Agency Practice Considerations for Work Zone Event Data Recordkeeping and Analysis

With advances in transportation information systems and intelligent roadway technologies, agencies are now able to collect, manage, and archive significant amounts of transportation-related data, including emerging sources of work zone event data (WZED). WZED is defined as the set of data elements that describe the operational effects of a work zone including the type of work, schedule, location, geometry, lane status, restrictions, traffic control, and detour routes. Effective WZED record keeping makes it feasible to incorporate data-driven decision making and performance measures into an agency’s work zone management strategy. This emphasis on a performance management approach towards work zone planning and operations has become well established at the federal level, starting with the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) Act in 2012 and continuing through the present-day Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). Moreover, access to real-time, robust, standardized WZED is set to play an increasingly critical role in supporting work zone safety and mobility as smart infrastructure and connected and automated vehicle technologies become increasingly widespread and integrated into the transportation network.