• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Logo

Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse

Library of Resources to Improve Roadway Work Zone Safety for All Roadway Users

  • About
  • Newsletter
  • Contact
  • X
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Work Zone Data
    • At a Glance
    • National & State Traffic Data
    • Work Zone Traffic Crash Trends and Statistics
    • Worker Fatalities and Injuries at Road Construction Sites
  • Topics of Interest
    • Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety
    • Smart Work Zones
    • Work Zone Safety and MobilityTransportation Management Plans
    • Accommodating Pedestrians
    • Worker Safety and Welfare
    • Project Coordination in Work Zones
  • Training
    • Online Courses
    • FHWA Safety Grant Products
    • Toolboxes
    • Flagger
    • Certification and
      Accreditation
  • Work Zone Devices
  • Laws, Standards & Policies
  • Public Awareness
  • About
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Search
Publication

Traffic Control Management Through Construction Zones

Author/Presenter: Burritt, Benjamin E.; Guenther, Hermann A.
Abstract:

As I-70 construction activities in Colorado’s Glenwood Canyon intensified, it became increasingly clear that traditional approaches to construction traffic control could neither efficiently nor safely accommodate existing traffic volumes under the number of active construction projects that would be required to complete the canyon project on schedule. In 1984 and early 1985, traffic-handling conditions had deteriorated to the point where total loss of control was imminent and there was growing public dissatisfaction with the frequently unnecessary and indiscriminate delays. In response, the Colorado Department of Highways (CDOH) authorized its management consultant, Daniel, Mann, Johnson, & Mendenhall (DMJM), to conduct a comprehensive analysis of traffic operations and safety throughout the canyon. The comprehensive study addressed many issues and suggested an innovative approach for handling traffic that would minimize delays, decrease the potential for a complete stoppage in the canyon, and allow control to be regained. Key elements of the proposed traffic management plan included a pilot-car operation, a sophisticated communications network, a systems approach to coordinating all flagging operations, and an umbrella contract that would combine all traffic control functions in the canyon under one separate authority. CDOH authorized a test of the pilot-car operation in late April 1985, which was to continue for an indefinite period of time. Operating through three active construction projects, with combined project limits of 3.6 mi, the pilot-car operation was highly successful and the benefits became immediately obvious. Because the test was conducted initially during a month with a relatively low traffic volume, it was necessary to gain a complete understanding of the dynamics of the pilot-car operation in order to assess its ability of cope with peak summer traffic volumes. Consequently, during the initial test and in subsequent periods, a large amount of operational data was collected. After data reduction and analysis, a complete understanding was gained of the traffic flow characteristics through the construction zones.

Source: Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board
Volume: 1148
Publisher: Transportation Research Board
Publication Date: 1987
Full Text URL: Link to URL
Publication Types: Books, Reports, Papers, and Research Articles
Topics: Temporary Traffic Control; Traffic Delays; Traffic Flow

Copyright © 2025 American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA). The National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse is a project of the ARTBA Transportation Development Foundation. It is operated in cooperation with the U.S. Federal Highway Administration and Texas A&M Transportation Institute. | Copyright Statement · Privacy Policy · Disclaimer
American Road and Transportation Builders Association Transportation Development Foundation, American Road and Transportation Builders Association U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration Texas A&M Transportation Institute