Work Zone Positive Protection Guidelines

The goal of this project was to develop implementation guidance that the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) can use to make better decisions regarding when and where to use positive protection in work zones and when to consider exposure control and other traffic control measures that could improve work zone safety. The specific objectives of the project were as follows:

• Analyze the benefits and costs of using portable concrete barrier (PCB) for positive protection in work zones.
• Analyze the benefits and costs associated with the use of moveable and portable barrier technologies that can be more quickly deployed and removed at work sites than traditional PCB.
• Analyze the benefits and costs of non-positive protection devices that can be used to improve safety and reduce work zone intrusion events in work zones.
• Develop implementation guidelines for these various technologies.

Researchers also developed guidelines for portable concrete barrier use in work zones. Guidelines regarding the use of portable steel barrier, mobile barrier, and truck-mounted attenuators were also developed. General guidance and information regarding the use of exposure control measures and other traffic control measures to reduce work space intrusion risks were also included in this report.