Ensuring Work Zone Safety and Mobility: Interview with the Maryland State Highway Administration
Each year, approximately 1,000 fatalities and 43,000 serious injuries occur in the United States as a result of vehicle accidents in work zones. In addition, travelers are frustrated by increasing congestion caused by work zones. With the nation’s highway infrastructure in increasing need of repair, achieving improved work zone safety and mobility is increasingly important as work zones become a daily reality on our roads.
NTOC Talks interviewed Jawad Paracha, Assistant Division Chief of the Traffic Development and Support Division, and Michael Paylor, Team Leader of the Traffic Policy and Management Team, from the Maryland State Highway Administration (MD-SHA) Office of Traffic and Safety to discuss the state’s work zone safety and mobility efforts. MD-SHA’s commitment to reducing work zone related accidents and congestion involves utilizing operations strategies and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technologies, maintaining close cooperation with stakeholders and carefully planning and designing work zone setups. A key element to organizing and implementing these efforts came through the development of a Work Zone Safety and Mobility Policy.
MD-SHA created its Work Zone Safety and Mobility Policy in 2006 in response to the Federal Highway Administration’s Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule, and the policy became effective in 2007. Mr. Paylor explained that developing the policy meant conducting a comprehensive review of the existing policies and guidelines for work zones. While many of the processes outlined within the policy were in use prior this effort, they had not been documented. The documentation now provides a framework that ensures all elements are covered during a project.
According to Mr. Paracha, “Work zone safety is part of MD-SHA’s business plan, and as we go towards a data-driven program, having well documented processes and individual roles and responsibilities are key to meeting objectives.” The Work Zone Safety and Mobility Policy ensures all stakeholders know exactly what their roles and responsibilities are during a project. A Work Zone Safety and Mobility Council was created to develop the policy and help define roles. The council is comprised of stakeholders from both the public and private sector, representing construction, maintenance, traffic and safety, planning, design, law enforcement, contractors, the ITS program office and ITS vendors.
The centerpiece of the policy is the implementation of a Transportation Management Plan (TMP) for every project. The TMP provides a set of strategies and describes how the strategies will be applied to manage the work zone impacts of a project. The TMP must include three major elements: a Traffic Control Plan; transportation operations strategies; and public information and outreach strategies. A TMP approval form is signed by every office involved in a project, from communications to design and planning.
MD-SHA is benefiting from the implementation of its policy as it embarks on major projects such as the construction of the Intercounty Connector (ICC). The Intercounty Connector (ICC) will link existing and proposed development areas between the I-270/I-370 and I-95/US 1 corridors within central and eastern Montgomery County and northwestern Prince George's County with a state-of-the-art, multi-modal east-west highway. The complex project involves a critical public outreach component and the cooperation of many different offices across the state. The project’s TMP is ensuring that everyone’s role on the team has been clearly identified.
As other agencies examine their work zone safety and mobility practices, Mr. Paylor suggests examining other states’ efforts to glean the facets that might apply to them. Mr. Paracha stresses the importance of focusing on the three aspects of the TMP—operations strategies, the traffic control plan and public information and outreach—while keeping in mind overall work zone safety and mobility as a goal. For more information about MD-SHA’s Work Zone Safety and Mobility efforts, visit their Web site at http://www.sha.state.md.us/safety/safety.asp?id=S20.
To listen to the audio recording of the NTOC Talks interview, visit:
http://www.ntoctalks.com/recordings/default.php