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Work Zones
| System Operations |
Work Zones
 | Work Zones Points-of-Contact |
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 | Work Zone Mobility and Safety Program Section of the FHWA Office of Operations Website |
| This site is the official website of the FHWA Office of Operations Work Zone Mobility and Safety Program. The website provides tools to transportation practitioners, including key reference documents, decision support tools, a featured innovative work zone practice that is updated monthly, and a calendar of events including FHWA-sponsored information exchange workshops. The website also contains the full text of applicable Federal regulations and policies, statistics that make the case for improving safety and mobility in work zones, and related links. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: Access the website address http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/index.asp. | |
 | Compendium of Work Zone Research, Development, and Technology Transfer |
| This compendium, available in CD-ROM format, is a database of recent research, development and technology transfer projects pertaining to transportation work zones. The database profiles 332 projects, including such information as the project title, project description, contributing agency, performing agency, year of completion, point of contact, and related reference documents. Users can search the database by keyword, by the different phases of work zone activity (e.g., design, operations, etc.) and by specific subject areas (e.g., worker safety, traffic management, etc.). Cost: Free To Access This Resource: To order a copy of the CD-ROM, contact workzonepubs@dot.gov. | |
| QuickZone Version 2.0 |
| QuickZone enables state and local traffic, construction, operations, and planning staff, and construction contractors, to estimate traveler delay due to work zones. QuickZone was designed to be easy to learn and use, and is suitable for both urban and interurban corridor analysis. QuickZone quantifies corridor delay resulting from capacity decreases in work zones, identifies delay impacts of alternative phasing programs, and supports trade-off analysis between construction costs and delay costs. QuickZone also enables users to consider alternative phasing schedules, assess the impacts of delay mitigation strategies, and calculate work completion incentives. Cost: $195 To Access This Resource: Order QuickZone through the McTrans Center for Microcomputers in Transportation at the University of Florida, (352) 392-0378, fax: (352) 392-3224, mctrans@ce.ufl.edu, http://mctrans.ce.ufl.edu. | |
 | Intelligent Transportation Systems for Work Zones: Deployment Benefits and Lessons Learned (FHWA-JPO-07-003) (2007) |
| This leaflet is one in a series that shows how ITS technologies can reduce congestion, in support of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Congestion Initiative. This leaflet summarizes the benefits, costs, extent of deployment and lessons learned about the use of ITS in work zones. The online version contains a full list of sources, so that all information in the leaflet's brief four pages is backed up with supporting documentation. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: To order a hardcopy, contact the Operations/ITS HelpLine, (866) 367-7487 or itspubs@dot.gov. For the online version, access the following website addresses:
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| Coordinated Freeway and Arterial Operations Handbook (FHWA-HRT-06-095) (2006) |
| This handbook provides direction, guidance and recommendations on how to coordinate freeway and arterial operations in a proactive and comprehensive manner. The handbook defines coordinated freeway and arterial operations (CFA) and discusses how to apply CFA to four areas of high pay-off: traffic incident management, work zone management, planned special events management, and day-to-day (or recurring) operations. The handbook concludes with a discussion of new technologies such as ITS and an example of CFA in an incident management program in Northern Virginia. Development of this handbook was sponsored by the Transportation Management Center Pooled-Fund Study (TMC PFS). Cost: Free To Access This Resource: Access the website address http://tmcpfs.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/cfprojects/uploaded_files/06095.pdf. | |
| Developing and Implementing Transportation Management Plans for Work Zones (FHWA-HOP-05-066) (2006) |
| This document is designed to help transportation agencies develop and implement Transportation Management Plans (TMPs) for work zones. A TMP lays out a set of work zone management strategies and describes how the strategies will be used to manage the safety and mobility impacts of a road construction or maintenance work zone. The document includes a general approach that can be used to develop TMPs, a list of components that might be included in a TMP, tips for developing effective TMPs, descriptions of work zone management strategies, and examples and best practices from agencies that are currently using TMPs. Developing and implementing TMPs is a key part of compliance with 23 Code of Federal Regulations 630 Subpart J, referred to as the "Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule," which was updated in 2004 and goes into effect in October 2007. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: To order a hardcopy, contact workzonepubs@dot.gov. For the online version, access the following website addresses:
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| Frequently Asked Questions for the Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule (2006) |
| This set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) contains questions and answers on a number of popular topics related to 23 Code of Federal Regulations 630 Subpart J, referred to as the "Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule." Questions and answers were included in this document based on questions received during webcasts and presentations on the Rule and from inquiries the FHWA has received regarding the Rule. This "living" document is being updated continuously as FHWA receives new questions on the Rule. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: Access the following website addresses:
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| Work Zone Impacts Assessment: An Approach to Assess and Manage Work Zone Safety and Mobility Impacts of Road Projects (FHWA-HOP-05-068) (2006) |
| This document is designed to help transportation agencies develop and update their own policies, processes and procedures for assessing and managing the work zone impacts of road construction and maintenance projects. The document includes a general approach for assessing the potential impacts of road projects and can be used as a decision support tool. The approach is organized along the major activities of program delivery: policy, systems planning, preliminary engineering, design, construction, performance assessment, and maintenance and operations. The document provides both generic and real-world examples to help put discussions in context and refers to resources where more information on specific topics can be obtained. Assessing the impacts of work zones is a key part of compliance with 23 Code of Federal Regulations 630 Subpart J, referred to as the "Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule," which was updated in 2004 and goes into effect in October 2007. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: To order a hardcopy, contact workzonepubs@dot.gov. For the online version, access the following website addresses:
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| Final Rule on Work Zone Safety and Mobility Brochure (FHWA-HOP-05-010) (2005) |
| This brochure provides an overview of the 23 Code of Federal Regulations 630 Subpart J, referred to as the "Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule." The Rule was updated in 2004 and becomes effective in 2007. The Rule requires all state and local governments that receive Federal-aid highway funding to develop an agency-level work zone safety and mobility policy to support systematic consideration of work zone impacts across all stages of project development. This brochure describes why the rule was updated, the goals of the rule and its primary components. The Adobe Acrobat version of the brochure also provides a flow diagram illustrating how the rule can be applied to the project delivery process. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: To order a hardcopy, contact workzonepubs@dot.gov. For the online version, access the following website addresses:
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| Final Rule on Work Zone Safety and Mobility Fact Sheets (2005) |
| This series of four fact sheets provides an overview and explores three key aspects of the 23 Code of Federal Regulations 630 Subpart J, referred to as the "Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule." The Rule was updated in 2004 and becomes effective in 2007. The Rule requires all state and local governments that receive Federal-aid highway funding to develop an agency-level work zone safety and mobility policy to support systematic consideration of work zone impacts across all stages of project development. An overview fact sheet describes why the rule was update, and how the rule should be applied at the policy, statewide, and project levels. It also lists technical assistance resources available from FHWA. Three other fact sheets explore aspects of the rule regarding work zone impacts assessment, transportation management plans (TMPs), and public information and outreach strategies. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: To order a hardcopy, contact workzonepubs@dot.gov. For the online version, access the following website addresses:
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| Implementing the Rule on Work Zone Safety and Mobility (2005) (FHWA-HOP-05-065) |
| In September 2004, FHWA published updates to the work zone regulations 23 Code of Federal Regulations 630 Subpart J, referred to as the "Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule." The Rule requires all state and local governments that receive Federal-aid highway funding to develop an agency-level work zone safety and mobility policy to support systematic consideration of work zone impacts across all stages of project development. The Rule will become effective October 12, 2007. This document provides a general overview of the Rule and overarching guidance on how to implement its provisions. This document includes guidelines, sample approaches, examples of transportation agencies that use practices that relate to the Rule, and sources for more information. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: To order a hardcopy, contact workzonepubs@dot.gov. For the online version, access the following website addresses:
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| Work Zone Public Information and Outreach Strategies (FHWA-HOP-05-067) (2005) |
| This document is designed to help transportation agencies plan and implement effective public information and outreach campaigns to mitigate the negative effects of road construction work zones. Developing and implementing such plans is a key part of compliance with 23 Code of Federal Regulations 630 Subpart J, referred to as the "Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule," which was updated in 2004 and goes into effect in October 2007. The document outlines an eight-step process for developing and evaluating these plans. The document also provides examples for each of the eight steps, a checklist of typical actions that are part of developing these plans. The document also presents specific communication strategies and provides example of how these strategies have been used. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: To order a hardcopy, contact workzonepubs@dot.gov. For the online version, access the following website addresses:
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| Full Closure for Work Zone Operations: Case Studies (2004) |
| These reports are part of a series designed to educate public sector managers about the applications and benefits of full road closure for work zones, as an alternative to the traditional practice of part-width construction. These case studies examine how transportation authorities in Delaware, Michigan and Oregon detoured traffic from one or both directions of the roadway for the purpose of performing road work. Each case study describes why a full closure approach was selected, the planning efforts involved, the benefits gained, deployment considerations, and lessons learned. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: To order a hardcopy, contact workzonepubs@dot.gov. For the online version, access the following website addresses:
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| Intelligent Transportation Systems in Work Zones: Case Studies (2004) |
| These four reports are part of a series designed to educate public sector managers about particular ITS technologies. These case studies examine how transportation authorities in Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, and New Mexico used ITS in their work zones to improve mobility and reduce crashes. Each case study describes the work zone, how the ITS system was selected, how it worked, the benefits experienced, and lessons learned. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: To order a hardcopy, contact the Operations/ITS HelpLine, (866) 367-7487 or workzonepubs@dot.gov. For the online version, access the following website addresses:
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| Work Zone Mobility and Safety Fact Sheets (2000-2004) |
| This series of fact sheets shows activities for improving mobility and safety through construction and maintenance work zones. These fact sheets highlight innovative technologies and best practices; introduce new methods, products, and tools; and share lessons learned from the real-world applications that they examine. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: To order a hardcopy, contact workzonepubs@dot.gov. For the online version, access the following website addresses:
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| Full Road Closure for Work Zone Operations: A Cross-Cutting Study (FHWA-OP-04-009) (2003) |
| These reports are part of a series designed to educate public sector managers about the applications and benefits of full road closure for work zones, as an alternative to the traditional practice of part-width construction. Full road closures involve detouring traffic, from one or both directions of the roadway, for the purpose of performing road work. By examining full road closure projects in Delaware, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oregon, and Washington, the report discusses: why a full closure approach was selected for those projects, what benefits can be expected from using full closure, what factors should be taken into consideration during the planning and operations stages, and what lessons were learned. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: To order a hardcopy, contact workzonepubs@dot.gov. For the online version, access the following website addresses:
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| Shorter Duration, Safer Work Zones, More Satisfied Travelers: Successful Applications of Full Road Closure in Work Zones (FHWA-OP-03-086) (2003) |
| These reports are part of a series designed to educate public sector managers about the applications and benefits of full road closure for work zones, as an alternative to the traditional practice of part-width construction. The brochure highlights full road closure projects in Delaware, Kentucky, Michigan, Oregon, and Ohio, providing both numerical data and quotes from officials on the benefits these areas experienced. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: To order a hardcopy, contact workzonepubs@dot.gov. For the online version, access the following website addresses:
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| Intelligent Transportation Systems in Work Zones: A Cross-Cutting Study (FHWA-OP-02-025) (2002) |
| This report is one in a series designed to educate public sector managers about particular ITS technologies. This report examines how transportation departments in Illinois, Michigan, New Mexico, and Arkansas used ITS in their work zones and recounts the benefits they experienced. The report also profiles other ITSrelated work zone products, systems, and techniques. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: To order a hardcopy, contact the Operations/ITS HelpLine, (866) 367-7487 or itspubs@dot.gov. For the online version, access the following website addresses:
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| Informed Motorists, Fewer Crashes – Using Intelligent Transportation Systems in Work Zones (FHWA-OP-01-043) (2001) |
| This brochure, one in a series designed to encourage decision-makers to invest their own budget resources in ITS, examines the safety and mobility benefits of the use of ITS in work zones. The brochure quotes elected officials and transportation professionals from around the country about the benefits they have experienced from using ITS in work zones. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: To order a hardcopy, contact the Operations/ITS HelpLine, (866) 367-7487 or itspubs@dot.gov. For the online version, access the following website addresses:
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| Maintenance and Construction Operations User Service: An Addendum to the ITS Program Plan (2001) |
| This document provides a detailed description of the maintenance and construction operations user service. This document serves as an addendum to the National ITS Program Plan in describing the 32nd ITS user service and establishes the need for including maintenance and construction operations in the National ITS Architecture, focusing on four specific functions: maintenance vehicle fleet management, roadway management, work zone management and safety, and roadway maintenance conditions and work plan dissemination. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: Access the website address http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/jpodocs/redirect/repts_pr/13465.pdf, EDL# 13465. | |
| Phoenix's Roadway Closure and Restriction System: Lessons Learned from the Metropolitan Model Deployment Initiative (FHWA-OP-01-036) (2001) |
| This is one in a series that documents lessons learned from the Metropolitan Model Deployment Initiative (MMDI). This report documents the benefits of integration between traffic management and traveler information. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: Access the website address http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/jpodocs/redirect/repts_te/13221.pdf, EDL# 13221. | |
| Methods and Practices to Reduce Motorist Delays in European Work Zones (FHWA-PL-00-001) (2000) |
| This report presents the findings of a scanning tour of several European countries to examine how these countries manage traffic flow through temporary work zones. The European highway agencies were found to adopt a customer-oriented approach towards work zones. The report concludes with several recommendations for improvement of work zone operations in the U.S. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: Access the website address http://www.international.fhwa.dot.gov/Pdfs/workzonebook.pdf. | |
| Work Zone Operations Best Practices Guidebook: Improving Mobility and Safety on Both Sides of the Barrel (FHWA-JPO-00-010) (2000) |
| This guidebook documents over 250 best practices for minimizing the impacts of road construction and maintenance on mobility and safety. These best practices were observed during a scanning tour of 26 states and consist of approaches, procedures, and technologies, including advanced technologies such as ITS. The guidebook is available in hardcopy, on CD-ROM, and online as a searchable, interactive database. Readers are invited to contribute new best practices, and the website, hardcopy, and CD-ROM versions of the guidebook all have instructions on how to do so. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: To order the hardcopy or CD-ROM, contact workzonepubs@dot.gov. For the online version, access the following website addresses:
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| Meeting the Customer's Needs for Mobility and Safety During Construction and Maintenance Operations (FHWA-HPQ-98-1) (1998) |
| This report presents the findings of a quality improvement review to assess the effectiveness of FHWA and state departments of transportation policies and procedures for reducing traffic congestion and delays during construction and maintenance operations. The report describes the current state-of-the-practice in work zones (as of 1998), identifying best practices that can help an agency achieve the state-of-the-art in this area. This report has served as a guiding document for FHWA's Work Zone Mobility and Product Safety Team. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: Access the website address http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/reports/bestprac.pdf. | |