For the first time in two decades, the Federal Highway Administration has introduced changes to the work zone safety rule that establishes minimum requirements for the use of protection devices like concrete barriers. The changes go into effect December 2.
The changes seek to decrease the likelihood of work zone fatalities for construction workers and motorists through the establishment of minimum requirements and include guidance for the use of the protection devices, installation and maintenance of temporary traffic control devices, and the use of uniformed law enforcement during construction and utility operations, as well as a new requirement for contracts to ensure funds are available for those ends. This is particularly important for project bids to ensure the costs of the protection devices are considered.
The minimum means that state departments of transportation must use positive protection devices in work zones with anticipated speeds of 45 miles per hour or greater; high traffic volumes; no direct means for workers to escape motorized traffic; or substantial exposure to motorized traffic (where a work zone will be established for two weeks or more).
State departments of transportation are also required to perform a work zone programmatic review every five years, the results of which should be shared with the FHWA by the end of the period and must include a representative sample of the state’s significant work zones for that period.
