Supporting Workforce Mental Health and Work Zone Safety

State departments of transportation (DOTs) have long prioritized minimizing disruption to the traveling public during transportation projects, often resulting in accelerated schedules and work zones positioned adjacent to live traffic. While traffic operations in the work zones continue, workers have experienced the consequences of working in these work zones. These consequences may include long working hours, high-pressure deadlines, staffing challenges, adverse environmental conditions, and exposure to dangerous work environments that may compound and affect workers' mental health. While mental health efforts—such as awareness initiatives, training programs, employee assistance programs, and other resources—are helpful, they remain insufficient without practical tools and strategies to support workforce mental health on the job site. Mental health impacts are rarely considered in project design, scheduling, delivery, or maintenance processes. Incorporating mental health considerations into all project phases—from planning to delivery—could not only enhance workers’ safety and satisfaction but also help state DOTs and their construction partners attract and retain talent by fostering safer work environments. To support long-term improvements, research is needed to develop strategies and decision-making tools that balance transportation workforce well-being with public mobility, tight deadlines, and cost constraints. The objective of this research is to develop a guide that includes strategies and decision-making tools that state DOTs and their partners can use to integrate mental health considerations into project phases while balancing mobility, deadlines, and cost constraints.

• Record URL:
  • http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=5883
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contract to a Performing Organization has not yet been awarded.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Proposed
• Funding: $300,000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 20-141

• 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:

  Nasri, Arefeh

• Start Date: 20261001
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Construction and maintenance personnel; Health; Mental condition; Occupational safety; State departments of transportation; Work zone safety
• Subject Areas: Construction; Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01956827
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 20-141
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: May 29 2025 12:53PM