Development of Guidelines for Handling Pedestrians in Temporary Traffic Control Areas

The objective of this project is to provide the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) with improved guidelines and traffic control standard sheets regarding the handling of pedestrians in work zones in order to meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This project is formulated around a work plan that involves: (1) a review of federal and state policies, guidelines, and standards detailing the accommodation of pedestrians in work zones; (2) focus groups to ascertain the information and guidance requirements of pedestrians in a work zone environment, including special-needs pedestrians; (3) a series of evaluations of the pedestrian components of Texas work zones; and (4) an in-depth investigation of potentially innovative technologies or strategies to improve the handling of pedestrians in work zones. These efforts have the potential to provide new insights into the interaction between pedestrians and work zone traffic control devices, determine which potentially innovative technologies and/or strategies can be of value as part of a temporary traffic control plan, and help determine appropriate recommended guidelines and temporary traffic control plan sheets that: meet the ADA requirements, are useful and helpful to pedestrians, and are of value to TxDOT.