Research Project:

Construction Project Administration and Management for Mitigating Work Zone Accidents and Fatalities

Principal Investigator

Jennifer Shane
Iowa State University
515-294-1703
jsshane@iastate.edu

Problem Description

On average there are 900 fatalities per year in roadway work zones in the United States. In Iowa, there are an average 6.5 deaths per year and an average total of 366 total work zone crashes per year. Typical initiatives to reduce these numbers are usually physical in nature and are put in place at the actual work zone during construction. These measures include increased fines for moving traffic violations, introducing transverse rumble strips, reduced spacing for channelizing devices, enhanced flagger station setups, reduced work zone speed limits, and variable message signs.

However, physical traffic calming measures have not always proven to be effective when not followed up by enforcement. Enforcement places a significant burden on law officials, and positioning law enforcement officers and vehicles within the work zone can create hazards for both enforcement officers and highway workers. It may be more effective and efficient to use innovative contracting and project administration to address work zone safety in the planning, design, and preconstruction phases of the project.

Research Objectives

This research effort explores possible strategies for mitigating work zone fatalities and accidents through innovative construction project administration and management. The objective of such mitigation strategies is to address work zone safety risks before construction starts. Possible strategies for investigation include project delivery methods, innovative contracting, alternative approaches to construction scheduling, and using technology to enhance work zone setup (e.g. 3D modeling, visualization, animation).

The objective of this research is to explore strategies for mitigating work zone fatalities and accidents before construction starts through construction project administration and management. Potential strategies will be identified through a literature review and interviews with transportation industry experts. The final deliverable of this study will be a listing of possible strategies, including a description of each strategy and description of how each strategy may impact a work zone.

Identification of these strategies will benefit a number of parties, including the traveling public, the construction industry, project owners, and transportation researchers. The benefit of identification and implementation to the traveling public is two-fold. The first aspect is fewer people being injured or killed in work zones. The second benefit is a reduction in lost time and road user costs resulting from work zone accidents.

The construction industry will benefit from the identification of these strategies in less lost time during construction, improvements in worker safety, and reduced insurance costs. When an accident happens on a construction site the entire project is typically closed down. Through a reduction in accidents and fatalities, work can continue as scheduled, resulting in earlier completion of the project.

Owners will benefit from implementation of the strategies in multiple ways. As with the construction industry, fewer accidents and fatalities translate to faster project completion. Owners should also benefit through cost savings associated with fewer accidents and fatalities and the associated court cases that may be initiated by injured parties.

Finally, researchers will benefit from the identification of the strategies by expanding the scope of possible approaches to mitigation of risk in work zones.

Project Period

March 2008–June 2009

Research Tasks and Deliverables

Literature review
Data collection
Data synthesis
Report development

Technology transfer will primarily be through publication of interim and final reports distributed through the MTC, presentation at the annual MTC conference, and publication in scholarly and trade journals.

Budget

$121,548: $60,774 MTC / $60,774 Match