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Work zone mobility final rule question 1

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ACtrafficengr

Civil/Environmental
Jan 5, 2002
1,641
How much traffic can a flagger handle?

I know it's 22 months away, but upcoming requirements for minimizing work zone delays will affect all highway agencies recieving federal funds.

FHWA's guidance ( shows a CalTrans policy with three levels of planning:


  • *Blanket Transportation Management Plan (TMP), for minor projects with little delay
    *Minor TMP, which will have some mitigation required to manage delays due to lane closures, etc.
    *Major TMP, for large scale projects that may have a significant off-site delay management component, public information, etc.

I was thinking that on two-lane roads, traffic too heavy for flagger control would be a good threshhold. Does anyone have a ballpark volume where flagger control starts to break down? I know it will vary depending on site conditions, flagger skill, etc.

------------------------------------------
"...students of traffic are beginning to realize the false economy of mechanically controlled traffic, and hand work by trained officers will again prevail."

Wm. Phelps Eno, ca. 1928
 
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The best evaluation I have seen regarding Two-Way, One-Lane operation is Minnesota DOT's Traffic Control for One-Lane Bridges (FHWA/MN-82/01). Although the methodology was developed for TWOL operation under STOP or signal control during bridge construction, it could be applied to TWOL roadways under flagger control.

I don't believe it is available as a web document. We were recently able to get a xeroxed copy from MNDOT.
 
"NCHRP Report 358 Recommended Practices for Use of Traffic Barrier and Control Treatments for Restricted Work Zones" contains an excellent discussion on traffic control treatments for work zones and evaluating their impact on delay. It includs TWOL operation, but does not discuss flagger control.

Unfortunately, Reports prior to Report 450 do not appear to available as a web document from TRB.
 
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