FHWA Work Zone Program

1. FHWA Work Zone Program Federal Highway Administration Office of Safety Integration Washington, DC July 22, 2008

2. Work Zone Traffic Crashes • 1,010 fatalities in 2006 • 2.3 % of total (42,642) • 2.7/day (1 every 8 ½ hours) • 10 yr. total (‘96-’05) – 9,355 fatalities • Approx. 40,000 injuries annually FHWA Office of Safety Integration

3. WZ Safety Grants • Section 1409 of SAFETEA-LU • Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule • Temporary Traffic Control Devices • Purpose – Prevent highway work zone injuries and fatalities • Target audience – Craft, traffic control, utility workers, and law enforcement • Nonprofit & not-for-profit organizations • $5 M/year (FY ‘06-’09) • 20% match FHWA Office of Safety Integration

4. WZ Safety Grants • Facilitate compliance with Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule • Provide training resources for line workers and traffic control specialists • Develop Guidance for assessing effectiveness of work zone design and layout • Help fund a valuable compilation of work zone related information and resources on the web FHWA Office of Safety Integration

5. WZ Safety Grantees • ATSSA American Traffic Safety Services Association • LHSFNA/ARTBA Laborers’ Health and Safety Fund of North America/ American Road and Transportation Builders Association • WSU Wayne State University • IIT Illinois Institute of Technology FHWA Office of Safety Integration

6. Area 1 – Highway Work Zone Worker Safety Training • Objectives • Continuation and expansion of existing training programs • Development of new training programs • Conduct training nationally for a wide range or work zone worker populations FHWA Office of Safety Integration

7. OSHA 10-hour construction course Traffic control workers/flaggers Runovers and Backovers) Night work (for workers) Hazards of weather Sprains and strains Flagger Instructor Traffic Control Technician Traffic Control Supervisor Utility Traffic Control Nighttime Traffic Control Emergency Traffic Control Law Enforcement Course “What Everyone Should Know” Area 1 – Courses Developed/Provided (Multilingual) FHWA Office of Safety Integration

8. Area 1 – Numbers Trained (as of 7/1/08) • Roadway Safety Plus – 3,000+ • OSHA 10-Hour – 2,500 • ATSSA Worker Safety Training – 4,930 • WSU Utility Work Zone Pilot - 223 FHWA Office of Safety Integration

9. Area 2 – Highway Work Zones Guidelines Development • To help agencies/groups achieve the prevention and reduction of work zone injuries and fatalities • Assist with implementation and attainment of compliance with work zone safety and operations rules/regulations, policies, and standards FHWA Office of Safety Integration

10. Area 2 - Subject Areas • Positive protective devices (barriers) • High visibility garments • Work zone planning/data & impact analyses • Pedestrian/bicycle safety in work zones • Maintenance work zone safety • 14 ANSI standards • Positive separation/protection of workers FHWA Office of Safety Integration

11. Area 2 - Products • Work zone safety audit guidelines and training materials • Utility work zone safety guidelines and training curricula • Guidelines/training modules FHWA Office of Safety Integration

12. AREA 3 – Highway Work Zone Safety Guidelines Training • To help agencies/groups implement guidelines • To promote best practices to prevent work zone injuries and fatalities • Training for implementing Federal and/or State regulations, policies, standards, and guidelines FHWA Office of Safety Integration

13. Area 3 – Subject Areas • Nighttime work • Work zone full closure • Positive protection • Variable speed limits • Work zone road safety audits • ITS uses in work zones • Pedestrian accommodation • Impact analysis • Performance measures • Law enforcement • Public information and outreach FHWA Office of Safety Integration

14. AREA 3 - Products • Traffic control design specialist • Urban work zone design • Work zone strategies • Analytical tools for work zone planning • Pedestrian and bicycle considerations • Maintenance and short duration activities • Utility traffic control • Variable speed limits • ITS applications • Train the Trainer Workshops (utility) FHWA Office of Safety Integration

15. FHWA Office of Safety Integration

16. NWZSIC • Began 1998 • Site: www.workzonesafety.org • Updates on Work Zone Safety Grants • Site redesign completed • Upgrade web infrastructure • Expand and update content • Outreach and promotion FHWA Office of Safety Integration

17. Clearinghouse Resources • World’s largest “cyber-library” of information on road construction safety: • Best practices • Laws and regulations • Public awareness campaigns • Work zone products • Accident and fatality data • Over 100,000 users each year • Free, customized research • Training and educational materials FHWA Office of Safety Integration

18. The Clearinghouse “Listserv” - serving over 500 registered users.  Subscribers may view questions live, via a daily digest or through listserv archives FHWA “Work Zone Safety Grants” page New Features FHWA Office of Safety Integration

19. The “Work Zone Wizard” blog led by Jerry Ullman of the Texas Transportation Institute The “SafetyZone” e-newsletter - featuring timely information, articles and resources New Features FHWA Office of Safety Integration

20. Relevant Legislation • Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule (Subpart J) • Temporary Traffic Control Devices Rule (Subpart K) • Final Rule on Worker Visibility • Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices FHWA Office of Safety Integration

21. Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule (Subpart J) Purpose - Systematically consider WZ safety and mobility impacts, and develop strategies to help manage impacts • Timeframes • Published Final Rule September 2004 • Must implement Rule provisions by October 2007 • Key Elements • Work zone safety and mobility policy for the systematic consideration and management of work zone impacts. • Processes and procedures to implement work zone policies. • Project-level procedures to assess and manage the work zone impacts of individual projects. FHWA Office of Safety Integration

22. Temporary Traffic Control Devices (Subpart K) Purpose - Decrease the likelihood of worker fatalities or injuries caused by motor vehicles and construction vehicles • Timeframes • Published November 2006 • Must implement Rule provisions by November 2008 • Key Elements • Workers within the right-of-way of a Federal-aid highway who are exposed either to traffic or construction equipment within the work area shall wear high-visibility safety apparel. FHWA Office of Safety Integration

23. Worker Visibility Rule Purpose – establish minimum requirements and provides guidance for protection of workers and motorists in work zones • Timeframes • Published December 2007 • Must implement Rule provisions by December 2008 • Key Elements • Positive protection devices must be considered through an engineering study • Other traffic control measures, including the use of law enforcement should be considered and are eligible for federal-aid funding • Develop and implement guidelines to help maintain the quality and adequacy of the temporary traffic control devices for the duration of the project FHWA Office of Safety Integration

24. Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices Purpose – establishes the proper and adequate placement of standard highway signs, signals, pavement markings, channelizing devices, and other traffic control devices on roadways and in work zones. • Timeframes • Published 2003 • To be updated in 2010 • Key Elements • Part 6 – Temporary Traffic Control • Chapter 6C – Fundamental principles of traffic control • Chapter 6H – Typical applications FHWA Office of Safety Integration