WORK ZONE POSITIVE PROTECTION POLICY GUIDANCE: SYNTHESIS OF DEVICES AND STATE OF PRACTICE

摘要

The United States experiences over 700 fatalities and over 37,000 injuries each year in temporaryconstruction and maintenance work zones. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) hasimplemented Temporary Traffic Control Devices 23 CFR 630 Subpart K, which specified that each statehighway agency amend their work zone safety and mobility plan by 2008 to include a description forpositive protection in work zones and implementation guidelines for federal funded highway projects.This research study first investigated temporal trends in national and Kansas work zone related crashtrends, specifically crashes involving striking a construction vehicle or fixed object. Additionally, currentwork zone Test Level Three and Two (TL-3 and TL-2) approved positive protection devices weresummarized including longitudinal barriers, mobile barriers, vehicle arresting systems and end protectionsystems. Next, a nationwide survey of state highway agencies was conducted to summarize currentguidance relating to positive protection or changes in guidance to comply with Temporary Traffic ControlDevices 23 CFR 630 Subpart K. Finally, the research study provided preliminary work zone positiveprotection guidance for the Kansas Department of Transportation based on the findings of the survey andcurrently commercially available products.