Implementation of Transportation Management Plans (TMPs)

1. Implementation of Transportation Management Plans (TMPs) Presented by Tracy Scriba Federal Highway Administration AASHTO Design Meeting July 15, 2008

2. Agenda • Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule • TMP Basics • What Role do Designers Play in Developing TMPs? • State of the Practice for TMPs • TMP Development Resources

3. Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule • Published Sept 9, 2004 in Federal Register (69 FR 54562) • Updates and Renames 23 CFR 630 Subpart J • Effective Date of Oct 12, 2007 • Establishes requirements and guidelines for consideration and management of WZ impacts • Requires development and implementation of TMPs for all Federal Aid highway projects (among other things)

4. TMP Basics: What is a TMP? • A document that lays out a set of coordinated transportation management strategies and describes how they will be used to manage the work zone impacts of a road project

5. TMP Basics: Why TMPs? • Traffic management efforts beyond temporary traffic control (TTC) plans are needed to deal with the increasing traffic volumes using the same roads on which agencies need to perform maintenance and rehabilitation • Has affects on: • Safety • Mobility • Constructability • TMPs = more comprehensive approach to managing WZ impacts

6. Basics: TMP Components • A TMP may be a single document, or several documents/plans compiled together • Must always include a Temporary Traffic Control Plan (TTC) • For significant projects, TMPs must also contain a traffic operations (TO) component and a public information and outreach (PI) component Simply stated, a significant project is a project that the agency expects will cause a relatively high level of disruption.

7. Basics: When is a TMP Developed? TMP development should begin during systems planning and progress through design • Conducting TMP analyses early in project development helps ensure: • Systems planning and preliminary engineering: TMP development and implementation costs are included in the project budget • Design: Agencies consider WZ impacts in evaluation and selection of design alternatives  For some projects it may be possible to choose a design alternative that alleviates many WZ impacts • Final TMP development occurs during DESIGN

8. TMP Development Process (from Developing and Implementing TMPs for Work Zones)

9. What Role do Designers Play in Developing TMPs?

10. During Design… • Final assessment of WZ impacts is done, which should affect the choice of: • Best construction/staging option(s) • Most suitable design and contracting approach • Most appropriate WZ traffic management strategies

11. TMP Strategies to Manage WZ Impacts • Designers are encouraged to consider these strategies early on in the process for all projects, even if they aren’t included in the TMP

12. Construction phasing/staging Night work Weekend work Work hour restrictions for peak travel Full roadway closures Lane shifts or closures Reduced lane widths to maintain # of lanes Lane closures to provide worker safety Reduced shoulder width to maintain # of lanes Shoulder closures to provide worker safety Lane shift to shoulder/median to maintain # of lanes One-lane, two-way operation Two-way traffic on one side of divided facility (crossover) Reversible lanes Ramp closures/relocation Freeway-to-freeway interchange closures Pedestrian/bicycle access improvements Business access improvements Off-site detours/use of alternate routes Traffic Control/Design Approaches

13. Identification of TMP Strategies • Should be based on: • project constraints • construction phasing/staging plan • type of work zone • anticipated WZ impacts • Some agencies use strict lane closure policies/strategies or permissible lane closure times that must be followed • Agencies may use analysis tools to predict delays, queues, and impacts of detours and compare these for various strategies

14. Decisions During Design Impact TMPs • Design-level decisions can influence the choice of WZ management strategies • As specific decisions are made, WZ management strategies should also be reassessed to determine if they still apply and whether they adequately mitigate the WZ impacts of the project Example: Preliminary engineering assessments may result in the identification of 2 alternate "construction and WZ management approaches" – 1) night work with a basic TMP, and 2) daytime work option with a more complex TMP. As design progresses, more information may become available on the feasibility of each of the approaches, leading to the elimination of the night work option. Therefore, the day option would be chosen and TMP strategies such as signal retiming and a traffic incident management plan might be used.

15. Decisions During Design Impact TMPs • Detailed quantitative analysis during design may be the best way to get a clear understanding of the expected WZ impacts of a project • Most project decisions are finalized during design as the project design/construction team gains the best understanding of how exactly the project will be built A quantitative analysis conducted during design can: • Yield the best estimation of the magnitude, location, duration, and costs of the WZ impacts • Help identify the management strategies that best mitigate the impacts • Help avoid omission or oversight of WZ safety and mobility issues prior to final design • Help identify and address issues that may lead to a work stoppage during the construction stage (e.g., queue lengths or delays in excess of agency policy)

16. Decisions During Design Impact TMPs • During detailed design, quantitative analysis is more detailed and will lead to the development of the final design and TMP for the project Example: Early WZ impacts analysis done during preliminary engineering using a sketch-planning tool may indicate that traffic diversion to the designated alternate route for the project would be significant, leading to a preliminary decision to upgrade and re-time the traffic signals on the alternate route. In design a more detailed analysis using a micro-simulation tool is conducted to estimate actual diversion patterns, the volume of traffic expected to divert to the alternate, and the intersections that would be affected. This analysis may then be used to identify the number of traffic signals that need to be upgraded and the exact nature of the upgrades, and to develop the signal timing plans and estimate the costs.

17. Caltrans I-15 Devore PCCP Reconstruction: Closure Schedule, Cost, Delay Comparison

18. TMP State of the Practice

19. TMP Beginnings • Idea for TMP provision in WZ Rule came from Caltrans • Caltrans began requiring TMPs in 2000 for all planned activities on the State highway system • Implementation of TMPs in California has helped to significantly reduce delays in work zones In Caltrans District 7, on the I-10 Long-Life Pavement Project, the TMP helped reduce traffic demand by an estimated 57 percent, queue lengths to 2 miles from the originally projected 44 miles, and projected delays from an estimated 1,000,000 to 16,000 total vehicle hours of delay.

20. TMP Findings - 2007 WZ Self Assessment • TMPs are still a developing area • Has the agency established a policy for the development of TMPs to reduce WZ congestion and crashes? • Average score for this item increased by 14% in 2006 and by 20% in 2007 • Average score was 8.5, indicating agencies are in the execution stage of adopting TMPs into their WZ practices • Two-thirds (67%) of agencies are implementing a policy for developing TMPs

21. Caltrans TMP Fact Sheet • Provides information about Caltrans TMP Development Process • Discusses TMP categories, roles and responsibilities, and lessons learned for Caltrans

22. Caltrans TMP Development Process

23. Caltrans TMP Levels

24. What Worked for Caltrans? • Encourage design and project staging that minimizes potential traffic impacts • Have District Traffic Manager and TMP Manager sign off on TMP just prior to bid to make sure strategies reflect current traffic conditions - especially for "shelved" projects • Produce standardized forms for blanket and minor projects • Produce a brief, standardized report for each major project • Standardize practices for monitoring the effectiveness of TMPs in the field

25. Missouri DOT TMP Strategies Database The TMP Database is meant to be used at the very beginning of WZ planning to choose the most effective methods from the start, with re-evaluation occurring in the design stage.

26. Virginia TMP Requirements • VDOT has extended TMP requirements to all WZ activities within State right of way and on all streets and highways that have been accepted into the State Highway System - regardless of funding source • VDOT TMP Guide: • Provides guidelines for acquiring the information to develop TMPs • Contains guidance on each Project Team member's role and responsibilities in the development of TMPs • Applies to Project Managers, Roadway Designers, Traffic Engineers, WZ Safety Coordinators, Public Affairs Managers

27. Virginia TMPs – Design Role The Roadway Designer: • Preliminary Field Inspection • Incorporates the recommended TMP into the project’s initial roadway plans • Public Hearing Meeting • Incorporates all recommendations/corrections into the preliminary TMP prior to the Public Hearing • Field Inspection Meeting • Completes TMP for review by Project Team during the Constructability Review stage for the Detail Roadway Design and Roadway Design phases of Concurrent Engineering Process (CEP) • Incorporates into the TMP all accepted recommendations/corrections submitted by Project Team • Pre-Advertisement Conference • Completes final TMP for review by Constructability Review Team during Constructability and Bidability Review stage of CEP • Incorporates all recommendations/corrections submitted by Project Team into final TMP prior to proceeding to the next phase

28. Pennsylvania Sample TMP • PennDOT includes a sample TMP in its Traffic Engineering Manual

29. WisconsinTMP Process • Process • Work Zone Impacts Assessment • Determine Type of TMP • Prepare Initial TMP • Update, Implement, Monitor • Evaluate After Project

30. Wisconsin TMP Components • Type 1 • Traffic Control Plan • Public Information and Outreach • Type 2, 3, 4 • Traffic Control Plan • Public Information and Outreach • Transportation Operations • Incident Management

31. When are TMPs developed in Wisconsin? TMP TMP TMP

32. North Dakota TMP Development • NDDOT has TMP development guidelines in its WZ policy • For significant projects, NDDOT compiles a TMP team to develop and implement the TMP • Has members from Planning and Programming Division, Maintenance and Engineering Services Division, Construction Services Division, Design Division, District, FHWA, local municipality, and others as necessary • For non-significant projects: • Reconstruction project – the Project Designer, Design Division, and District will develop the TMP • Other than reconstruction projects - Project Designer will consult with Design Division and District

33. Considerations • Agency WZ policies • E.g., Maximum WZ queue lengths/delays allowed • Lane Closure policies/charts that specify when a lane closure is permitted • Analytical/modeling tools used by the agency

34. Colorado Region 6 Lane Closure Strategy Scenario: State Highway 121 (Wadsworth Boulevard), Northbound Direction, Milepoint 22.0, weekday. Solution: Referring to the Decision Tree, Wadsworth is an arterial facility. Following the right side of the chart, the appropriate schedule may be found in the table. Look up SH 121 in the left-most column and locate MP 22.0 between 84th Avenue and 100th Avenue. The weekday schedule indicates that a lane may be closed at night between 7:00pm and 8:00am and during the midday between 10:00am and 2:00pm.

35. TMP Development Resources

36. Tips for Developing TMPs • Estimate and budget for TMP development and implementation early in project development (update as appropriate throughout project) • Include funding for monitoring traffic conditions during construction to track TMP effectiveness in case strategies need to be modified and for future WZs • Consider and address WZ impacts from a broader transportation management perspective, rather than solely a traffic control perspective • Balance constructability and construction staging requirements with WZ management strategies • Coordinate phasing/staging with other strategies in TMP (TTC, TO, and PI plans) • Coordinate with other key parties to jointly identify WZ impacts issues to account for and management strategies to address them • Preliminary engineering - Design team should work with other technical specialists, including construction, traffic engineering, and public outreach/relations personnel • Designers/construction engineers - Develop phasing and staging plans in consultation with safety experts, traffic engineers, other technical specialists • Construction - Maintain close coordination with local agencies on detours and signal timings

37. Tips for Developing TMPs (cont.) • Use strategies that keep lanes open, especially during peak traffic times • E.g., narrowing lanes or using shoulders to maintain number of lanes; contract incentives/disincentives; lane rental; damages for late lane opening; night work • Use "Triggers" - e.g. when 75% of max delay is approached, lane(s) are opened to accommodate traffic • Consider using extended closures or full closures versus numerous night closures • Use strategies that facilitate decision-making by the public to avoid the WZ (e.g., public awareness, advance signage in locations prior to key motorist decision points) – these tend to be highly effective • Update the TMP, as needed, throughout project development and implementation • TMP training is important for all divisions involved in TMPs • Management support is needed for effective TMP efforts

38. TMP Resources • Caltrans TMP Resources Web Site - http://www.workzones.ucdavis.edu/index.php?title=TMPMain • Fact Sheet: Caltrans TMPs Reduce WZ Congestion –http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/practices/factsheets/factsheet11.htm • Virginia DOT TMP Requirements -http://www.extranet.vdot.state.va.us/locdes/electronic%20pubs/iim/IIM241.pdf • Missouri DOT TMP Strategy Database -http://www.modot.org/Safety/TMPStrategyMatrixVer6j.mdb • Presentation on California’s TMP Development Process - http://www.ntoctalks.com/webcast_archive/to_feb_17_05/to_feb_17_05jg.ppt • Presentation on Virginia’s TMP Development Guidelines - http://www.ntoctalks.com/webcast_archive/to_mar_19_07/to_mar_19_07_pk.ppt

39. TMP Resources • WZ Safety and Mobility Rule Web Site -http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/resources/final_rule.htm • Contains sample TMPs, presentations, and TMP development resources • Developing and Implementing TMPs for Work Zones -http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/resources/publications/trans_mgmt_plans/index.htm • Contains a TMP Checklist and matrix of TMP strategies • Advanced Work Zone Management and Design Course (NHI) -http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/outreach/nhi_wz_courses.htm