CONSTRUCTION-ZONE DELINEATION (ABRIDGMENT)

A study conducted to find the need for improving delineation in construction zones with long-term lane closures or diversions is described. The need for improved delineation was established through two means: (a) a committee of traffic, construction, design, research, and specifications engineers and (b) positive guidance, a technique that develops improvements to the highway information system from the driver's viewpoint. Once the need was established, improved delineation concepts were developed and tested in actual construction zones and evaluated for effects on traffic performance and driver visibility. The experiments showed that (a) although 12.70 x 25.40-cm (5 x 10-in) yellow high-intensity reflectors were less expensive, more easily checked, and more reliable than steady-burn lights, reflectors did not change vehicle speed averages and variances or the proportions of vehicles using the lane adjacent to the reflectors; (b) although tall vertical panels used up less space and could be seen over the tops of lead vehicles when compared with type 3 barricades, panels decreased lane encroachments and did not change vehicle mean speeds or variances; (c) raised pavement markers as a paint supplement reduced undesirable lane weaves and encroachments, day and night; (d) removable traffic tape was easy to install and easy to remove and caused no problems while in use; and (a) raised pavement markers as a paint replacement were easy to install and easy to remove, and they reduced lane weaves day and night and reduced nighttime lane encroachments. (Author)

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1981/811/811-002.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=CONSTRUCTION-ZONE+DELINEATION+(ABRIDGMENT)&author=T.+Davis&publication_year=1981
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309032520
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on User Information Systems. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

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  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Davis, Thomas D
• Publication Date: 1981

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 15-19
• Monograph Title: SPEED ENFORCEMENT, VISIBILITY, AND EFFECTS OF TRAFFIC CONTROL MEASURES ON DRIVERS
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 811
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Drivers; Highway delineators; Highway design; Lane changing; Motor vehicles; Raised road markings; Reaction time; Reflectorized materials; Road marking tapes; Speed; Traffic speed; Work zone traffic control
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver reaction
• Old TRIS Terms: Highway delineation; Raised traffic markings; Traffic marking tapes
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00345316
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309032520
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jan 29 1982 12:00AM