Applying the Principles of the Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule to Design-Build Projects: Two Case Studies

The Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule (the Rule), published in 2004, aims to bring about greater consideration and understanding of work zone impacts throughout project development; minimization of those impacts where possible through scheduling, coordination, design, and staging decisions; and better management of remaining impacts during construction. While the principles advocated by the Rule apply to design-build projects, they may need to be applied somewhat differently to address the differences in process between design-build and traditional design-bid-build processes. This case study report describes how the good work zone planning, design, and management principles of the Rule were applied to two design-build projects, the US 285 Design-Build Project in Colorado and the I-85 Corridor Improvement Project in North Carolina, and how application of these principles differed from traditional design-bid-build projects. Lessons learned from the two case studies and other research will be used to identify tips, guidance, and other resources that may be helpful to agencies and design-builders to facilitate application of the principles of the Rule to design-build projects.