Coordination Software tool works with the New Jersey work zone database by automatically importing data to provide up-to-date information to its users. However, the tool is built on a flexible framework that allows the integration of any work zone database provided that it includes all the required information.

Risk Analysis of Freeway Lane Closure during Peak Period

2005 ◽  
Vol 1908 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jake Kononov ◽  
Zane Znamenacek
Keyword(s):  
Risk Analysis ◽  
Work Zone ◽  
Department Of Transportation ◽  
Ability To Work ◽  
Peak Period ◽  
Maintenance Work ◽  
Closure Policy ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Cost Of Construction ◽  
Colorado Department

This paper examines risks associated with peak period lane closure during construction or maintenance work on urban freeways. In accordance with recently implemented policy by the Colorado Department of Transportation, lane closure would be allowed if reserve capacity were available. A relatively minor accident in the work zone caused substantial delays during the peak period that virtually paralyzed traffic in the Denver, Colorado, metropolitan area. This occurrence caused reexamination of the existing lane closure policy. Generally speaking, if a contractor is allowed greater flexibility in establishing work schedules, including the ability to work through peak periods, a lower bid can be expected. This paper compares savings in the cost of construction related to allowing lane closure during peak periods with the cost of potential incident-related delays in the framework of a quantitative risk analysis.

Analysis of Fatal Crashes in Georgia Work Zones

2000 ◽  
Vol 1715 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janice Daniel ◽  
Karen Dixon ◽  
David Jared
Keyword(s):  
Work Zone ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Department Of Transportation ◽  
Work Zones ◽  
Vertical Alignment ◽  
Fatal Crash ◽  
Fatal Crashes ◽  
Construction Activity ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Using Data

Studies on work zone crashes typically examine a combination of injury, fatal, and property damage crashes to identify factors that contribute to unsafe conditions within work zones. Few studies focus on fatal crashes within work zones, although a clear understanding of the driver, roadway, and work zone conditions associated with fatal crashes will facilitate the development of strategies aimed at improving safety and reducing fatal as well as nonfatal crashes. The Georgia Department of Transportation recently performed a study to identify the manner of collision, location, and construction activity associated with fatal crashes in work zones. This study is expanded further to examine the difference between fatal crash activity within work zones compared with fatal crashes in non-work-zone locations. Using data from three work zone locations in Georgia, fatal crash activity within work zones also was compared with nonfatal crashes within work zones. Finally, fatal crash activity was examined to determine the influence of the work zone activity on the frequency of fatal crashes. The overall findings of the study indicate that the work zone influences the manner of collision, light conditions, truck involvement, and roadway functional classification under which fatal crashes occur. The study also indicates that fatal crashes in work zones are more likely to involve another vehicle than non-work-zone fatal crashes, and fatal crashes in work zones are less influenced by horizontal and vertical alignment than are non-work-zone crashes.

Crash Testing and Evaluation of Work Zone Barricades

1998 ◽  
Vol 1650 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger P. Bligh ◽  
King K. Mak ◽  
Lewis R. Rhodes
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Control ◽  
Work Zone ◽  
Department Of Transportation ◽  
Work Zones ◽  
Impact Performance ◽  
Crash Testing ◽  
Texas Department ◽  
Control Devices ◽  
Traffic Control Devices ◽  
The Impact

Proper traffic control and delineation are critical to achieving safety in work zones. However, the work zone traffic control devices themselves may pose a safety hazard to vehicle occupants or work crews when impacted by errant vehicles. Thus, there was a need to research the safety performance of work zone traffic control devices to ensure that they perform satisfactorily and meet NCHRP Report 350 guidelines. Several research studies sponsored by the Texas Department of Transportation evaluated the impact performance of various work zone traffic control devices, such as temporary and portable sign supports, plastic drums, sign substrates for use with plastic drums, traffic cones, and vertical panels. Specifically addressed are the studies on barricades. Standard wooden barricade construction was found to be unacceptable due to a demonstrated potential for intrusion of fractured members into the occupant compartment. In response to deficiencies identified in the wooden barricade tests, several alternate barricade designs were developed and successfully tested.

Immersive Work Zone Inspection Training using Virtual Reality

2020 ◽  
Vol 2674 (12) ◽  
pp. 224-232
Author(s):  
Khaled Aati ◽  
Daeyeol Chang ◽  
Praveen Edara ◽  
Carlos Sun
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Traffic Control ◽  
Work Zone ◽  
Department Of Transportation ◽  
Work Zones ◽  
Historical Knowledge ◽  
Learning Module ◽  
Actual Experience ◽  
Control Procedures ◽  
Training Practice

Can virtual reality tools be used to train engineers that inspect work zones? In this paper, we share the findings of a research project that developed an interactive and immersive training platform using virtual reality to train state department of transportation (DOT) staff that inspect work zones for compliance. Virtual reality offers an immersive platform that closely replicates the actual experience of an inspector driving through a work zone, but in a safer, cheaper, and quicker way than field visits. The current training practice involves reviewing temporary traffic control procedures, and reports and pictures from previous inspections. The developed platform consists of a learning module and an immersive module. The learning module is founded on the historical knowledge gained by DOT staff from inspections dating back at least 5 years. This knowledge incorporated representative inspection reports from previous years from all DOT districts including photographs of deficiencies. The synthesized knowledge was converted into a concise easy-to-consume format for training. The immersive module places the trainee in a vehicle moving through a work zone, thus providing a realistic experience to the engineer before inspecting a real work zone. The research team developed and tested two immersive scenarios of a freeway work zone. The training platform was tested by 34 individuals that worked for the Missouri Department of Transportation. An overwhelming majority (97%) agreed that virtual reality offered a realistic and effective way to train inspectors.

scholarly journals Effect of Work Zone Lighting on Drivers’ Visual Performance and Perceptions of Glare

2017 ◽  
Vol 2617 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajaram Bhagavathula ◽  
Ronald B. Gibbons
Keyword(s):  
Detection Task ◽  
Construction Workers ◽  
Work Zone ◽  
Visual Performance ◽  
Department Of Transportation ◽  
Work Zones ◽  
Light Levels ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Virginia Smart Road ◽  
The U.S

Nighttime crashes at work zones are major concerns for construction workers and motorists. Although in a majority of the U.S. states, department of transportation specifications for work zone lighting mention that contractors should reduce glare for workers and drivers, only two states advocate detailed specifications like light positions, orientation, and light levels. Although some studies have examined the impact of glare from work zone lights on workers and others have calculated veiling luminance levels for drivers in the work zone, the effect of work zone lighting on drivers’ visual performance and glare perception has never been studied in a realistic setting. The goal of this study was to understand the impact of commercially available portable light towers (metal halide, LED, and balloon) and their orientation on drivers’ visual performance and their perceptions of glare. Participants drove through a realistic work zone simulated on the Virginia Smart Road. Visual performance was assessed by a detection task and perception of visibility and glare were assessed by questionnaires. Results indicated that the type of light tower and its orientation affect visual performance and perceptions of visibility and glare. Light towers aimed toward the driver resulted in lowering drivers’ visual performance, both objectively and subjectively. When the light towers were aimed away from or perpendicular to the driver, the visual performance was higher and the differences in visual performance between the types of light towers were minimal. These findings indicate that these orientations should be preferred for work zone light towers.

Risk Analysis Techniques for Safety Evaluation of Highway Work Zones

2000 ◽  
Vol 1715 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Maria Elias ◽  
Zohar J. Herbsman
Keyword(s):  
Risk Analysis ◽  
Safety Evaluation ◽  
Highway Safety ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Work Zone ◽  
Work Zones ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Work Zone Safety ◽  
Accident Data ◽  
Temporary Closure

Construction sites or work zones create serious disruptions in the normal flow of traffic, resulting in major inconveniences for the traveling public. Furthermore, these work zones create safety hazards that require special consideration. Current legislation and programs, at both state and national levels, emphasize the need for a better understanding of work zone problems to address work zone safety. This reality—coupled with the temporary closure of more miles of highway every year for rehabilitation and maintenance—makes the analysis of safety at construction sites a serious matter. A summary of a comprehensive study associated with the development of a new practical approach to address highway safety in construction zones is presented. Because empirical models require sample sizes that are not attainable due to the intrinsic scarcity of construction zone accident data, the problem was studied from the point of view of risk analysis. Monte Carlo simulations were used to develop risk factors. These factors are meant to be included in the calculations of additional user costs for work zones, or simply applied as risk measurements, to optimize the length and duration of closures for highway reconstruction and rehabilitation projects. In this way, it will be possible to assess the danger of work zones to the traveling public and minimize adverse effect of work zones on highway safety.

Application of LiDAR and Connected Vehicle Data to Evaluate the Impact of Work Zone Geometry on Freeway Traffic Operations

2018 ◽  
Vol 2672 (16) ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle M. Mekker ◽  
Yun-Jou Lin ◽  
Magdy K. I. Elbahnasawy ◽  
Tamer S. A. Shamseldin ◽  
Howell Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Work Zone ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Vehicle Speed ◽  
Connected Vehicle ◽  
Traffic Operations ◽  
Work Zones ◽  
Geometric Data ◽  
Vehicle Data ◽  
The Impact

Extensive literature exists regarding recommendations for lane widths, merging tapers, and work zone geometry to provide safe and efficient traffic operations. However, it is often infeasible or unsafe for inspectors to check these geometric features in a freeway work zone. This paper discusses the integration of LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging)-generated geometric data with connected vehicle speed data to evaluate the impact of work zone geometry on traffic operations. Connected vehicle speed data can be used at both a system-wide (statewide) or segment-level view to identify periods of congestion and queueing. Examples of regional trends, localized incidents, and recurring bottlenecks are shown in the data in this paper. A LiDAR-mounted vehicle was deployed to a variety of work zones where recurring bottlenecks were identified to collect geometric data. In total, 350 directional miles were covered, resulting in approximately 360 GB of data. Two case studies, where geometric anomalies were identified, are discussed in this paper: a short segment with a narrow lane width of 10–10.5 feet and a merging taper that was about 200 feet shorter than recommended by the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. In both case studies, these work zone features did not conform to project specifications but were difficult to assess safely by an inspector in the field because of the high volume of traffic. The paper concludes by recommending the use of connected vehicle data to systematically identify work zones with recurring congestion and the use of LiDAR to assess work zone geometrics.

scholarly journals Improved Road Safety at Work Zones using Advanced Traveler Information Systems

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mustafa Suhail Almallah ◽  
Qinaat Hussain ◽  
Wael K. M Alhajyaseen ◽  
Tom Brijs
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Safety ◽  
Driving Simulator ◽  
Work Zone ◽  
Speed Limit ◽  
Work Zones ◽  
Treatment Scenario ◽  
Lane Changing ◽  
Variable Message Signs ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Message Signs

Work zones are road sections where road construction or maintenance activities take place. These work zones usually have different alignment and furniture than the original road and thus temporary lower speeds are adopted at these locations. However, drivers usually face difficulty in adopting the new speed limit and maneuvering safely due to the change in alignment. Therefore, work zones are commonly considered as hazardous locations with higher crash rates and severities as reported in the literature. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of a variable message signs (VMSs) based system for work zone advance warning area. The proposed system aims at enhancing driver adaptation of the reduced speed limit, encourage early lane changing maneuvers and improve the cooperative driving behavior in the pre-work zone road section. The study was conducted using a driving simulator at the College of Engineering of Qatar University. Seventy volunteers holding a valid Qatari passenger car driving license participated in this study. In the simulator experiment, we have two scenarios (control and treatment). The control scenario was designed based on the Qatar Work Zone Traffic Management Guide (QWZTMG), where the length of the advance warning area is 1000 m. Meanwhile, the treatment scenario contains six newly designed variable message signs where two of them were animation-based. The VMSs were placed at the same locations of the static signs in the control scenario. Both scenarios were tested for two situations. In the first situation, the participants were asked to drive on the left lane while in the second situation, they were instructed to drive on the second lane. The study results showed that the proposed system was effective in motivating drivers to reduce their traveling speed in advance. Compared to the control scenario, drivers’ mean speed was significantly 6.3 and 11.1 kph lower in the VMS scenario in the first and second situations, respectively. Furthermore, the VMS scenario encouraged early lane changing maneuvers. In the VMS scenario, drivers changed their lanes in advance by 150 m compared to the control scenario. In addition, the proposed system was effective in motivating drivers to keep larger headways with the frontal merging vehicle. Taking into account the results from this study, we recommend the proposed VMS based system as a potentially effective treatment to improve traffic safety at work zones.

Validating the Performance of the FHWA Work Zone Model Version 1.0: A Case Study along I-91 in Springfield, Massachusetts

2018 ◽  
Vol 2672 (16) ◽  
pp. 46-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Berthaume ◽  
Lauren Jackson ◽  
Ian Berg ◽  
Brian O’Donnell ◽  
Christopher L. Melson
Keyword(s):  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Near Field ◽  
Work Zone ◽  
Driver Model ◽  
Zone Model ◽  
Work Zones ◽  
Simulation Tools ◽  
Zone Management ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Model Components

Central to the effective design of work zones is being able to understand how drivers behave as they approach and enter a work zone area. States use simulation tools in modeling freeway work zones to predict work zone impacts and to select optimal design and deployment strategies. While simple and complex microscopic models have been used over the years to analyze driver behavior, most models were not designed for application in work zones. Using data collected from an instrumented research vehicle and model components from two PhD dissertations, FHWA created the Work Zone Driver Model and programed the Work Zone Driver Model DLL v1.0, a software that could override car-following in commercial microsimulation software packages so that practitioners can better predict work zone impacts. This paper demonstrates the capabilities of the FHWA Work Zone Driver Model DLL v1.0, interfaced with VISSIM and tested on an Interstate work zone in Springfield, Massachusetts. The dynamic link library’s (DLL’s) performance is compared with field data collected using an instrumented research vehicle and to Weidemann 99 in VISSIM. Performance metrics were selected to align with state department of transportation work zone management efforts. Results showed acceptable performance from the DLL, as it predicted queue locations and travel speeds that were near field observations. Limitations of the DLL and interface are discussed, and opportunities for improving version 2.0 are described.

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