A Case Study on Economic Cost Increment in Urban Highway Work Zones

Highway work zones are present in most urban and rural road networks due to road rehabilitation, maintenance, utility installation works that are carried out on roadways. The impacts related to highway work zone include traffic delays, vehicle operating cost increase, increase in road accidents, accessibility restrictions, deterioration of air quality, noise and vibration issues. This is a major concern for the public and road users. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the impact on highway work zones especially in urban areas where impacts are generally higher. The study focuses on evaluating the economic cost of highway work zone on an urban road network considering its impact on travel time and vehicle operating cost. The economic cost calculations were conducted using HDM-4 software. Evaluation of the economic impact of work zones will lead improved work zone management practices which will ultimately benefit the road users and general public.