Evaluation of Positive Protection in Work Zones

Positive protection enhances safety in work zones for both users of the transportation system and for workers by providing separation between the work space and motorized traffic. The decision on whether to use positive protection in a given work zone (and what types of measures and strategies to implement) depends on many factors. The objective of this research project is to develop a decision support tool for the use of positive protection in work zones. Attainment of the project objective will fill gaps in existing knowledge and help transportation practitioners to make data-driven decisions regarding the use of positive protection in work zones. The research approach will include a literature review, the gathering of information from various states regarding their best practices for providing positive protection (through a survey and interviews), analysis of data from a series of freeway work zones, and tool development. The research will be implemented through a collaborative effort by a team comprised of work zone safety experts from the University of Missouri (MU) and Michigan State University (MSU). The benefits of this research project will include improved safety for construction work zones through the use of positive protection. The guidelines developed in this research project will be of great value to the practitioners who are responsible for the implementation of positive protection in work zones and will help to facilitate the increased use of positive protection in work zones.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $120,000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  TPF-5(545)

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Iowa Department of Transportation

  800 Lincoln Way
  Ames, IA  United States  50010

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Managing Organizations:

  Iowa Department of Transportation

  800 Lincoln Way
  Ames, IA  United States  50010
• Project Managers:

  Clute, Khyle

• Performing Organizations:

  University of Missouri, Columbia

  Department of Civil Engineering
  Columbia, MO  United States  65211
• Principal Investigators:

  Brown, Henry

• Start Date: 20260316
• Expected Completion Date: 20270731
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Best practices; Decision support systems; Temporary barriers; Work zone safety
• Subject Areas: Construction; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01992132
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Iowa Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: TPF-5(545)
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jun 9 2026 12:18PM