Work Zone Design and Operation Enhancements: Final Report

Oregon Department of Transportation contractors are required to implement Traffic Control Plans (TCPs) to protect and direct traffic through work zones. The design and implementation of TCPs have shown variation from project-to-project across the State. The impact of this lack of consistency is magnified as a result of an increase in the number of work zones, higher traffic volumes, more work being conducted at night to minimize traffic interruptions, a greater number of parties (consultants) involved, and the pressure to complete projects faster. The primary purpose of this research study was to enable improved safety performance through work zones on state roadways. To fulfill this goal, the research aimed to identify ways to modify TCPs to improve their quality and consistency and develop suggested guidelines to follow to design, review, implement, and inspect TCPs. Implementation of the research results is expected to improve consistency of TCPs and decrease the number of work zone fatalities and injuries. Auxiliary benefits resulting from improvements in traffic flow through work zones and the elimination of work zone crashes will include greater mobility, smoother operations, and increased efficiency across the State’s roadway network.