Identification of Traffic Control Problems on Urban Arterial Work Zones

Continuous industrial development in Texas led to a significant population increase. This caused an overload of the existing highway network, especially in the major urban areas, and in turn called for necessary alterations and improvements to bring the urban transportation system up to date. Numerous improvement projects on urban arterial streets currently cause significant changes in traffic operation and safety. This study focuses on determining, characterizing, and effectively communicating best treatments for improvement of traffic safety on urban arterial streets during roadworks. An extended literature review regarding different impacts of work zone on traffic operation and safety suggested the most frequent types of accidents and the major contributing factors. Based on the field observations of work zones on urban arterial streets in Austin, San Antonio, and Houston metropolitan areas, and the questionnaire survey of Texas Department of Transportation personnel involved in traffic control design and inspection, existing traffic control problems were identified and classified. The researchers compared the obtained findings with current design standards and developed recommendations for improvements of urban arterial work zone traffic control plans. The developments include signing, marking, and other devices better suited to drivers' abilities and behavior. The first version of the typical traffic control plans and recommendations for improvements in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices regarding urban arterial work zones were developed.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Report Date: October 2002; Revised: September 2003.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Texas, Austin

  Center for Transportation Research, 3208 Red River Street
  Austin, TX  United States  78705

  Texas Department of Transportation

  Research and Technology Implementation Office, P.O. Box 5080
  Austin, TX  United States  78763-5080

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Tsyganov, Alexei
  • Machemehl, Randy
  • Liapi, Katherine
• Publication Date: 2003-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 162p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Arterial highways; Best practices; Field studies; Improvements; Literature reviews; Problem identification; Questionnaires; Recommendations; Surveys; Urban areas; Work zone safety; Work zone traffic control
• Identifier Terms: Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
• Geographic Terms: Austin (Texas); Houston (Texas); San Antonio (Texas)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Research; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01000936
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/TX-04/4266-1, Research Report 4266-1
• Contract Numbers: 0-4266
• Files: TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jun 14 2005 4:57PM