Guide for Work Zone Intrusion Prediction and Prevention

Traffic intrusions into work zones present a significant safety risk to construction, maintenance, and utility workers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, struck-by crashes are a major cause of roadway construction worker deaths. A 2019 Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America survey found that 67 percent of contractors reportedly had a vehicle intrusion into one of their work zones during the year. It was also reported that eight percent of respondents had one of their workers killed in a work zone crash, and 28 percent had a worker injured by a vehicle in the work zone. Motorists are also at risk when intruding into a work zone, potentially colliding with work equipment and materials. In addition, data are not available on the number of intrusions that occur, but do not result in a crash because the driver is able to turn the vehicle back into the travel lane. There is an immediate need to evaluate existing and develop new prediction models to estimate the likelihood of work zone intrusions to improve work zone safety management. The prediction model should reflect intrusion potential into work zones that are in travel lanes, have lane shifts, or have other work zone features that may influence intrusion risks. The objective of this project is to develop a guide to (1) assist state departments of transportation (DOTs) and local agencies to estimate the likelihood of work zone intrusions to improve work zone safety management and decision-making, and (2) develop countermeasures including prevention and mitigation strategies. At a minimum, the research team shall: (1)  Determine the frequency and characteristics of work zone intrusions and resulting crashes, fatalities, and injuries; and (2)  Develop tools to estimate the likelihood of work zone intrusions to improve work zone safety management and decision-making based on predictive models and methods.

• Record URL:
  http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=5156

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $600000
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 17-107

• Sponsor Organizations:

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

  444 North Capitol Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Brooks, Mike

• Performing Organizations:

  Oregon State University, Corvallis

  School of Civil and Construction Engineering
  101 Kearney Hall
  Corvallis, OR  United States  97331-2302
• Principal Investigators:

  Gambatese, John

• Start Date: 20240501
• Expected Completion Date: 20261231
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash risk forecasting; Detection and identification; Predictive models; Prevention; Safety management; State departments of transportation; Traffic crashes; Work zone safety
• Subject Areas: Construction; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01773416
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 17-107
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: May 27 2021 8:10PM