Paper Details

ABSTRACT

Recent studies indicate that work zones suffer from an increasing trend of deaths and injuries in and around the highway construction areas with an average of 745 fatalities and 40,700 severe injuries per year. To control and minimize work zone fatalities and injuries, the Ministry of road transportation and highways (MORTH) and many state Departments of Transportation (PWDs & R & B s) are seeking to improve the design practices of work zones to reduce work zone crashes. To support this vital and pressing highway safety goal, this research study focuses on analyzing and optimizing existing work zone practices. The main research developments of this study are expected to have significant impacts on identifying potential work zone parameters and contributing causes that impact work zone crash occurrence; estimating the probability of work zones to encounter severe crashes; quantifying the impact of work zone parameters on the risk levels of crash occurrence; estimating the monetary value of work zone crashes based on work zone layout parameters; searching for and identifying optimal work zone setup solutions that specify segment length, operating speed, TTC policy.