ATSSA Signal July/August 2020

The Signal | July/August 2020 43 Member Engagement Send your suggestions to communications@atssa.com for people to interview and questions to ask for future installments of Transportation Conversations. which includes standard layouts and guidance that all road projects of three days or less must follow. And we require Traffic Control Plans for longer projects. Two of the more innovative things we do in the field include the use of Intel - ligent Work Zones with sensors and active signing to notify the traveling public of hazards; and Workers Present Speed Limits that are often installed when workers are present. Beyond the work zone itself, we actively conduct research intomethods to improve work zone safety. Finally, we communicate—heavily— with the public. We actively push out public notification of traffic changes and work zones, and our 511mn.org website provides real-time informa- tion on active work zones and travel information. This allows the traveling public to know where work zones are located so they can avoid them if they choose. Nearly all project communi- cations include messaging on how to safely navigate work zones. Q: What measures has your state taken to reduce traffic fatalities? A: Minnesota’s DOT and depar t- ments of Public Safety and Health work closely together through the state’s Toward Zero Deaths program. The program’s mission is to reduce the number of fatalities and serious injuries on Minnesota’s roads to zero—using education, enforcement, engineering, and emergency medical and trauma services. Since the program began in 2003, annual road fatalities have declined 44 percent. (See Minnesota Roadway Fatalities graphic.) MnDOT is heavily involved in the engineering aspect. A few areas where we’ve seen engineering success include: • installing hundreds of miles of high-tension cable median barrier along divided highways; • building roundabouts and Restricted Crossing U-Turns (RCUTs) at intersections with a history of life-changing crashes; • adding reflective devices and LED lighting to stop signs at rural intersections; • adding reflective chevrons or other reflective devices to curves and other areas, and; • adding rumble strips or mumble strips along the centerline and edge lines of many rural roads where lane departure crashes are most likely to occur. Q: What do you consider your biggest successes in roadway infrastructure changes or policy? A: One of our greatest policy successes as a state has been the recent enactment of the hands-free cell phone law, which went into effect Aug. 1, 2019. Drivers are no longer allowed to hold or use their phones in certain ways while driving. The most consistent safety complaints we heard from road workers over the years were about distracted driving in work zones—specifically poor driving, and even close calls, involving people driving throughwork zones while looking down at their phones. Law enforcement can now take action to prevent that kind of behavior. I know road construction andmaintenance workers are especially appreciative that their concerns were heard, and ultimately acted on by the state legislature, with support from MnDOT, the highway heavy construc- tion industry, and all of our partners in public safety.