Upgrading Work-Zone Safety

Recently, the American Traffic Safety Services Association released work-zone fatality statistics for the year 2000. The numbers were not good. According to ATSSA, 1,093 fatalities were recorded in work zones, 225 higher than the 868 killed in 1999.

ATSSA agrees that these figures are unacceptable, especially with the public relations campaign put forth by the association to increase motorist awareness of work-zone safety.

"Although work-zone fatality numbers are high and alarming, the public is beginning to understand the dangers that lie within the orange cones," said Roger Wentz, ATSSA's executive director.

ATSSA partnered with the FHWA and AASHTO as well as ARTBA, AGC, OSHA, state DOTs and ATSSA Chapters to launch National Work Zone Awareness Week in order to combat the problem of work-zone deaths and injuries while increasing public awareness.

"This event draws attention to the issue, gets it into print or on the air, and makes the public think about work zones," said Wentz.

April 8-12, 2002, is the third NWZAW, and communities across the country are planning activities and exploring ideas that may help educate the public on work-zone related injuries and fatalities and the hazards and dangers that can be encountered or avoided when driving through work zones.

"Pennsylvania's 'My Mommy Works Here' signage effort was a unique and innovative way to help get the word out in the community that work zones are made up of everyday people trying to do their jobs," said James Baron, ATSSA's director of communications.

But, enhancing work-zone safety does not lie entirely on the shoulders of ATSSA and the other associations.

Despite efforts to increase safety in work zones, state DOTs, traffic engineers, contractors and manufacturers play a vital role when deciding upon the equipment and technology being used to inform motorists of a pending work zone and to channel the traffic safely into, through and out of the work zone.

Almost a decade ago, the FHWA launched a joint program with all 50 states to develop technology to demonstrate the feasibility of providing real-time traffic information to motorists approaching work zones. As a result of this federally funded demonstration, the ADAPTIR (Automated Data Acquisition and Processing of Traffic Information in Real-Time) condition-responsive, real-time traffic control system for work zones was designed by the Scientex Corp., Arlington, Va.

According to Scientex, the ADAPTIR system measures traffic flow conditions in the vicinity of a work zone. This data is then analyzed in real-time and the information is conveyed to motorists in the form of messages upon the VMS regarding safe travel speeds, extent of delays expected or even suggesting an alternative route should the congestion exceed a certain threshold.

"When deployed in a work zone, the system performs automatically, thus avoiding the need for a system operator," said Dr. Eddie Neal, president and CEO of Scientex Corp. "Using FCC licensed UHF wireless communications, ADAPTIR overcomes the performance limitations of cellular controlled communications systems that were previously available. The system is designed using an open architecture that readily accepts the use of CMS or HAR from any equipment vendor for which a communications protocol is available. Thus, the system may be conveniently used with a state's existing inventory of message signs or HAR."

Deployments of the ADAPTIR system have been located in Illinois, Arkansas, Ohio and, most recently, in California.

TM+E examines how each of these applications is unique and, in some cases, more advanced than the previous.

Illinois

The Illinois DOT incorporated the ADAPTIR system into their McClugage Bridge Rehabilitation in Peoria, between March-October 2000.

Traffic control and real-time traffic information including speed, delay and diversion/alternative route information was relayed to motorists via 10 VMS and one HAR system. The deployment incorporated extensive and complicated traffic control requirements wherein the system managed traffic on five different segments of the highway that fed into the work zone.

Between August 2000 and July 2001, the ADAPTIR system found a home on I-40 in Carlisle, Ark. Besides providing traffic control and disseminating real-time information to motorists, the system's single central system controller managed traffic on both sides of the highway as well as two independent HAR which offered motorists real-time information on traffic, delays and diversion advisories.

Frequent relocation of 10 VMS and 10 traffic sensors was the theme in this work zone as the system was relocated within a 10-mile range to meet traffic detection and information dissemination needs based on the construction phases.

In April 2001, the ADAPTIR system was deployed on I-75 in Ohio, just north of downtown Toledo, provided traffic control and real-time information to motorists on the highway reconstruction project. Special features of this deployment included a real-time website (www.I75Toledo.org) containing information on traffic conditions, speeds, delay, VMS in 13 locations, and full-text HAR messages; three independent HARs; automated flashing beacons to notify motorists to tune in to the HARs; alpha-numeric paging and e-mails for congestion and system error messages; and remote activation of the system.

In July 2001, the ADAPTIR system made its way west on I-5 at the American River Bridge in Sacramento, Calif. Deployed on I-5 it featured a single central system controller that managed traffic on both sides of the highway alerting motorists to real-time traffic delay and diversion advisories.

A special feature of this project was the high portability requirement for the frequent relocation of the 10 VMS and 10 traffic sensors.

The ADAPTIR system helps pre-empt traffic congestion by using data acquired about prevalent traffic conditions and posting appropriate messages well in advance of delayed traffic to divert motorists to an alternate route, thus preventing back-ups.

Not only may this system make the work zones safer for those in their vehicles, perhaps it may be one of the ways to possibly launch a downward trend in the number of workers killed or injured in work zones.