Development of an Analytical Tool for Work Zone Performance

Highway work zones are vital for infrastructure maintenance but often disrupt traffic flow, affecting safety and efficiency. While traditional evaluation methods—such as delay, queue length, and crash data—offer insights, they lack comprehensiveness. Despite improved data collection technologies, agencies struggle to interpret and apply large volumes of raw data effectively. An analytical tool was developed for work zones to address this by identifying essential performance indicators and measurements.
The research included a thorough literature review of existing studies and state-level initiatives to identify critical performance indicators. The findings informed the development of the Work Zone Performance Metrics Analytical Tool (WZPERFOMAT), a user-friendly, standards-based tool that presents performance data through tables, diagrams, and downloadable reports. This report includes an overview of the development of WZPERFOMAT and a user guide describing how to use the tool for individual projects or systemic performance measures. The tool is freely available online and operable locally. WZPERFOMAT supports agencies in evaluating work zone performance more efficiently.