Strategy Implementation by State Transportation Agencies to Maintain Work Zone Mobility and Safety

Abstract

Mitigation strategies for work zone congestion are used by transportation agencies to manage or reduce congestion through a work zone as part of the project's transportation management plan. The objective of this research is to assist agencies’ strategy selection by identifying strategies used by state transportation agencies (STAs) nationwide and their experiences. An online survey was developed to identify current, past, and future strategy implementation for projects similar to four developed scenarios: rural reconstruction, rural resurfacing, urban reconstruction, and urban resurfacing projects. The survey received 42 responses from individuals representing 28 states (responses were received from multiple districts or regions from a few states). It was found that agencies used several strategies to address different aspects of mobility and safety. Strategy selection varied between facility location and work activity. STAs also provided strategies that failed to meet expectations and identified strategies their agency plans to implement in the future. Based on the survey results and gaps in current literature, recommendations for strategy selection and future research are provided.