ATSSA Signal September October 2019

The Signal | September/October 2019 29 Training News Planningandexecutinga construction zone set-up takes time, research, and skill to ensure the traveling public and contractors are operating in a safe and effective manner. That’s why the City of Mesa, Arizona launched a certifiedmile of arterial roadway earlier this year to fill the void. Mesa, the third largest city in the state, is one of the first in the country to offer a training opportunity for traf- fic barricade companies and roadway contractors to gain real-life experience. A Win-Win for All The City of Mesa was eager to partner with the traffic control community to serve as a resource and create safer work zones. “There can be a lot of challenges when it comes to setting up safe work zones for those traveling through them and the contractors who are working in them,” said Craig Brisbois, traffic control super- visor for the City of Mesa. “We felt it was important to create this training road- way so contractors have an opportunity to gain hands-on experience and safely practice and perform in a live construc- tion zone.” The City of Mesa is encouraging all contractors and developers to utilize the training roadway. Contractors must comply with guidelines set forth by the city, apply for a training permit—no fee required—and bring their own equipment. The City of Mesa provides public notifi- cation signs explaining that mock road- way restrictions are taking place. Staff from the transportation department are also available to come on site, offer additional training and assistance, and provide real-life scenarios, specific to city guidelines and requirements, such as high traffic volume and guidance on how to deploy roadway restrictions. “It’s not only great for the city, but it also allows us to regulate how frequently Touting traffic safety A unique training opportunity for roadway contractors By Sabine Ellis, P.E., City of Mesa traffic engineer Photo courtesy of the City of Mesa, Arizona