Evaluation of the Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule

Abstract

The Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule (Rule) was published in the Federal Register in September 2004 indicating that all state and local governments receiving Federal-aid funding were required to comply with provisions of the Rule no later than October 2007. Kentucky received an extension to October 2008. The objectives of this study were to review the requirements of the Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule and provide recommendations for implementation of the Rule to ensure a consistent approach for designing and managing the impacts of work zones. This report documents results from: a) a review of literature and Kentucky’s policy, b) an analysis of work zone crashes in Kentucky, and c) an evaluation of the safety and training aspects of the Rule. The emphasis was on the safety aspect of the Rule. The requirements of this Rule relating to work zone safety were reviewed along with the related procedures adopted by other states. Crash data occurring in work zones in Kentucky for the past several years were summarized. A description of the training developed to meet the requirements of the Rule is described. Recommendations were made to implement the safety aspects of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Policy and Procedures for the Safety and Mobility of Traffic through Work Zones. These include the duties of the District Work Zone Safety Coordinator (DWZSC) and the Statewide Work Zone Review Committee (SWZRC). To assist in the documentation of crashes occurring in a work zone, a form was developed to summarize information from each crash.