Passing Inspections: NYSDOT Drives Through Work Zones with Pen in Hand

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) places a high priority on the safety of workers and the traveling public in the management of its capital construction and maintenance programs. Minimizing traffic congestion and adverse impacts on the local community, including environmental impacts, also are important considerations. To support these objectives, work-zone traffic control is an integral element in the management of department programs.

Work-zone management is composed of several distinct elements. Among them are: establishment of overall goals and objectives; development of standards and specifications; provision of project-specific traffic control plans; providing staff training and development; contractor/industry outreach; maintaining an accident reporting and analysis system; and maintaining an ongoing traffic control quality assurance program.

The purpose of the program is to gather information to evaluate the overall quality and effectiveness of work-zone traffic control throughout the department, to identify areas where improvement is needed and to facilitate open discussion of traffic control issues.