Technique for Identifying Hazards to Motor Vehicle and Pedestrian Safety at Urban Area Construction Projects

Frequently, there is a lack of safety provisions for pedestrians, motor vehicles and the general public in the vicinity of urban area construction activities. Research was conducted to develop a decision-making guide for identifying and mitigating hazards to the public during urban area construction. A literature review was conducted to acquire information relative to the identification and control of potential conflicts between construction activities and the general public. Based on the literature review, visits to construction projects, and discussions with practitioners, construction procedures which impact pedestrians, motor vehicles, and the general public were enumerated and specific hazards were identified and classified. The next step was to identify and recommend controls for the identified hazards. Results of the above steps were organized in a table which formed a convenient decision-making guide. The guide can be used in the pre-construction phase to assist practitioners in identifying potential motor vehicle and pedestrian safety problems caused by construction. Implementation of the guide was demonstrated using the Williamson (West Virginia) local flood protection project as a case study.