ATSSA Signal July/August 2020

American Traffic Safety Services Association 26 Innovation ATSSA launches case studies on work zone safety solutions Series includes six parts to be released at 2021 Convention ATSSA has collaborated with roadway safety infrastructure industry professionals to produce six new case studies this year. In this issue of The Signal , we look at the first two studies: • Innovative Work Zone Pavement Markings and Traffic Control Applications • Innovative Technology Applications in Work Zones The next two case studies will be featured in the Sept./Oct. issue of The Signal . The final two are planned for the Nov./Dec. issue. The six case studies will be combined into one case study booklet and officially released at ATSSA’s 51st Annual Convention & Traffic Expo scheduled for Jan. 29–Feb. 2 in SanDiego. Case study booklets are amember benefit and available for digital down - load at ATSSA.com/Case-Studies . Hard copies are also available for purchase on the ATSSA website. Booklets are available to non-members for a nominal fee and to members at discounted prices. Case Study 1 InnovativeWork Zone Pavement Mark- ings and Traffic Control Applications Promoting safe driving behavior inwork zones is an ongoing challenge for many departments of transportation (DOTs). Finding ways to help drivers clearly see temporary traffic patternmarkings and know what to expect by making work zone traffic patterns consistent can help reduce crashes and injuries, as research in three states has found. The Wisconsin Department of Trans- portation (WisDOT) sought a way to ensure drivers could clearly see tempo- rary changes in lane alignment. After researching the use of orange paint in work zones in Canada, WisDOT obtained Federal Highway Adminis- tration (FHWA) approval to conduct an 18-month experiment using orange paint within the work zone. Public perception was so positive that FHWA eventually extended the experi- mental period for two years. Costs were higher for orange paint, but WisDOT concluded there was enough increase in overall safety to justify use. Video evidence showed drivers main- tained their lanes better, and WisDOT received 95 percent fewer complaints regardingmarkingsduring the test period. Additional test runs for theorange tempo- rary pavementmarkings are in theworks in California, Kentucky, and Texas. The orange markings could have future benefits for connected and automated vehicles, which could easily recognize a lane shift by picking up the distinct color. Michigan’s Department of Transpor- tation (MDOT) took another approach to improving visibility of temporary lane markings, developing “Lead and Lag Tails” at the start and end of traffic pattern changes. These are solid white, 6-inch-wide lane markings placed prior to a lane shift and where normal traffic patterns resume. MDOT also introduced a more durable temporary tape for markings, which takes one-fourth of the time to remove, reducing the amount of time workers spend on the roadway. The Arkansas Department of Trans - portation (ArDOT) uses a standardized merging traffic control pattern on all projects across the state that require freeway lane closures. It is known as “the Arkansas Shift” and resulted from the observation that maintaining consistent driver expectations increases safety and reduces crashes at merge points in state work zones. In this lane weave pattern, drivers always merge from right to left. Even when the left lane is closed, traffic is first brought to the left, then directed back to the right farther downstream. This lane weave, known as the “Arkansas Shift,” is used in several U.S. states.