Work Zone Management in the District of Columbia: Deploying a Citywide Transportation Management Plan and Work Zone Project Management System

In a growing and congested capitol city, the challenges of maintaining traffic during construction of a multi-million dollar transportation program are immense. Managers are tasked with budgeting, planning, designing, procuring, constructing and monitoring hundreds of projects in a dynamic and politically charged environment. Critically important infrastructure, utility, maintenance and developer projects as well as capitol area special events are frequently on a national (or international) stage with high risk of traffic congestion, safety concerns and negative public perception. Washington D.C. is often listed as one of the top ten tourist destinations in the United States. With a growing resident population, commuters nearly double the number of people in the city each weekday. Additionally, Washington D.C. is often listed as the most congested urban area in the nation. Aside from recurring congestion, project construction and special events frequently strain the existing roadway network. A proactive, citywide approach to managing all work zones is helping to reduce congestion and provide the District Department of Transportation with better control of how best to schedule and approve projects as well as budget for cost-effective work zone congestion mitigation strategies. A unique Citywide Transportation Management Plan, including a dynamic Work Zone Project Management System, has been deployed to coordinate and analyze project work zones and special events throughout the City for the next five years. Graphical, web-based software tools track and assess cumulative work zone impacts. From these results, mitigation strategies are developed aimed at improving safety and mobility throughout Washington D.C.