Evaluation of Speed Trailers at High-Speed Temporary Work Zones

This paper describes an evaluation of the use of a speed trailer in rural high-speed temporary work zones. Three conditions were evaluated; normal traffic control, a speed trailer and speed advisory sign, a radar done and speed advisory sign. Speed profiles were obtained for passenger cars and trucks as they approached and traversed three rural high-speed work zones. The profiles were used to assess the impact of the speed trailers with advisory speed signs and radar drones with advisory speed signs.
The results of this evaluation showed that speed trailers and radar drones are effective in reducing the mean speed and percent of speeders in the work zones. At rural high-speed temporary work zones, speed reductions inside the work zone when a speed trailer is used can be expected to be about 2 to 3 mph greater than when radar drone and speed advisory signs are used. Overall, speed trailers used at rural high-speed temporary work zones can be expected to produce speed reductions of about 5 mph inside the work zone.