Data-Driven Approaches to Improve Work Zone Safety

Michigan State University hosted a free webinar focused on data-driven approaches to improve work zone safety. This has become an area of increasing importance to transportation agencies, particularly with federal emphases on performance measurement, as well as process and programmatic reviews. This webinar highlighted a series of promising approaches that agencies can use to make informed decisions as a part of work zone planning, design, and operations. Specific content that was covered included:

• Overview of work zone data considerations
• Evaluation of work zone safety performance
• Monitoring of work zone safety using probe/connected vehicle data
• Determination of positive protection in work zones
• Deployment and maintenance of longitudinal barriers in work zones

This webinar, which was sponsored through 2016 Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Work Zone Safety Grant No. 693JJ31750003, was geared towards engineers, planners, designers, and other practitioners involved in work zone management. The webinar speakers included:

• Peter Savolainen, Michigan State University
• John McGregor, Indiana Department of Transportation
• Mischa Kachler, Indiana Department of Transportation
• Chuck Suszko, California Department of Transportation
• R.J. Porter, VHB
• Jerry Ullman, Texas A&M Transportation Institute