Report Result

TRP-03-166-07

Karla Lechtenberg (Polivka), Ronald Faller, Jim Holloway, John Rohde

PUBLICATION DATE

2007-02-08

ABSTRACT

A wide variety of traffic controlling devices are used in work zones, some of which are not normally found on the roadside or in the traveled way outside of the work zones. These devices are used to enhance the safety of the work zones by controlling the traffic through these areas. Due to the placement of the traffic control devices, the devices themselves may be potentially hazardous to both workers and errant vehicles. The impact performance of many work-zone traffic control devices remains unknown, even though previous crash testing on work-zone traffic control devices has been conducted under the criteria of National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report No. 350, Recommended Procedures for the Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Features. The objective of the study was to evaluate the safety performance of various work-zone traffic control devices through dynamic bogie testing according to the Test Level 3 (TL-3) criteria set forth in the NCHRP Report No. 350. The impacts on the temporary rigid panel sign supports presented within resulted in acceptable safety performances. Following the analysis of these crash tests as well as the test results from other testing programs, it has been found that slight variations in design features of the work-zone traffic control devices can lead to very different performance results. Therefore, extreme care should be taken in applying crash test results from one work-zone traffic control device to similar work-zone traffic control devices with slight variations. The results of the crash tests were documented, and conclusions and recommendations pertaining to the safety performance of the work-zone traffic control devices were made.

KEYWORDS

Highway Safety, Work-Zone Safety, Rigid Panels, Portable Sign Supports, Roadside Apputenances, Crash Test, Compliance Test

REPORT

TRP-03-166-07.pdf