Work Zone Data Management Applications and Opportunities

Highway work zones often have major safety and mobility impacts, which are made worse when travelers are unaware that they are approaching a work zone. To monitor and mitigate the mobility and safety impacts of road construction, transportation agencies, first responders, and the public require accurate information about the location, extent, and timing of construction-related closures.

This project reviewed various stakeholders’ current needs for pre-construction, real-time, and post-construction work zone information and compared these needs to the available work zone data sources and standards. The analysis identified a substantial mismatch between the roadway and lane closure data currently available and the data required to manage work zone traffic impacts effectively. To address this gap, the project developed a conceptual prototype for a tool that would facilitate self-reporting of closure details by contractors and maintenance crews.