Lane Closure Policy Development, Enforcement, and Exceptions: A Survey of Seven State Transportation Agencies

Traffic volume increases and an aging infrastructure create the need for reconstruction, rehabilitation, and maintenance of existing facilities. As more motorists feel that delays should be minimal during highway renewal projects, lane closures that reduce capacity through the work zone should not create unreasonable delays. In order to facilitate the determination of when a lane closure is permitted during the day, some state transportation agencies (STAs) have developed lane closure policies, or strategies, that they use as guidance in determining daily permitted lane closure times. Permitted lane closure times define what times of the day, week, or season a lane closure is allowed on a facility and at a specific location or segment.

This research addresses the lane closure policies of several STAs that were reputed to have good lane closures policies or strategies and that were selected by the project advisory committee for further research. These agencies include the following: California Department of Transportation (Caltrans); Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Region 1 and Region 6; Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT); Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT). Metropolitan District; Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT); Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT); and Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT). A survey was sent to each STA to help determine its actions with respect to the undocumented mechanics of the policy and to find some common ground for policy comparison.