Misunderstood Applications of Urban Work Zone Traffic Control

Traffic control manuals do not sufficiently address many of the problems associated with urban arterial work zones. The traffic control devices applied within these work zones are sometimes misunderstood by the motorist. In order for there to be safe operations within urban roadway work zones, it is important that the traffic control be applicable to this specific environment. A motorist survey was initiated on Abrams Road in Dallas, Texas, to investigate comprehension of construction traffic control devices. Abrams Road is a four-lane undivided major urban arterial roadway. The survey was designed to meet the following objectives: (a) to ascertain knowledge about work zone traffic control, (b) to determine problematic construction traffic control devices with respect to motorist comprehension, (c) to elicit information from motorists concerning overall problems with the Abrams Road project, and (d) to substantiate or negate findings from a similar study in Houston, Texas. Personal interviews were conducted with 345 respondents in the Abrams Road area. These participants were asked to respond to questions regarding work zone signing and other forms of traffic control devices. The response percentages substantiated most of the findings from the earlier study revealing that motorists have some difficulty comprehending selected work zone traffic control applications.