Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Special events, such as college graduation days, sports events, traffic will be increased considerably. Solution: coordinate with local agencies, colleges to schedule work on different dates or not having lane closures on those event days.
It forces everyone to take a look at things beforehand (good).
Issues: we need to be better at construction/concurrence with stakeholder groups (construction, locals, etc.) on TMP mitigation measures.
Issues: enforcement/measuring TMP mitigation requirements in the field is not always done or a priority.
Accommodate bikes and peds in TMP – includes evaluating recommended detours.
Increase tools and staff available to develop TMPs. Incentive/disincentives increase contractor involvement/action. TMPs must be fully developed early in the planning process and revised as the scope changes. TMP training/classes required for
CT staff. TMP training for local agencies.
A plan is a necessary management tool. Plan should specify performance objectives (i.e., delay/vehicle, one accident per 100,000 vehicles entering work zone). Compare projects/districts on the execution of their plans.
Issue: too broad. Project/phase specific partnering.
Issues: resource intensive for small projects; how do you determine scope/intensity? Solution: scope based on project cost.
Along with all the data there needs to be a little input from people doing the work as to whether it is working or not working. Besides all the data, talk to the people in the field.
Public awareness prior to project so alternate routes can be taken.
Issue: understanding the TMP by all involved. Solution: education – from the laborer to management, everyone needs to know why we have TMPs and the importance of using it.
Need to consider the local’s congestion management system and incident response plan.
Issue: detours. Solution: allow detours to local streets.
Internal time limit on temporary signals. Involve AGC. Allowable delay is so short that we have trouble getting work completed. Close road for short period and get it done fast.
Better access to Caltrans information.
Obtain public feedback for the effectiveness of TMPs. Guide the local agencies on using state highways by creating detailed instructions, covering majority of scenarios.
How do you assist small projects in producing traffic management plans? Include all aspects of TMPs early and include all stakeholders.
Temporary pedestrian/bike route in construction area.
Alternate TMPs shall be designed for all projects requiring lane closures.
TMPs are designed for one project only, when several closures are grouped (projects in the same corridor) no individual TMP works. An integrated view of the projects is required.
More transit systems.
All items by themselves sound great, but they have to be interweaved to make it work. Like the Boston project – where lots of planning, sense, ownership and mainly continuity would be the key elements.
Increase focus on use of transit to provide a reasonable option to those who have to make trips. Need to investigate flexible transit, bus rapid transit facilities, and project financing.
Big picture: need cultural change within MPOs to support use of parallel local routes during partial closures. Less delay and shorter project duration will leave more money in the pot for real work.
Continue to warn (scare) public about potential delays. Mass transit needs to be promoted and more fully developed. Promote alternate work schedules to companies along the affected corridor.
Re-evaluate the proposed TMPs prior to starting construction to ensure that the said project TMP is coordinated with other projects starting concurrently along the same corridor.
Metrolink has a 4-free ride ticket opportunity that Caltrans can inform their customers about.
Beware using the “scare” technique – it becomes a “cry wolf” – lose credibility.
The more the public can be aware in advance of the closure the better the impact on traffic. Example – the ling lived pavement project in D7 at I-10 and SR-57 – the anticipated delay was huge while actually during construction the delay was
minimal due to public awareness.
Take advantage of project delays and driver inconvenience and promote transit alternatives.
Involve local CHP and maintenance when developing TMPs
Are they realistic? Can be too limiting to get work done. Match needs of project (exclude unneeded elements). Validation of lane closure charts
Address all work windows – traffic, weather, environmental, events, etc.
May need a corridor wide approach to handle more than one project on a route
When reflectors removed, and roadway realigned, glue pattern of existing reflectors (if not totally removed) will confuse drivers
Contractor doesn’t follow, should have a penalty; have locals help develop plan for buy in; politics drive TMPs instead of cost; end results are still about making money, not public travel impacts
Worker visibility/proximity awareness and warning within work zone. Protect from the heavy equipment. Look at lighting design first from driver’s perspective then workers. Localized lighting. Reduce visibility/glare issue, increase safety for all.
Training of workers in work zone safety by certified safety person prior to staring work. No training, no work.
Achieve OSHA lighting requirements while reducing glare to motoring public. Development of new devices that are practical and cost effective. Meet the need.
Advance signage, highly visible; work zone delineation; reflective highly visible uniforms.
Remove signs not needed, emphasize work zone somehow, work activities must be readily apparent, “soft” night time lighting.
Long extended zones giving public ample time to see and react. Lighted cones. Reduction of work dust and debris to increase visibility.
Coordination of work with input from TRFC, MTCE, and Construction – use PCMS and FCMS (if available).
Indirect worker lighting so as to not glare motorists’ visibility.
Reflectorize the tools.
Installing better products initially will allow for less maintenance in the long run (thermo/diamond grade signs, etc.).
If working, the more cover vehicles and lighting, the safer the situation and work zone.
All work equipment, down to the shovel, should be fluorescent or reflectorized.
Develop automated equipment. Eliminate worker exposure by placing them inside automated equipment that will do the same job.
Temporary lighting when width of on-ramp and off-ramps are reduced to the point that there is no room for error and repetitive accidents occur.
Longitudinal buffer zone after the merging taper should be reflected.
How do we get around sole source requirements to get (new) products that work?
Safety is a culture – we need to change it to achieve it
Decision makers need to go for safety courses – maybe even back to college to safety 101 instead of economics 101, or take them out on the job site. Show them by example also. Safety can not be a biddable item, it needs to be fixed
Fully develop innovative equipment that has proven effective in concept and practice; build and use (example – drv @ AHMCT)
Streamline procurement procedures to allow sole source purchasing when a piece of innovative equipment proves to enhance productivity and safety (example – Aardvark (AHMCT))
Bureaucracy stops this process, prototype now sole source; solution is change sole source rule, rent instead of buying
Safety first – culture change
How can we get innovative equipment with existing purchasing requirements?
We have a process for acquiring innovative equipment, it is called “sole source” and the process is broken
Fix California “sole source” procurement so it takes three weeks or three months instead of three years
How do we get automated equipment from development to production
We and others have proven prototypes; to get to deployed or commercial systems, we all need to look at the big picture, including the possibility of incentives to get these technologies off the ground and reap the benefits.
“Selling” the public on need for road repair/construction.
Encourage use of new technology, traffic control equipment.
Now maintenance designs built into retroactive and new construction (quick replacement) – eliminate need. Utility location systems (i.e., irrigation, electrical, fiber). If you know where they are, you don’t damage and end up with another work zone.
Total road closure, use detours, design low maintenance or no maintenance, automated maintenance/irrigation.
Emphasize importance of safe design elements (advisory/mandatory). Safety should trump environmental impacts every time.
Adequate lane length to merge – no vegetation – vandalism during construction projects.
Move irrigation, use concrete barrier instead of guardrail or design low maintenance guardrail. Maintenance pull outs. Sometimes environment creates roadblock to safety – safety needs to be equal to efficiency (which costs money).
Anchorage on roadway for lightweight narrow barrier. Low maintenance roadside hardware. Reduce time maintenance workers spend on road.
D-4 has presentation on safety: long life pavement, concrete barrier, MVP.
Maintenance should be involved early in process.
Keep utilities underground, away from roads.
Build bumpers into bridge columns.
Design to the standard, and if not, need to address maintenance and safety of maintenance workers.
Early of involvement of maintenance in project design.
Maintenance to advocate and take lead in seeing that safety features are incorporated.
Width of shoulder and structural section.
Maintenance involvement for reviewing design for safety.
Rehabilitation and reconstruction for future traffic safety alternatives.
Review all design standards for WZTS revisions.
Consider clear span for future bridge designs.
Build the safety in (enough R/W) without building the aesthetics out of the project.
Fund more research and test projects to promote longer life pavements.
More rigorous design review by maintenance must be done.
Use of materials with longest possible life; improved maintenance methods/techniques that also have longest possible life.
Include industry in special provision composition to make traffic control requirements realistic.
Hold annual meetings for each District to have – design, construction, all contractors, maintenance, safety, meet to discuss issues that pertain to worker safety. Problem-solve and establish uniformity of processes.
“Lessons learned”. Design for field conditions. Do not reroute traffic in lanes with no railroad gates to keep traffic out of track areas. Include flaggers/law enforcement and railroad personnel (if needed).
Providing sufficient pull out areas to remove maintenance and other uses from edge of traveled way (pull outs in work zones also). Designing drainage easy to maintain, keep litter free.
Design work with access considerations in mind (i.e., allow contractor or maintenance to place k-rail in one lane of traffic for a period of time to construct the work completely within a positive barrier zone, in lieu of nighttime work and closures).
Long life material is cheaper in the long run.
Provide guardrail for equipment in R/S and provide working pad for operation and maintenance.
A good product doesn’t require constant maintenance and lasts longer. Therefore, reducing the workers’ exposure to traffic. Let’s keep those things in mind in design stage.
Avoid sophisticated design (simple deign). Permanent structure that requires less time to repair or replace.
Safety should be considered before the design phase. The project design scope might need to be changed to ensure safety.
Modify with “CCO” if necessary to improve safety “priority goal”.
Improve design specifications, allocate resources, improve safety devices.
Utilize life cycle costing. Utilize other source for acquisition of safety equipment (not PIA).
Schedule maintenance work during non-congestion hours. Audit safety practices. Update the TCP specifications.
Issue: too much design based on budget and short term impacts. Solution: need to think about life cycle; a little more money upfront.
Early maintenance involvement in PID, PR. Cost effective methods of reducing repetitive tasks that expose workers, use resources, slow traffic. Life cycle focus – big picture.
Guideline for design for safety should be established. Project design team shall have the mandate to follow the guidelines. Guidelines shall include safety during construction and maintenance.
Designs must include capacity needs but should include safety considerations as just as important for maintaining and RR work later.
More input from workers in the field – design for safety in the project and stick with the cost. Educating employees of the reasons why the design was established.
Standardize the closure methodology. Make it simple and clear where motorist needs to turn. Often even I as an engineer, I have to think what the motorist is supposed to do. Simple arrow can make a difference.
Temporary rumble strip (mats).
Reduce speed limit at work zones.
Better dissemination of information regarding new approved devices to the field. Field personnel can help identify projects for these new devices can be applied to ongoing projects.
We need to develop temporary rumble strip to give driver tactile feedback to slow down or that they have entered the work zone.
Standardize signing. Prevent stark contrasts between northern and southern California. District 7 and district 11 have non-standard signing all over the place.
Develop more automated machines/equipment to avoid worker exposures to traffic. Reduce speed limit in work area.
Standardize and simplify traffic closure signing. Temporary rumble strips (mats). Reduced speed limit in work zone. Maintaining 10’ shoulders and MVP areas in future widening projects. Doubling fines enforced by COZEEP.
Rumble strips/speed zones when volumes are low and speeds are high. If implemented, needs to be standardized across the state. A public information campaign to alert motorists. Standard training for contractors. Caltrans and CHP. A course of
sorts. Currently anyone of the contractor’s side can close lanes. May close early or pick up late without knowing the consequences. They need to be educated.
No night work. K-rails between workers and autos.
Issue: speeding. Solution: use speed bumps/buttons, barriers – cones are not enough protection.
Issue: how to slow traffic down coming into work zone. Solution: radar signs, CMS boards, MAZEEP (proactive); monitor work zone to see how traffic is handling travel through work zone.
Issue: driver speeds too high. Solution: innovative striping - narrow lanes, closer strips, zigzag striping.
Issue: traffic slowing to look at job or accident. Solution: portable gawk screens about 40’ maximum in length to cover accident or job.
Change guidelines to recommend speed reduction and tie to highway patrol enforcement in MUTCD and Caltrans manual.
Get media support to reduce gawking at roadwork and accidents – cite increase accidents and delays. Try to change culture/society.
Enforce using k-rail screen or median barrier screen to enhance the work zone activity from obstructing drivers’ attention. Bottom line: isolating the work zone area form traffic is the major enhancement for improving the traffic flow and making
safer work zones.
Get the 2000 (leave alone the 2003) MUTCD accepted by the State of California – bureaucratic gridlock.
Speed limits should be implemented in work zones. Campaign to educate the public about double fines in work zones.
Educate the public through drivers’ education, etc.
Enforce speed zones – no matter the color of the MPH signs. Cameras?
Gang maintenance has more jobs done at the same time. In and out.
Solicit ideas from people in the field on increasing safety.
It is necessary to have better traffic control signs and more informative “instruction” signs on what to do or where to go.
Lowering speeds by narrowing roads and having law enforcement standing by will create a safer working environment.
We assume that blocking motorists view of an incident will make traffic flow smoother/faster, but barriers (e.g., k-rail) also cause motorists to slow down; need research/evaluation.
What does the research say about the types of collision and injuries – this will shape the potential solutions and benefits.
Conference focused on work zones – how does this problem differ from the maintenance work done on shoulders and in the median?
Training.
Use of quick drain water barrels.