Overview of the Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule

1. Overview of the Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule Module 1

2. Overview of Subpart J Establishes requirements and provides guidance for: Systematically addressing WZ safety and mobility impacts Developing strategies to help manage these impacts Applies to all Federal-aid highway projects Published September 2004 Effective October 2007 Overview of Rule

3. Key Concepts Advocated by the Rule We can be more effective in reducing WZ safety and mobility impacts if we: • Better understand, anticipate, and plan for the impacts • Do so early in the program delivery process • Consider solutions that go beyond the immediate location of the work zone • Integrate this thinking into the agency/DOT culture Overview of Rule

4. Provisions – In a Nutshell State implemented policy for the systematic consideration and management of WZ impacts Policy Processes and procedures to implement and sustain WZ policy Process Project-Level Procedures to Assess and Manage Impacts on Individual Projects Project Overview of Rule

5. Agency WZ Safety and Mobility Policy • Agencies must develop and implement a policy for the systematic consideration and management of WZ impacts • Rule adds additional focus on mobility as well as safety impacts for work zones Overview of Rule

6. Agency WZ Safety and Mobility Policy • Agency’s work zone policy: • May vary based on project characteristics and expected WZ impacts • Can be in the form of processes, procedures, and/or guidance Overview of Rule

7. Agency Level Processes & Procedures • Use WZ safety and mobility info/data: • To manage impacts on ongoing projects • From multiple projects to improve processes and procedures • Require training for personnel involved in WZ planning, design, implementation, management, and enforcement • Conduct process review at least every 2 years to assess effectiveness of and improve state WZ procedures • Procedures for systematic WZ impacts assessment and management Overview of Rule

8. Project-Level Procedures Identify significant projects Develop transportation management plans (TMPs) for projects Include appropriate TMP provisions in the PS&Es Implement and monitor TMPs for projects (e) Responsible persons. The State and the contractor shall each designate a trained person at the project level who has the primary responsibility and sufficient authority for implementing the TMP and other safety and mobility aspects of the project. Overview of Rule

9. Significant Projects Projects anticipated to cause sustained WZ impacts greater than what is considered tolerable based on State policy and/or engineering judgment One project or combined effects of projects in one area Automatically includes Interstate projects within a Transportation Management Area (TMA) that: Occupy a location for more than 3 days Have intermittent or continuous lane closures State may request an exception Identify as early as possible Briefly: Projects expected to cause a relatively high level of impacts Overview of Rule

10. Transportation Management Plans (TMPs) TMP:A plan for managing WZ impacts • Set of coordinated transportation management strategies • How they will be used Overview of Rule

11. What Changed?Updated Rule vs. Former Rule Overview of Rule

12. Key Differences in Policy-Level Provisions • Former Rule:Did not specifically require a WZ policy. It required each State DOT to develop and implement procedures consonant with the requirements of the regulation. • Updated Rule: Requires each agency to implement a WZ policy and emphasizes that the policy facilitate the systematic consideration and management of WZ impacts throughout the various stages of project development and construction. Overview of Rule

13. Key Differences in Process-Level Provisions • Work Zone Assessment and Management Procedures • Former Rule. Did not have such a provision. • Updated Rule. Recommends that agencies develop and implement systematic procedures to assess and manage the WZ impacts of projects. Overview of Rule

14. Key Differences in Process-Level Provisions • Work Zone Data • Former Rule. Required crashes and crash data to be analyzed to correct deficiencies and to improve the content of future traffic control plans. • Updated Rule Requires Agencies: • To use available WZ information and data to manage WZ impacts for specific projects. • Expands WZ data to include mobility/operational data. • To pursue ongoing improvement of WZ processes and procedures by analyzing data from multiple projects. Overview of Rule

15. Key Differences in Process-Level Provisions (Cont.) • Work Zone Training • Former Rule. Required all persons responsible for the development, design, implementation, and inspection of traffic control to be adequately trained. • Updated Rule. • Has a training provision similar to that of the former Rule. • Expands scope of training to include WZ transportation management in addition to WZ traffic control. • Includes a provision to indicate that the training ought to be appropriate to the job-decisions that each individual is required to make. Overview of Rule

16. Key Differences in Process-Level Provisions • Process Reviews • Former Rule. • Required States to conduct an annual process review of selected projects. • Required the results of the review to be forwarded to the FHWA for review and approval. • Updated Rule. • Changes from annual reviews to bi-annual reviews. • Objective of the process reviews is to enhance efforts to address safety and mobility on current and future projects. • Does not require that the results of the review be forwarded to the FHWA for approval, but does encourage the DOT to include FHWA in the review. Overview of Rule

17. Key Differences in Project-Level Provisions • Traffic Control Plan (TCP) vs. Transportation Management Plan (TMP) • Former Rule. • Required the development of TCPs for projects. • Updated Rule. • Requires TMPs to be developed and implemented for projects based upon the expected WZ impacts. Overview of Rule

18. Key Differences in Project-Level Provisions (Cont.) • Responsible Person • Former Rule. Required States to designate a qualified person at the project-level who would have primary responsibility and sufficient authority for assuring that the TCP and other safety aspects of the contract are effectively administered. • Updated Rule. Requires the agency and the contractor to both designate a trained person (as specified in the Rule), at the project-level to implement the TMP and other safety and mobility aspects of the project. Overview of Rule

19. Implementation Resources Overview of Rule

20. Implementation Guides • Implementing the Rule on WZ Safety and Mobility • WZ Public Information and Outreach Strategies • Developing and Implementing Transportation Management Plans (TMPs) for WZs • WZ Impacts Assessment: An Approach to Assess and Manage WZ Safety and Mobility Impacts of Road Projects Available at http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/resources/final_rule.htm Overview of Rule

21. Web Site http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/resources/final_rule.htm • Implementation Guides • Examples • Rule language • FAQs • Brochure and fact sheets • Presentations FHWA Work Zone Web Site http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/workzones Overview of Rule