National Academies Press: OpenBook

Work Zone Speed Management (2015)

Chapter: Front Matter

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Work Zone Speed Management. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21901.
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Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.

NAT IONAL COOPERAT IVE H IGHWAY RESEARCH PROGRAM NCHRP SYNTHESIS 482 TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD WASHINGTON, D.C. 2015 www.TRB.org Research Sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials in Cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration SubScriber categorieS Construction • Highways • Operations and Traffic Management • Safety and Human Factors Work Zone Speed Management A Synthesis of Highway Practice conSultantS John W. Shaw Madhav V. Chitturi William Bremer and David A. Noyce University of Wisconsin–Madison Madison, Wisconsin

NATIONAL COOPERATIVE HIGHWAY RESEARCH PROGRAM Systematic, well-designed research provides the most effective approach to the solution of many problems facing highway admin- istrators and engineers. Often, highway problems are of local inter- est and can best be studied by highway departments individually or in cooperation with their state universities and others. However, the accelerating growth of highway transportation develops increas- ingly complex problems of wide interest to highway authorities. These problems are best studied through a coordinated program of cooperative research. In recognition of these needs, the highway administrators of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials initiated in 1962 an objective national highway research program employing modern scientific techniques. This program is supported on a continuing basis by funds from participating mem- ber states of the Association and it receives the full cooperation and support of the Federal Highway Administration, United States Department of Transportation. The Transportation Research Board of the National Research Council was requested by the Association to administer the re- search program because of the Board’s recognized objectivity and understanding of modern research practices. The Board is uniquely suited for this purpose as it maintains an extensive committee struc- ture from which authorities on any highway transportation subject may be drawn; it possesses avenues of communication and cooper- ation with federal, state, and local governmental agencies, universi- ties, and industry; its relationship to the National Research Coun- cil is an insurance of objectivity; it maintains a full-time research correlation staff of specialists in highway transportation matters to bring the findings of research directly to those who are in a position to use them. The program is developed on the basis of research needs identi- fied by chief administrators of the highway and transportation departments and by committees of AASHTO. Each year, specific areas of research needs to be included in the program are proposed to the National Research Council and the Board by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Research projects to fulfill these needs are defined by the Board, and quali- fied research agencies are selected from those that have submitted proposals. Administration and surveillance of research contracts are the responsibilities of the National Research Council and the Transportation Research Board. The needs for highway research are many, and the National Cooperative Highway Research Program can make significant contributions to the solution of highway transportation problems of mutual concern to many responsible groups. The program, how- ever, is intended to complement rather than to substitute for or duplicate other highway research programs. Published reports of the NATIONAL COOPERATIVE HIGHWAY RESEARCH PROGRAM are available from Transportation Research Board Business Office 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 and can be ordered through the Internet at: http://www.national-academies.org/trb/bookstore Printed in the United States of America NCHRP SYNTHESIS 482 Project 20-05, Topic 45-06 ISSN 0547-5570 ISBN 978-0-309-27198-1 Library of Congress Control No. 2015939846 © 2015 National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. COPYRIGHT INFORMATION Authors herein are responsible for the authenticity of their manuscripts and for obtaining written permissions from publishers or persons who own the copyright to any previously published or copyrighted material used herein. Cooperative Research Programs (CRP) grants permission to reproduce material in this publication for classroom and not-for-profit purposes. Permission is given with the understanding that non of the material will be used to imply TRB, AASHTO, FAA, FHWA, FMSCA, FTA, or Transit development Corporation endorsement of a particular product, method, or practice. It is expected that those reproducing the material in this document for educational and not-for-profit uses will give appropriate acknowledgment of the source of any development or reproduced material. For other uses of the material, request permission from CRP. NOTICE The report was reviewed by the technical panel and accepted for publica- tion according to procedures established and overseen by the Transporta- tion Research Board and approved by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The opinions and conclusions expressed or implied in this report are those of the researchers who performed the research and are not necessarily those of the Transportation Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; or the program sponsors. The Transportation Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; and the sponsors of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program do not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers’ names appear herein solely because they are con- sidered essential to the object of the report.

The National Academy of Sciences was established in 1863 by an Act of Congress, signed by President Lincoln, as a private, non- governmental institution to advise the nation on issues related to science and technology. Members are elected by their peers for outstanding contributions to research. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president. The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to bring the practices of engineering to advising the nation. Members are elected by their peers for extraordinary contributions to engineering. Dr. C. D. Mote, Jr., is president. The National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) was established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to advise the nation on medical and health issues. Members are elected by their peers for distinguished contributions to medicine and health. Dr. Victor J. Dzau is president. The three Academies work together as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions. The Academies also encourage education and research, recognize outstanding contributions to knowledge, and increase public understanding in matters of science, engineering, and medicine. Learn more about the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine at www.national-academies.org. The Transportation Research Board is one of seven major programs of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The mission of the Transportation Research Board is to increase the benefits that transportation contributes to society by providing leadership in transportation innovation and progress through research and information exchange, conducted within a setting that is objective, interdisciplinary, and multimodal. The Board’s varied activities annually engage about 7,000 engineers, scientists, and other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia, all of whom contribute their expertise in the public interest. The program is supported by state transportation departments, federal agencies including the component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individuals interested in the development of transportation. Learn more about the Transportation Research Board at www.TRB.org.

TOPIC PANEL 45-06 RICHARD CUNARD, Transportation Research Board STEFANIE D. MAXWELL, Florida Department of Transportation, Tallahassee DHANESH “DENNIS” MOTIANI, National Operations Center of Excellence, Washington, DC ROBERT G. “BOB” PAPPE, Oregon Department of Transportation, Salem RICHARD J. “R.J.” PORTER, University of Utah, Salt Lake City LARRY VELASQUEZ, JAVEL Engineering, LLC, Santa Fe, NM JOHN WOLFORD, Maryland State Highway Administration, LaVale RANDY WOOLLEY, San Clemente, CA DANIEL GRATE, Federal Highway Administration (Liaison) SYNTHESIS STUDIES STAFF STEPHEN R. GODWIN, Director for Studies and Special Programs JON M. WILLIAMS, Program Director, IDEA and Synthesis Studies JO ALLEN GAUSE, Senior Program Officer GAIL R. STABA, Senior Program Officer DONNA L. VLASAK, Senior Program Officer TANYA M. ZWAHLEN, Consultant DON TIPPMAN, Senior Editor CHERYL KEITH, Senior Program Assistant DEMISHA WILLIAMS, Senior Program Assistant DEBBIE IRVIN, Program Associate COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAMS STAFF CHRISTOPHER W. JENKS, Director, Cooperative Research Programs CHRISTOPHER HEDGES, Manager, National Cooperative Highway Research Program EILEEN P. DELANEY, Director of Publications NCHRP COMMITTEE FOR PROJECT 20-05 CHAIR BRIAN A. BLANCHARD, Florida Department of Transportation MEMBERS STUART D. ANDERSON, Texas A&M University SOCORRO “COCO” BRISENO, California Department of Transportation DAVID M. JARED, Georgia Department of Transportation CYNTHIA L. JONES, Ohio Department of Transportation MALCOLM T. KERLEY, NXL, Richmond, VA JOHN M. MASON, JR., Auburn University CATHERINE NELSON, Salem, Oregon ROGER C. OLSON, Minnesota Department of Transportation (retired) BENJAMIN T. ORSBON, South Dakota Department of Transportation RANDALL R. “RANDY” PARK, Utah Department of Transportation ROBERT L. SACK, New York State Department of Transportation FRANCINE SHAW WHITSON, Federal Highway Administration JOYCE N. TAYLOR, Maine Department of Transportation FHWA LIAISON JACK JERNIGAN TRB LIAISON STEPHEN F. MAHER Cover figure: Three speed management techniques used in 2014 on the I-794 Hoan Bridge re-decking project in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Upper left) Reduced speed limit signs. (Upper right) Dynamic speed feedback display. (Lower) Converging chevron pavement markings (Photos: John Shaw). ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This project was undertaken with the assistance of Timothy Klockzeim, Kevin Kujawa, and Kevin Scopoline.

FOREWORD Highway administrators, engineers, and researchers often face problems for which infor- mation already exists, either in documented form or as undocumented experience and prac- tice. This information may be fragmented, scattered, and unevaluated. As a consequence, full knowledge of what has been learned about a problem may not be brought to bear on its solution. Costly research findings may go unused, valuable experience may be overlooked, and due consideration may not be given to recommended practices for solving or alleviat- ing the problem. There is information on nearly every subject of concern to highway administrators and engineers. Much of it derives from research or from the work of practitioners faced with problems in their day-to-day work. To provide a systematic means for assembling and evaluating such useful information and to make it available to the entire highway commu- nity, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials—through the mechanism of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program—authorized the Transportation Research Board to undertake a continuing study. This study, NCHRP Proj- ect 20-5, “Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Problems,” searches out and syn- thesizes useful knowledge from all available sources and prepares concise, documented reports on specific topics. Reports from this endeavor constitute an NCHRP report series, Synthesis of Highway Practice. This synthesis series reports on current knowledge and practice, in a compact format, without the detailed directions usually found in handbooks or design manuals. Each report in the series provides a compendium of the best knowledge available on those measures found to be the most successful in resolving specific problems. PREFACE By Tanya M. Zwahlen Consultant Transportation Research Board This synthesis documents information regarding the current state of practice for work zone speed management. The report compiles data, procedures, techniques, and technical issues related to observing and comparing work zone speeds. The speed management mea- sures have been organized into four categories: engineering, operational, enforcement, and public education and outreach. Information included in this study was acquired through a review of the literature, two surveys of state department of transportation representatives in all states, a compilation of state agency public information campaigns, and follow-up interviews with select survey respondents from several U.S. states and one Canadian province. Madhav V. Chitturi, John W. Shaw, William Bremer, and David A. Noyce, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, collected and synthesized the information and wrote the report. The members of the topic panel are acknowledged on the preceding page. This synthesis is an immediately useful document that records the practices that were acceptable within the limitations of the knowledge available at the time of its preparation. As progress in research and practice continues, new knowledge will be added to that now at hand.

CONTENTS 1 SUMMARY 7 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION Problem Statement Summary and Scope of This Synthesis Report, 7 Objectives of Work Zone Speed Management, 8 Speed and Safety, 9 Driver Speeding and Safety in Work Zones, 11 Worker Safety, 12 Social, Psychological, and Cultural Factors Affecting Speeding, 14 Elements of a Work Zone, 16 Measurement of Work Zone Speeds and Speed Reductions, 16 20 CHAPTER TWO WORK ZONE SPEED LIMITS Introduction, 20 Setting Work Zone Speed Limits, 20 Increased Fines for Work Zone Speeding, 25 27 CHAPTER THREE ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGIES Introduction, 27 Changeable Speed Limit Signs for Work Zones, 27 Variable Speed Limits, 27 Dynamic Speed Feedback Signs, 29 Portable Changeable Message Signs with Vehicle-Activated Speed Messages, 30 Portable Changeable Message Signs with General Speed Safety Messages, 31 Portable Changeable Message Signs Speed Feedback Trailer with “Police” Lights, 31 Augmented Enforcement System, 31 Decoy Radar, 32 35 CHAPTER FOUR ENGINEERING TECHNIQUES Introduction, 35 Physical Reduction of Lane Width, 35 Chicanes, 37 Temporary Transverse Rumble Strips, 38 Emergency Flasher Traffic Control Device, 42 Tractor-Trailer-Type Mobile Barrier Systems, 43 Gateway Assemblies, 43 Converging Optical Devices: Optical Speed Bars, Chevron Pavement Markings, and Related Techniques, 44 Sequential and Synchronized Warning Lights, 47

49 CHAPTER FIVE OPERATIONAL SPEED MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES Introduction, 49 Pilot Vehicles, 49 Pace Vehicles, 50 Rolling Closures, 51 Speed Limiters, 53 Flagging for Speed Reduction, 53 54 CHAPTER SIX TRADITIONAL “HUMAN” WORK ZONE SPEED ENFORCEMENT Introduction, 54 Police Enforcement, 54 Enforcement Effectiveness Research Findings, 56 58 CHAPTER SEVEN AUTOMATED WORK ZONE SPEED ENFORCEMENT Introduction, 58 Automated Enforcement Technologies, 58 Human and Automated Enforcement Compared, 59 Automated Enforcement as a Highway Safety Method, 60 Work Zone Automated Enforcement in the United States, 60 Establishing Automated Speed Enforcement Programs, 60 67 CHAPTER EIGHT WORK ZONE SPEEDING PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH Introduction, 67 Methodology, 67 General Findings, 71 Viewing Rates and Exceptional Cases, 71 Are Drivers Getting the Message? 72 Driver Education, 73 75 CHAPTER NINE COMBINATION TECHNIQUES FOR MANAGING WORK ZONE SPEED Introduction, 75 Florida: Motorist Awareness System, 75 Illinois: Enforcement with Speed Feedback Displays, 75 Vermont: Enforcement with Speed Feedback Displays, 77 Oregon: Combination Strategies, 77 Indiana: Enforcement with Variable Message Sign, 77 Sweden: Chicanes with Electronic Signage and Enhanced Lane Delineation, 77 80 CHAPTER TEN SURVEY OF WORK ZONE ENGINEERING AND ENFORCEMENT PRACTICES Introduction, 80 Key Findings, 80 84 CHAPTER ELEVEN SURVEY ON STATE DOT WORK ZONE PUBLIC OUTREACH EFFORTS 87 CHAPTER TWELVE CONCLUSIONS

94 GLOSSARY 96 REFERENCES 104 APPENDIX A ENGINEERING AND ENFORCEMENT SURVEY INSTRUMENT 119 APPENDIX B RESPONSES TO OPEN-ENDED ENGINEERING AND ENFORCEMENT SURVEY QUESTIONS ON WORK ZONE SPEED MANAGEMENT 125 APPENDIX C PUBLIC OUTREACH SURVEY INSTRUMENT 132 APPENDIX D RESPONSES TO OPEN-ENDED ENGINEERING AND ENFORCEMENT SURVEY QUESTIONS ON WORK ZONE SAFETY OUTREACH Note: Photographs, figures, and tables in this report may have been converted from color to grayscale for printing. The electronic version of the report (posted on the web at www.trb.org) retains the color versions.

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TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis 482: Work Zone Speed Management documents the current state of practice for work zone speed management, including data, procedures, techniques, and technical issues related to observing and comparing work zone speeds.

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