Guidance On Data Needs Availability And Opportunities For Work Zone Performance Measures

Current Federal Regulations (23 CFR 630 Subpart J) encourage States to collect and analyze both safety and mobility data to support the initiation and enhancement of agency-level processes and procedures addressing work zone impacts. The purpose of this guidance document is to provide practitioners with the skills to identify current data sources (both existing data and data collected specifically for the work zone) for use in work zone performance measurement, as well as potential data sources that could be useful to work zone performance measurement in the near future. This document is also intended to assist practitioners in determining how to select and compute useful work zone performance measures, given the data sources available to them. For both current and potential data sources, guidance is presented on the viability of each source for work zone performance measurement, as well as on possibly leveraging opportunities to maximize the value of data collection and extraction efforts. In addition to information about data sources and opportunities, guidance is provided regarding work zone performance measures that the various data sources can support. Where appropriate, examples are provided as to how data assessment, collection, application, and interpretation can be accomplished. In this way, document users can obtain an overall perspective.

The Federal Highway Administration has been encouraging states to improve their monitoring and tracking of the mobility impacts of work zones. The use of mobility performance measures will enable agencies to assess better the contribution of work zones to network congestion; to identify specific projects that are in need of remedial action; and potentially to assess penalties to contractors creating excessive, avoidable negative impacts. Although the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has defined allowable lane closure hours for the interstate system, VDOT has not defined specific performance measures and thresholds for what constitutes unacceptable work zone mobility impacts. Performance measures and thresholds have been developed by a number of other states, so there is a need to determine whether these could be adapted for use by VDOT. This study explored issues related to a potential work zone mobility performance measurement program for Virginia. The issues investigated included identification of potential performance measures, definition of performance thresholds, and recommendations for data sources for performance measurement calculations. This information was synthesized from information regarding the experiences of selected states and experiences from a series of case studies that used data from Virginia work zones. The review of experiences in selected other states found that delay and queue lengths were the performance measures used most often by the states studied. The Virginia case studies focused on the use of private sector data to generate mobility performance measures and found that the level of spatial aggregation in rural areas could inhibit the ability to generate accurate performance measures, although granularity was better on urban roads. The level of temporal aggregation was also found to influence performance measures. The research identified a number of key issues that VDOT should consider as a work zone mobility performance measures program is developed. The report recommends that VDOT develop a pilot program that focuses on urban interstates initially and convene a task group to develop formal policies and procedures for use in the state.

The Federal Highway Administration has been encouraging states to improve their monitoring and tracking of the mobility impacts of work zones. The use of mobility performance measures will enable agencies to assess better the contribution of work zones to network congestion; to identify specific projects that are in need of remedial action; and potentially to assess penalties to contractors creating excessive, avoidable negative impacts. Although the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has defined allowable lane closure hours for the interstate system, VDOT has not defined specific performance measures and thresholds for what constitutes unacceptable work zone mobility impacts. Performance measures and thresholds have been developed by a number of other states, so there is a need to determine whether these could be adapted for use by VDOT. This study explored issues related to a potential work zone mobility performance measurement program for Virginia. The issues investigated included identification of potential performance measures, definition of performance thresholds, and recommendations for data sources for performance measurement calculations. This information was synthesized from information regarding the experiences of selected states and experiences from a series of case studies that used data from Virginia work zones. The review of experiences in selected other states found that delay and queue lengths were the performance measures used most often by the states studied. The Virginia case studies focused on the use of private sector data to generate mobility performance measures and found that the level of spatial aggregation in rural areas could inhibit the ability to generate accurate performance measures, although granularity was better on urban roads. The level of temporal aggregation was also found to influence performance measures. The research identified a number of key issues that VDOT should consider as a work zone mobility performance measures program is developed. The report recommends that VDOT develop a pilot program that focuses on urban interstates initially and convene a task group to develop formal policies and procedures for use in the state.

TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 672: Roundabouts: An Informational Guide - Second Edition explores the planning, design, construction, maintenance, and operation of roundabouts. The report also addresses issues that may be useful in helping to explain the trade-offs associated with roundabouts. This report updates the U.S. Federal Highway Administration's Roundabouts: An Informational Guide, based on experience gained in the United States since that guide was published in 2000.

A multi-disciplinary approach to transportation planning fundamentals The Transportation Planning Handbook is a comprehensive, practice-oriented reference that presents the fundamental concepts of transportation planning alongside proven techniques. This new fourth edition is more strongly focused on serving the needs of all users, the role of safety in the planning process, and transportation planning in the context of societal concerns, including the development of more sustainable transportation solutions. The content structure has been redesigned with a new format that promotes a more functionally driven multimodal approach to planning, design, and implementation, including guidance toward the latest tools and technology. The material has been updated to reflect the latest changes to major transportation resources such as the HCM, MUTCD, HSM, and more, including the most current ADA accessibility regulations. Transportation planning has historically followed the rational planning model of defining objectives, identifying problems, generating and evaluating alternatives, and developing plans. Planners are increasingly expected to adopt a more multi-disciplinary approach, especially in light of the rising importance of sustainability and environmental concerns. This book presents the fundamentals of transportation planning in a multidisciplinary context, giving readers a practical reference for day-to-day answers. Serve the needs of all users Incorporate safety into the planning process Examine the latest transportation planning software packages Get up to date on the latest standards, recommendations, and codes Developed by The Institute of Transportation Engineers, this book is the culmination of over seventy years of transportation planning solutions, fully updated to reflect the needs of a changing society. For a comprehensive guide with practical answers, The Transportation Planning Handbook is an essential reference.

The purpose of this manual is to provide clear and helpful information for maintaining gravel roads. Very little technical help is available to small agencies that are responsible for managing these roads. Gravel road maintenance has traditionally been "more of an art than a science" and very few formal standards exist. This manual contains guidelines to help answer the questions that arise concerning gravel road maintenance such as: What is enough surface crown? What is too much? What causes corrugation? The information is as nontechnical as possible without sacrificing clear guidelines and instructions on how to do the job right.

This Work Zone Best Practices Guidebook provides an easily accessible compilation of work zone operations practices used and recommended by various States and localities around the country. The Guidebook is a reference document that can be updated with new approaches, technologies, and practices for effectively managing work zones and reducing the impacts of work zones on mobility and safety as they are identified. The best practices are descriptive, not prescriptive. They describe approaches that have been successfully used by transportation agencies, along with contact information to find out more from the agency using the practice. Each organization must determine which of these practices are best suited for its particular situation, considering all the site-specific factors that affect work zone operations.