FULL ROAD CLOSURE FOR 

WORK ZONE OPERATIONS 

A Cross-Cutting Study

Reducing Congestion and 

Crashes through Full Road 

Closure for Maintenance 

and Construction

August 2003
Notice

The Federal Highway Administration provides high-quality information to

serve Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes

public understanding. Standards and policies are used to ensure and

maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of its information.

FHWA periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs and

processes to ensure continuous quality improvement.
FULL ROAD CLOSURE FOR 

WORK ZONE OPERATIONS 

A Cross-Cutting Study

Reducing Congestion and 

Crashes through Full Road 

Closure for Maintenance 

and Construction

August 2003
Table of Contents

Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Background and Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Full Road Closure Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Study Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Site Descriptions and Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Portland, Oregon I-84

Project Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Why Use Full Road Closure? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Benefits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Lessons Learned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Louisville, Kentucky I-65

Project Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Why Use Full Road Closure? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Benefits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Lessons Learned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Detroit, Michigan M-10

Project Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Why Use Full Road Closure? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Benefits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Lessons Learned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Columbus, Ohio I-670

Project Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Why Use Full Road Closure? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Benefits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Lessons Learned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Kennewick, Washington SR 395

Project Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Why Use Full Road Closure? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Benefits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Lessons Learned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Wilmington, Delaware I-95

Project Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Why Use Full Road Closure? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Benefits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Lessons Learned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Alternative Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Limited Capacity Closures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

I-75 Detroit, Michigan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Nighttime/Off-Peak Closures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

I-40 Wilmington, North Carolina. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

2
Alternative Strategies (continued)

Ramp Closures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Oklahoma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Intermittent Closures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Ohio Turnpike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Summary of Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Benefits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Lessons Learned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Other Publications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

List of Figures

Figure 1 Full closure increases available workspace for equipment and material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Figure 2 Closure and recommended alternate routes for the I-84 project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Figure 3 Crews work without interruption on the I-84 (Banfield Freeway). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Figure 4 Approximately 40,000 tons of asphalt were delivered in less than 100 hours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Figure 5 Closure and recommended alternate routes for the I-65 project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Figure 6 The outreach strategy turned “mild-mannered” highway workers into super heroes 

as the project was completed ahead of schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Figure 7 Closure and recommended alternate routes for the M-10 project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Figure 8 The M-10 (Lodge Freeway) under full closure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Figure 9 Work being performed on the M-10 (Lodge Freeway) under full closure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Figure 10 Closure and recommended alternate routes for the I-670 project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Figure 11 Traffic crossing over the I-670 under full closure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Figure 12 Full closure increases available workspace for equipment and material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Figure 13 Intersections closed during the SR 395 intersection rehabilitation project. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Figure 14 Closure and recommended detour for the I-95 project. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Figure 15 I-95 North closed for construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Figure 16 Estimated time saved: Project days for full road closure vs. estimated days with traditional 

maintenance of traffic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Figure 17 Reduction in work zone exposure (in days) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

List of Tables

Table 1 Road Closure Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Table 2 Project Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Table 3 Portland, Oregon I-84 Benefits Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Table 4 Louisville, Kentucky I-65 Benefits Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Table 5 Detroit, Michigan M-10 Benefits Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Table 6 Columbus, Ohio I-670 Benefits Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Table 7 Kennewick, Washington SR 395 Benefits Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Table 8 Wilmington, Delaware I-95 Benefits Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Table 9 Project Sites Summary Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

3
Executive Summary

Transportation professionals are sensitive to public 

dissatisfaction with work zone congestion, delay, and

safety and are continually developing new approaches

to improve traffic operations in and around work 

zones. Transportation professionals also appreciate

that the need for work zones is large and growing

across the nation. The increasing need to repair and

maintain rapidly deteriorating infrastructure and the

need to supply some additional roadway capacity 

lead to more work zones. Transportation agencies are

challenged to balance the increasing need for work

zones with mobility and safety concerns expressed 

by the public and government agencies. Full road 

closure is one method that transportation agencies 

are giving increased consideration to during project

planning and design, as a potential way to balance

these conflicting needs. 

State highway agencies have used full road closure

successfully on a variety of project types ranging from

full-depth reconstruction to bridge joint replacement

with guard rail enhancements. The projects examined

during this research effort had varying characteristics

and reasons for using full road closure, while achieving

similar positive results. Project personnel interviewed

felt that full road closure was able to improve the 

road rehabilitation process, creating efficiencies that

reduced project duration and in some cases overall

costs, while improving safety. A consistent theme,

heard during interviews with project personnel, was 

the positive public sentiment that resulted from the 

use of full road closure. 

Why Use Full Road Closure?

Full Road Closure has the potential to:

• Expedite project completion

• Reduce the impact of construction on travelers 

• Maximize workspace available to the contractor 

and increase productivity

• Reduce overall congestion resulting from 

construction

• Improve safety for workers and travelers

• Reduce crashes in some cases

• Result in a smoother roadway

• Improve public sentiment.

Benefits of Full Road Closure

The six projects examined for this study experienced

numerous benefits as a result of using a full closure

approach.

• All projects reported a reduction in project duration.

• Two projects realized significant estimated cost 

savings.

• For five projects, project personnel cited traveler

and worker safety as a benefit.

• Three projects reported a better-quality product.

• All projects reported that public sentiment was 

positive.

• The increased workspace and flexibility in project

staging that are offered by full closures often led 

to greater efficiency (see Figure 1).

• Project personnel felt that worker productivity

improved due to less distraction from traffic.

• All project sites noted that the impact of construction

on travelers was reduced. 

4
5

FULL ROAD CLOSURE FOR WORK ZONE OPERATIONS

Figure 1 – Full closure increases available workspace for 

equipment and material

Considerations Associated with Full

Road Closure

• City/county agencies and personnel often need 

to be convinced of the feasibility of implementing a 

full closure strategy and the potential benefits that

can be realized, compared to traditional means of

performing rehabilitation under traffic.

• Full closure projects are typically done on an 

accelerated schedule. Contractor and supplier 

ability to provide adequate amounts of resources

(materials, equipment, crew) to maintain an 

accelerated pace should be assessed prior to 

letting a project as a full closure. 

• Meeting the project completion deadline is particularly

important when using full closure since this is often

highly publicized as the date when the road will 

re-open. Therefore full closure projects may carry

additional deadline pressure for those involved. 

This can accelerate decisions and limit the time for

researching options when issues arise.

• Impacts to business or entertainment venues can 

be a factor. Many of the project sites planned 

closures around events and considered impacts 

to businesses during the planning process. 

• Full closure projects are often scheduled on a 24-hour

work basis, so there is potential for impacts to local

residents, including noise and light pollution.

• Increases to traffic densities on alternate routes

must be assessed, planned for, and managed.

Depending on available alternate routes, there is 

a potential need for capacity improvements and

operational enhancements that may require 

additional funding and coordination during the 

planning and programming phases.

Lessons Learned

• The public outreach component was noted as the

key factor in the success of full closure projects by

several sites. 

• The use of full road closure requires significant 

lead time for increased planning and outreach with

regard to the potential effects of road closures.

Project personnel need to consider all possible

stakeholders to ensure that their needs are met

throughout project duration.

• The availability of adequate alternate routes is the

most critical factor in pursuing a full road closure

approach. For the study sites, projected congestion

impacts typically went unrealized as demand during

the project was less than expected as a result of

information dissemination.

• A solid traffic management plan is vital to the 

success of the project. This includes an appropriate

amount of signage in advance of the closure to

inform travelers of alternate routes. 

• State agencies are typically not allowed to specify

city or county roads as detours. However it was

found that non-state roads might handle much of 

the diverted traffic. Two sites related that after 

about two weeks traffic redistributed on its own and

balanced the increased load on the network, at

which time a fair assessment of overall traffic flow

could be made.
Introduction

Background and Purpose

With the National Highway System essentially complete,

and many roads surpassing their useful design life, the

focus of roadwork has shifted from new construction 

to rehabilitation and improvement of existing facilities.

As a result of this trend, transportation agencies are

faced with the need to perform a greater number of

projects on roads carrying traffic. The resulting 

work zones have the potential to cause mobility and

safety impacts that affect road users, nearby businesses,

and construction workers. In general, the traveling

public and elected officials have expressed a high 

level of frustration with the congestion and delay

caused by work zones. In addition, the public and the 

transportation industry continue to be concerned with

the safety of travel in and around work zones.

The expansion of typical metropolitan peak-period 

congestion levels from 2-3 hours daily in the early

1980s to 5-6 hours daily today is resulting in a smaller

window of opportunity for contractors to perform 

roadwork without impacting peak period traffic flow.

Results from a survey, taken in 2000 and referenced 

in the Federal Highway Administration report Moving

Ahead, indicate that more than 60 percent of those

surveyed were dissatisfied with the speed of repair

and traffic congestion related to work zones.1

Congestion related to work zones can result in

increased travel times, environmental impacts, worker

health and safety risks, and traveler dissatisfaction.

According to the results of a recently released study,

work zones account for at least 24 percent of 

non-recurring delays on freeways.2 More than 40,000

people per year are injured as a result of motor vehicle 

crashes in work zones.3 In the last decade more than

8,000 fatalities have been reported in work zones.

Some may be surprised to discover that more than 80

percent of work zone fatalities are motorists traveling

through the work zone. 

6

A study performed by the University of Washington 

compared a number of project quality factors achieved 

during a project using full weekend closure to factors of a

similar project using traditional lane closure techniques. 

The full weekend closure strategy achieved similar ratings 

in quality and user costs, and superior results in safety 

and production rates.4

Full road closure, while not amenable to all construction

situations, is a methodology many agencies are 

giving greater consideration to in order to perform

required road maintenance and rehabilitation. Simply

stated, the full closure approach is designed to 

eliminate the exposure of motorists to work zones 

1 US Department of Transportation FHWA. (2001) Moving Ahead – The American Public Speaks on Roadways and Transportation

in Communities. (Infrastructure Survey) FHWA – OP-01-017.

2 “Temporary Losses of Highway Capacity and Impacts on Performance” Final draft, April 2002, prepared by Oak Ridge National

Laboratory for US Department of Energy.

3 US Department of Transportation FHWA. (2001) National Work Zone Safety Awareness Week – Fact Sheet. 

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/fourthlevel/nwzaw/factsheet.htm.

4 Dunston, P. and Mannering, F. (1998) Evaluation of the Full Weekend Closure Strategy for Highway Reconstruction Projects I-405

Tukwila to Factoria. Washington State Transportation Commission and US Department of Transportation.
7

FULL ROAD CLOSURE FOR WORK ZONE OPERATIONS 

Closure Strategy Description

Full Road Closure The removal or suspension of traffic operations either directionally or bi-directionally from a 

segment of roadway for the purpose of reconstruction and/or maintenance activities.

Weekend Full Closure The removal or suspension of traffic operations either directionally or bi-directionally from a 

segment of roadway during a weekend for the purpose of reconstruction and/or maintenance 

activities. Often work will begin Friday night following the peak period and continue until 

Monday morning, ending prior to the peak period.

Limited Capacity The removal or suspension of a portion of traffic operations either directionally or bi-directionally

Closure from a segment of roadway for the purpose of reconstruction and/or maintenance activities. 

Traffic can be suspended based on vehicle type (e.g., removing automobiles, allowing trucks to 

continue) and/or destination (e.g., removing through traffic while maintaining local traffic).

Nighttime/Off-peak The removal or suspension of traffic from a segment of roadway during the night or off-peak 

Closure traffic periods, for the purpose of reconstruction and/or maintenance activities.

Ramp Closure The removal or suspension of traffic from a ramp or series of ramps for the purpose of 

reconstruction and/or maintenance activities.

Intermittent Closure The removal or suspension of traffic from a segment of roadway for specified time increments,

typically five to 30 minutes while roadwork takes place, for the purpose of reconstruction and/or

maintenance activities.

and workers to traffic by temporarily closing a facility

for rehabilitation or maintenance. In most cases, work

may be performed more quickly since the work area 

is effectively cleared of interference from motorists

passing through a site. A recent survey of the traveling

public found that 67 percent of those responding

would support a road closure for as long as one week,

and nearly 40 percent would support full road closure

for up to one month.5

The purpose of this report is to raise awareness

among designers, construction engineers, and 

managers of the applications and benefits of full road

closure during rehabilitation and construction activities.

Based on interviews with project personnel (when

available) and literature reviews, six projects using a

full road closure approach are described, including

benefits, considerations for success, and lessons

learned. Factors related to duration, cost, safety,

mobility, quality, and public sentiment during the 

application of full road closure are presented. The 

goal of this examination is to provide transportation

agency staff with a better understanding of the 

reasons for the use of full closure, and the benefits

associated with the approach.

Full Road Closure Strategies

During a full road closure, traffic is detoured, usually

for a predetermined amount of time, allowing 

contractors full access to roadway facilities. Full road

closure can significantly reduce overall project 

duration. As presented in Table 1, a number of alternate

closure strategies are possible in addition to full 

road closures. Some agencies and contractors have

used a full closure approach for an extended period 

(e.g., three months), while others have performed full

closure operations on weekends or at night when 

traffic levels are lower. 

Table 1 – Road Closure Strategies

5 US Department of Transportation FHWA. (2001) Moving Ahead – The American Public Speaks on Roadways and Transportation

in Communities. (Operations and Planning/Environment Survey) FHWA – OP-01-017.
8

Study Approach

Six project descriptions are developed as part of this

cross-cutting study, including the following projects: 

• I-84 in Portland, Oregon

• I-65 in Louisville, Kentucky

• M-10 in Detroit, Michigan

• I-670 in Columbus, Ohio

• SR 395 in Kennewick, Washington

• I-95 in Wilmington, Delaware.

Information on the full road closure strategy implemented

in each area was gathered from a number of sources

including site visits, interviews, and project-related

publications. For each site, the information provided

includes: 

• Project description

• Reasons for using full road closure

• Benefits of using full road closure

• Lessons learned.

This report also provides brief discussions of projects

where alternatives to full road closure are implemented.

These include the following:

• Limited capacity closures

• Nighttime/Off-peak closures

• Ramp closures

• Intermittent closures.

INTRODUCTION
9

FULL ROAD CLOSURE FOR WORK ZONE OPERATIONS 

Site Descriptions and Findings

This section provides descriptions of each project 

site studied. Benefits, lessons learned, and issues

raised during interviews and literature searches are

developed and highlighted for each project. Table 2

below provides a quick reference of characteristics

on each project site.

Location Portland, Louisville, Detroit, Columbus, Kennewick, Wilmington,

Oregon Kentucky Michigan Ohio Washington Delaware 

I-84 I-65 M-10 I-670 SR 395 I-95

Closure Two Two Two months 18 months One weekend Seven months

Duration weekends weekends

Facility Interstate Interstate State Interstate Arterial Interstate

Type Highway

Work Paving Joint replace- Pavement/bridge Pavement Replace Reconstruction

Activity ment and repair; reconstruction reconstruction asphalt with

Guardrail repair; and widening; concrete

Patching Bridge repair

Lane 33 6-mile 7.6 8 3 (Intersections) 24.4

Miles section

ADT 97,900 130,000 180,000 62,000 30,000 100,000

Percent 1% 50% 7% 2% 30% 11%

Commercial

Vehicle

Traffic Yes No No Yes No Yes

Modeling

During

Planning

Cost $5 m $4.15 m $12.5 m $36.7 m $0.5 to 1 m $23.5 m

Table 2 – Project Characteristics
Portland, Oregon I-84

Project Details

The I-84 corridor in Portland, Oregon is one of the most

heavily traveled roads in the state. The corridor serves

as a major interstate freight and commuter driver route

to downtown Portland. Over 20 years of vehicular and

heavy commercial truck traffic caused severe pavement

rutting along the interstate. Originally planned for 2005,

the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT)

decided to perform pavement rehabilitation early to

adequately maintain the roadway and take advantage

of available project funding. Figure 2 shows the 

project route and recommended detours.

In order to carry out the accelerated schedule, an 

innovative strategy was needed to manage traffic 

during construction. ODOT decided that the use of full

closure was the best option for adequately managing

traffic throughout the duration of the project, and 

would provide for increased mobility and safety for 

the traveling public. 

The contract specifications originally called for 

traditional maintenance of traffic during half-width 

construction. Immediately after the project was let,

ODOT engineers suggested that full road closure be

used to expedite the project. The late decision to use

full closure did not allow for incentive/disincentive

clauses to be added to the contract. ODOT anticipated

that the use of full closure would minimize the 

impacts to traffic from the rehabilitation, and allow 

for the project to be completed prior to the rainy 

winter season. A change order was implemented on

the existing contract, and full weekend closure was

planned for the paving elements and temporary 

striping. Work on I-84 occurred during two consecutive

weekend full closures, with eastbound closed on the

first weekend and traffic detoured, and westbound

closed the following weekend with traffic detoured.

Work scheduled for the barrier wall and permanent

striping portions of the project would take place using

traditional maintenance of traffic methods following 

the closure. 

Figure 2 – Closure and recommended alternate routes for

the I-84 project

10

SITE DESCRIPTIONS AND FINDINGS
FULL ROAD CLOSURE FOR WORK ZONE OPERATIONS 

11

Some corridor and project characteristics include:

• $5 million total construction cost

• 180,000 average daily traffic

• 7 percent commercial vehicle traffic

• Pavement rehabilitation of a 5.5-mile section of a 

6-lane roadway (33 lane miles) 

• Project dates – August 2, 2002 through August 12,

2002.

To assess how the transportation network in the

Portland area would handle a closure of I-84, ODOT

used an equilibrium assignment transportation model

(EMME/2) with peak period traffic volumes as the base

condition. ODOT prepared scenarios for a projected

“before,” “during,” and “net change” in weekend peak

period traffic on all routes in the corridor. By using full

closure the major streets such as Burnside, Broadway,

Halsey, Glisan, Sandy Blvd., Lombard, and Powell Blvd.

would handle the bulk of the traffic diversion in both

directions. The EMME/2 and existing traffic counts 

predicted that traffic resulting from the I-84 closure could

increase traffic volume as much as 500 to 700 vehicles

per hour (vph) on each of these streets in the direction

of the closure.6 Other routes were expected to increase

between 100 and 500 vph. These levels were comparable

to existing weekday peak period traffic. In order to

accommodate the increased demand on alternate

routes, the signals were set to weekday settings during

the closure, including longer intervals for directional

through traffic. In planning for the I-84 project, ODOT

also needed to take into consideration an ongoing 

construction project on I-5, near the interchange of I-84,

that was using full weekend closures for rehabilitation. 

Traffic modeling scenarios were also developed to

examine the impact of concurrent I-5 and I-84 closures.

The analysis was performed under the premise that

each closure would be directional. The analysis 

prescribed that eastbound I-84 could be closed during

the southbound I-5 closure, and the westbound I-84

closure could occur with an I-5 northbound closure.

Given the projected traffic levels, only signal re-timing

for typical weekday A.M. or P.M. peak periods was 

necessary on alternate routes.

Working with a limited budget and time frame, 

the public outreach component of the project was 

far-reaching. Public outreach is considered a key 

component for ensuring the success of a full road 

closure. Prior to beginning work on the I-84 project

many stakeholders were informed and educated on

the full road closure. A call list was developed which

included local businesses, entertainment venues, 

travel agents, satellite mapping software services,

emergency service providers, and local associations.

Sources used by the public relations staff included

mailers, radio ads, TV commercials, news stories, 

flyers, newsletters, and the Internet. The project 

website broke a record with double the number of 

hits than had ever been achieved for an ODOT 

website. As a result of the outreach initiative, citizens

and travelers were well-informed of project status 

and alternate routes on which to travel.

Why Use Full Road Closure?

ODOT decided to use full closure to expedite the

badly needed pavement rehabilitation project and 

to ensure completion prior to the winter rainy season 

in Portland. Under the full closure strategy, the paving

requirements of the project would be completed in 

only two weekends. Safety of workers and drivers 

was also cited as a reason for using full closure. 

ODOT was able to issue a change order to the original

contract and implement the full closure scenario, 

thereby reducing the public’s exposure to the work

zone and the workers’ exposure to traffic.

6 Oregon Department of Transportation. (2002) Technical Memorandum – Portland Bridge Project I-84 Banfield Freeway.
Benefits

Duration: Without using full closure, ODOT estimated

that the project would take 32 nights. Utilizing full closure

reduced the project duration to two full weekends.

Traveler exposure to adverse conditions created by the

need to rehabilitate the roadway was reduced from 32

days to 4.7 days. Utilizing full closure for the I-84 project

resulted in a time savings of more than 85 percent. 

Worker and Traveler Safety: Removing the traffic/

worker interaction has great potential to reduce the

crashes that take place during the project. Figure 3

shows workers paving one direction of I-84, without

traffic present. The ODOT project team interviewed

cited no serious crashes or injuries during the full 

closure. The ODOT project team noted that several

crashes occurred during barrier improvements, 

which were completed on the same area of I-84 after

the road was reopened to traffic. 

Cost: Project personnel estimated that ODOT saved

approximately $100,000 by using full road closure.

ODOT attributed the savings to increased contractor

efficiency (70 percent of the savings) and reduced 

traffic management costs (30 percent). Had full closure

been included in the project specifications, there was

potential for the project cost to be cut in half. This 

figure is an estimate and does not account for user

Benefit Comment

Duration Reduced 85%

Worker and Improvement cited

Traveler Safety

Cost Reduced $100,000

Quality Improved ride

Public Sentiment Positive

Table 3 – Portland, Oregon I-84 Benefits Summary

Figure 3 – Crews work without interruption on the I-84

(Banfield Freeway)

SITE DESCRIPTIONS AND FINDINGS - PORTLAND

12

cost; no quantitative analysis or estimate was available

to measure the full cost savings resulting from the use

of full closure.

Quality: It is the opinion of personnel interviewed that

a higher-quality product was achieved through the use

of full road closure. On the I-84 rehabilitation, project

personnel cited that a smoother ride was achieved

through the necessity for fewer joints. It is to be seen

whether the need for fewer joints will prolong the life

cycle of the road. Project personnel related that a 

quieter ride was achieved through full-width construction,

improving public satisfaction with the project overall.

Public Sentiment: Project personnel related that 

positive public sentiment was achieved through the

use of full closure. Following completion of the project

the Oregon DOT received more than 50 phone calls

and e-mail messages from travelers and citizens

pleased with the way the project was handled. ODOT

did not receive any complaints, which project personnel

noted is very unusual for a project of this size.
FULL ROAD CLOSURE FOR WORK ZONE OPERATIONS 

13

Lessons Learned 

• Given more lead time it may have been beneficial 

to include barrier, inlet, and manhole work, as 

well as striping, in the full closure process. Having

begun project discussions in December 2001 

the team did not have enough lead time to plan 

for every aspect of the project.

• The scope of work originally called for the 

maintenance of traffic during paving operations.

Project cost may have been reduced by as much 

as half had the contract specifications called for

bids based on the use of full closure.

• The availability of alternative routes is critical to 

the success of a full closure project. Traffic was

found to be less congested than the traffic 

modeling predicted, possibly due to trip elimination 

or mode change. 

• Coordination between the I-5 and I-84 project 

teams was key to successful traffic management

during the rehabilitation. Project teams from each

project worked together to ensure that both 

closures were considered during project planning.

No major issues resulted from the simultaneous 

closures, given the adequate alternate routes and

planning and outreach efforts.

• Two asphalt plants supplied material to the project

site. During the second weekend closure 

(eastbound paving), one plant broke down. An 

alternative plant was able to be used to complete

the project without delay. The contingency plan 

was necessary to ensure delivery of the large

amount of asphalt required (see Figure 4).

• Having been let on June 22, inadequate lead time

was an issue affecting project personnel. Although

the rehabilitation was completed with no major

issues, the project team related that stress resulted

from not having adequate time to plan for full road

closure.

Figure 4 – Approximately 40,000 tons of asphalt were 

delivered in less than 100 hours
14

Louisville, Kentucky I-65

Project Details

The I-65 corridor in Kentucky is a highly traveled 

corridor providing access to many businesses essential

to the economic vitality of the City of Louisville. 

Several of Louisville’s major hospitals, the airport, the

University of Louisville, the Kentucky State Fairgrounds

and Convention Center, and Six Flags border this 

section of I-65. Over the past several years, large 

numbers of vehicles as well as commercial truck traffic

have degraded the existing highway infrastructure. 

During August and September 2000, the Kentucky

Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) successfully used the

full closure strategy to complete a major rehabilitation

project on Interstate 65 near Louisville. Figure 5 

shows the I-65 project route and recommended

detours. With over 20 years of wear and tear, the

expansion joints were in need of replacement, as they

posed a potential danger to the traveling public. 

I-65 was the first long-term use of full closure in

Kentucky. Due to the success of the I-65 project the

KYTC decided to use full closure on a subsequent 

I-64 rehabilitation project. This section of the report will

focus on the I-65 project. The I-65 project took place 

in August and September 2000, and consisted of the

replacement of 44 bridge expansion joints, resealing

eight other expansion joints, and other smaller 

maintenance issues along the downtown portion of 

I-65 including patching 10 bridge decks. An incentive/

disincentive package was used to ensure timely project

completion. The project was completed 12 hours

ahead of schedule, which led to a $62,500 incentive. 

Some corridor and project characteristics include:

• $4.15 million total construction cost

• 130,000 average daily traffic

• 50 percent commercial truck traffic 

• Rehabilitation/maintenance work over a 6-mile 

section of roadway

• Project dates – August 11-14, 2000 and September 

15-18, 2000.

Maintenance of traffic plans for I-65 were exhaustive 

in nature. Louisville’s ITS system was used throughout

the project and consisted of variable message signs

placed well in advance of the detours to inform and

guide motorists. Some signs were placed 100 miles in

advance to direct motorists toward detours. Motorists

Figure 5 – Closure and recommended alternate routes for 

the I-65 project

SITE DESCRIPTIONS AND FINDINGS
15

were reminded of the dates and times for the full 

closure one week prior to construction through the 

variable message signs and the ITS system. As work

began, law enforcement personnel were stationed at

each entrance and exit ramp throughout the duration

of the closures. Tow trucks were also made available

along the detour routes in the event of a crash or

mechanical problems. This strategy allowed for smooth

traffic flow along the alternate routes and maximized

the capacity during the interstate closure. 

KYTC’s extensive public outreach campaign was 

a significant factor in the success of the full closure 

project in Kentucky. This project included funding 

designated specifically for public relations uses, and

this strategy was a first of its kind for KYTC. Through

the state bridge program, $125,000 of funding was 

set aside for the public relations campaign, allowing

the public relations effort to be funded exclusively 

with state funds. The money was used to do all of 

the following:

• Produce radio commercials

• Place ads in the local newspaper

• Operate a 24-hour hotline

• Send personnel to local events to disseminate 

information about the projects

• Produce door-hanging packages (earplugs, 

sunglasses, etc.) for all of the houses adjacent 

to the projects

• Send printed information about the closures 

and detours to every trucking company that 

held a license in the State of Kentucky. 

KYTC personnel involved in the project also appeared

on local radio shows and local news broadcasts to

help inform travelers about the details of each project.

Figure 6 shows an outreach document used to provide

information to travelers prior to construction.

Why Use Full Road Closure?

The KYTC originally looked at performing the project

using traditional part-width construction. The project

was estimated to take approximately 90 days under

the original continuous part-width maintenance 

of traffic plan. Personnel from the Louisville KYTC

District (District 5) voiced strong opposition to having

continuous traffic control on the Interstate during the

anticipated 90-day construction period. Through 

experiences with emergency maintenance projects

and crashes along the corridor, District 5 personnel

believed that the capacity on I-65 during peak hour

operating conditions, using traditional construction

methods, would drop to unacceptable levels. Based

on these projected impacts to the traveling public,

FULL ROAD CLOSURE FOR WORK ZONE OPERATIONS 

Figure 6 – The outreach strategy turned “mild-mannered”

highway workers into super heroes as the project was

completed ahead of schedule
SITE DESCRIPTIONS AND FINDINGS - LOUISVILLE

Benefits

Benefit Comment

Duration Reduced 95%

Worker and Improvement cited

Traveler Safety

Cost Increased

Quality Improved

Public Sentiment Positive

Table 4 – Louisville, Kentucky I-65 Benefits Summary

District 5 personnel proposed that the work be done

on weekends only (9 P.M. Friday until 6 A.M. Monday). 

The KYTC had developed a concept for the use of 

full closure that would have less negative impact on

motorists in the Louisville area. However, the weekend

full closure plan included one more issue that 

needed to be addressed: The public would not desire

to have the project take a very long period from 

beginning to end. The District 5 Chief Engineer asked,

“If money and workforce were not an issue, how 

quickly could the work be completed?” Cabinet

personnel estimated that it would take one weekend

for construction on each direction of travel. It was

decided that the impacts resulting from a larger effort

in a shorter construction period would be better than

lesser impacts stretched out over a longer construction

period. From this idea, the full closure plan was born. 

Contractors were asked by the KYTC to participate 

in an information session to determine if the work 

was feasible in the time frame available. Bids for the 

I-65 project were opened at 10:00 A.M. on a Friday

morning and the project was awarded to the low 

bidder the same afternoon. However, on the next

Monday morning, the contractor awarded the project

forfeited the 5 percent bid bond to negate the contract

because he felt the bid was too low. The KYTC 

awarded the project to the second bidder, which

turned out to be a real plus as the firm had more

resources and planning ability. The project would take

place during two full weekend closures; August 11-14

for the northbound work and September 15-18 for

southbound work. The KYTC designated October 6-9

as an alternate weekend for the project. 

16

Duration: One major reason for the use of full closure

in Kentucky was to minimize construction duration.

Using traditional methods the project would have taken

approximately 90 days; with full road closure the project

was completed in 107 hours, or approximately five days,

which resulted in a project duration reduction of 95 

percent. While using full closure, the contractor finished

the I-65 project seven hours ahead of the schedule

that was already accelerated by using full closure. 

Worker and Traveler Safety: Project personnel feel

that worker safety and productivity were also benefits

from the use of full closure in Kentucky. Project personnel

related that a much safer working environment was

created for the contractor by eliminating worker 

exposure to traffic. There was only one work zone

injury during the course of both the I-65 project and a

subsequent I-64 construction project using full closure. 

Cost: Public outreach, provisions for traveler information,

incentive bonus for early completion, and additional

maintenance of traffic costs added to the overall cost

of the I-65 project. The additional maintenance of traffic

costs were due to the added volume of traffic control

devices needed for the project. Time constraints on

setting up and removing the traffic control also drove

up the costs. No quantitative data were available to
17

FULL ROAD CLOSURE FOR WORK ZONE OPERATIONS 

7 I-65 Institute. (2001) “Weekend Shutdown Works: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Completes I-65 and I-64 Weekend Project in

Record Time,” Inside I-65 Newsletter, Vol. 2, No. 11.

assess user costs resulting from the use of traditional

maintenance of traffic versus full closure. The KYTC felt,

however, that added cost would be adequately offset

by the reduction in user cost over the life of the project. 

Quality: One driving factor in using full closure was

that it would allow contractors to complete the work 

at a higher quality. It is believed that the unrestricted

access to the I-65 work site, and improved work 

environment with reduced distractions, allowed work 

to be completed at a higher quality, potentially leading

to a facility with superior durability. 

Public Sentiment: The belief that the public would

prefer a full closure as opposed to traditional traffic

control methods was proven in the end. By making 

use of detour routes around the work zone and providing

adequate information to motorists, KYTC was able to

provide for less inconvenience and apparent improved

safety through this non-traditional method. A hotline

was available for travelers and residents to call 24 hours

a day for project and detour information. Over 95 

percent of the calls received were positive. There were

six primary goals set during project planning: Less

inconvenience to motorists, no work zone accidents,

no traffic accidents, no traffic congestion, a higherquality product, and partnering. The KYTC felt that 

the successful accomplishment of these six goals 

created a feeling of trust and respect among KYTC, its

customers, and all partners.7

Lessons Learned

• The formal partnering agreement between KYTC

and the contractors allowed for concerns and issues 

to be addressed before the beginning of the 

projects and forged bonds that made dealing with

issues during construction much simpler. The plan

was more effective through open communication in

partnering and the positive effect from the public

relations campaign. 

• The KYTC believes full closure provides a viable

alternative to traditional methods. When the right 

factors exist, the full closure method can be the 

preferred method if used properly with a solid plan

for traffic management on alternate routes. KYTC 

will seriously consider the option of using full closure

in urban areas such as Louisville in the future. 

• Public information was vital to the success of full

closure in Louisville. By informing the public ahead

of time about what they would encounter on I-65,

they were in a position to make good decisions

about alternate routes or changing travel schedules. 
18

Detroit, Michigan M-10

Project Details

In 2002, the Michigan Department of Transportation

began an extensive effort to rehabilitate six major travel

routes within and around the Detroit Metropolitan area.

The program, referred to as Fix Detroit 6, included six

major roadway rehabilitation and bridgework projects

that would be completed by 2003. One of those 

projects was on Michigan State Road 10 (M-10), also

called the John C. Lodge Freeway. The M-10 is a

downtown route that needed full surface reconstruction

with five bridges also needing repair, removal, or

replacement. The M-10 is a major downtown route 

that runs from I-696 in Southfield directly downtown to

Detroit, intersecting with I-94 and I-75 and connecting

with West Jefferson Street. The route serves mainly

commuter traffic, and travelers going to downtown 

attractions, such as Joe Louis Arena, downtown 

business district, entertainment venues, the Windsor

Detroit Tunnel, and major business headquarters. 

Project specifications called for pavement removal 

and replacement, including shoulders and barriers.

Concrete sections along the route were to remain in

place but were cold milled and patched. Streetlights

and other improvements were also included in the

specifications. Five bridges exist along the project

route. The Howard and Porter Street bridges needed

superstructure replacement and substructure repairs.

The Bagley Street Bridge was given a concrete deck

overlay with substructure repairs performed. Structural

removal took place at the Elizabeth Street Bridge.

Deck patching, joint repair, and substructure repairs

were made to the Larned Street Bridge. Figure 7

shows the project route and recommended detours.

The need to ensure completion prior to the winter 

season led MDOT to use an A+B contract. Some of 

the other key characteristics are as follows:

• $12.5 million project

• 97,900 average daily traffic

• 1 percent commercial vehicle traffic

• Reconstruction of a 1.27-mile section of roadway

(7.6 lane miles)

• Project dates – July 9, 2002 through August 30, 2002.

During the project planning phase, life cycle cost

analysis was used to determine that hot mix asphalt be

used as opposed to concrete. Given that the project

length was short (1.27 miles), it was determined that hot

mix asphalt would provide a better cost/benefit ratio. 

SITE DESCRIPTIONS AND FINDINGS

Figure 7 – Closure and recommended alternate routes for 

the M-10 project
FULL ROAD CLOSURE FOR WORK ZONE OPERATIONS 

19

M-10, the John C. Lodge Freeway, is the main entrance 

to Downtown Detroit. We chose to close an entire stretch 

of it in the downtown area in the summer of 2002 for 

reconstruction, opting to get it done quicker, at a lower 

cost, rather than spread the construction over two seasons.

Travelers quickly found alternate routes, and the freeway

reopened in two months, earlier than expected.

Maryann Mahaffey, President, Detroit City Council

Public outreach and communication was a critical 

element of successfully planning and deploying the

Detroit full closure road project. The Fix Detroit 6 

program was an initiative that provided public 

information to Detroit residents and travelers on the 

six major projects that would take place during the

2002 and 2003 construction seasons. The cornerstone

of the initiative was a comprehensive website that 

provided updated project information including

progress and closures. Information seekers also had

the option of receiving project/route-specific detour

information via e-mail as significant changes were made.

Initially, the City of Detroit objected to the use of full

closure that could affect access to downtown traffic,

sporting venues, and businesses. MDOT was able 

to convince the City that using the full closure would

reduce the negative impacts of the project overall.

Concessions were made to accommodate area events

during the construction project. Given the proximity 

of the M-10 to the home of the Detroit Redwings – 

Joe Louis Arena – it was decided that construction 

closures would not begin until the hockey season 

and playoffs were completed in July.

Many businesses rely on access from the M-10 for 

customers. Meetings were held to discuss the full road

closure and resolutions to potential problems. For

example, there are three casinos in the city. The closure

could potentially divert customers and cause a loss 

of revenue to casinos near the project site. Additional

signing was installed to direct potential customers to

the casinos via alternate routes. Additional signing was

also necessary for other downtown destinations such

as the Greyhound bus station. Businesses located

directly near the closure likely experienced a decrease

in business during the M-10 full closure. 

Why Use Full Road Closure?

Engineers involved in the planning of the M-10 

reconstruction project considered the use of full road

closure for three primary reasons:

1. It expedited project completion, allowing 

the construction to take place in less than a 

full construction season;

2. It offered the potential for increased safety for 

both travelers and workers; and

3. The availability of alternate routes.

Benefits

Benefit Comment

Duration Reduced 71%

Worker and Improvement cited

Traveler Safety

Cost Reduced MOT cost

Quality Superior ride

Public Sentiment Data not available

Table 5 – Detroit, Michigan M-10 Benefits Summary
20

SITE DESCRIPTIONS AND FINDINGS - DETROIT

Duration: Full road closure allowed the contractor

complete access to the facility, as shown in Figures 8

and 9. This greatly increased the staging area and

reduced the need for maintenance of traffic set-up and

removal during various stages of the project. MDOT

estimated that if traffic were maintained using the 

traditional methods the project would have taken

longer than six months, while using full closure could

enable the contractor to complete the project in a

much shorter time. 

The project was bid as an A+B, or cost plus time 

contract. Incentives were available to the contractor at

$25,000 per day for early project completion. Using 

full closure the M-10 project was scheduled to take 

65 days; however, the contractor was able to complete

the work in 53 days, taking advantage of the early

completion bonus. While providing incentives adds 

to the cost of the project, user costs and potential 

overall project costs were reduced.

Worker and Traveler Safety: It is difficult to quantify

the increased safety that results from using a full road

closure. However, eliminating the traffic and construction

worker interface virtually eliminates the possibility for

crashes to occur in the work zone. No serious injuries

took place on the project. Project personnel also noted

that contractor damage claims filed were dramatically

lower than they would have been for typical projects

not using full closure, demonstrating reduced negative

impacts to motorists and potential improvements 

to safety. 

Cost: Using full road closure has the potential to afford

greater economies of scale. While no quantitative 

information was available on cost savings for all work

items, MDOT engineers said that the cost for traditional

maintenance of traffic would have added significantly

to the total project cost. Typically the maintenance of

traffic cost for any given project of this size ranges

from 5 to 10 percent of the total project cost. The 

maintenance of traffic cost for the M-10 was estimated at

1.3 percent of the bid price. Beyond basic signalization,

diverting traffic from the M-10 did not require additional

enhancements to alternate routes, also keeping overall

project costs low. Providing the contractor with full

access to the facility eliminated the need for distant

staging areas and kept equipment and materials close,

further reducing overall project time and costs for the

M-10 reconstruction.

Quality: Full-width construction not only expedited 

the process, but the reduction in the overall number of

joints and seams allowed for superior product quality.

Project personnel also cited that workers seemed to 

be more productive. 

Figure 8 – The M-10 (Lodge Freeway) under full closure
21

Lessons Learned

• In creating detour routes for full closure it is

Michigan DOT standard operating procedure that

freeways be specified first, followed by trunk lines,

and, if these do not provide a reasonable detour,

then local routes are specified. If local routes are

used, approval must be given by the local agency;

typically an agreement is negotiated that specifies

any necessary temporary fixes, upgrades, or 

damage repairs that will be performed by the state

agency. MDOT engineers have found that many

drivers will find their own routes beyond those 

recommended as detours, hence reducing the

amount of congestion expected on predetermined

detours. Experience has shown that vehicle load 

on travel routes will balance after about two weeks

of closure and detour.

• During a full closure there may be greater potential

for theft and vandalism on the construction site.

Project personnel attributed the increased potential

for crime to the fact that local or state police 

do not regularly patrol fully closed freeways. A full 

closure project may require arrangements for 

additional security. 

FULL ROAD CLOSURE FOR WORK ZONE OPERATIONS 

• The M-10 project, as do many full closure type 

projects, utilized an A+B contracting method to

ensure that time requirements for road closures

were met. It was noted by MDOT personnel that 

this type of contracting can create a high-stress

environment for both state agency personnel and

contractors. In order to meet deadlines, decisions

frequently must be made in the field, sometimes

without as much research or consideration as

desired. This could have negative effects on the

quality of the product delivered.

• Projects involving a significant amount of utilities,

especially those with older utility lines that are not

precisely located, may encounter unpredictable

delays. Agencies should consider the potential

unpredictability of the schedule prior to using full

road closure and time-based bidding. During the 

M-10 reconstruct an addendum was made for the

Howard Street Bridge deck replacement, which 

had many utilities on the structure. The contract for

work on the Howard Street Bridge was written as a

separate item in the contract and not included in the

A+B requirements to reduce the chance for overall

project delay.

• During previous full closure projects MDOT personnel

have found that in attempts to keep motorists

informed, over-signing can be an issue. Over-signing

can result in non-effective signs that can drain 

project budgets with little positive effect on the public.

In the past, MDOT has deployed signage outside

the Detroit Metro area, which created confusion for

travelers approaching the city. On recent full closure

projects MDOT personnel have localized signage 

to avoid such issues.

Figure 9 – Work being performed on the M-10 (Lodge Freeway)

under full closure
SITE DESCRIPTIONS AND FINDINGS

22

Columbus, Ohio I-670

Project Details

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and

the City of Columbus in 1992 began the process 

of rebuilding the Spring-Sandusky interchange near

Downtown Columbus. In order to accomplish this, 

15 separate projects had to be constructed to 

complete the new configuration of the interchange. 

The Spring-Sandusky interchange serves the densely

populated and heavily traveled Downtown Columbus

area. As of June of 2002, ODOT had completed 13

projects with a total investment of $175 million. The 

last two of these 13 completed projects, involving 

the construction, reconstruction, and widening of a 

three-mile section of I-670, had used the full closure

method with good success. 

The final two construction projects that remained 

on the Spring-Sandusky interchange consisted of 

rehabilitating, widening, and extending Interstate 670 

(I-670) over a 1.5-mile stretch of roadway. The two 

projects were broken into a half-mile extension of 

I-670 and a mile section of roadway that needed to 

be rehabilitated and widened. The new section would

be from Neil Avenue to State Route 315, and would

complete I-670 and its link between I-71 to I-70. The

section to be rehabilitated and widened was from

Cleveland Avenue to Neil Avenue. Work on this 

section was done using a full closure and is the focus

of the I-670 discussion in this report. Figure 10 

shows the project route with recommended detours.

I-670 is a highly traveled corridor providing access for

many commuters to the downtown area and to many

businesses essential to the economic vitality of the City

of Columbus. More than 650,000 people populate the

City of Columbus and there are more than 1.1 million in

the metropolitan area (with I-70, I-71, and I-670 in

close proximity to the city). Work on I-670 has the

potential to disrupt many businesses in Downtown

Columbus. Major attractions in the downtown area

adjacent to the construction area include the

Convention Center, Nationwide Arena, Short North,

North Market, Arena District, and Goodale Park. Some

of the other key characteristics are as follows:

• $36.7 million project (contract amount) 

• 62,000 average daily traffic

• 2 percent commercial vehicle traffic

• Reconstruction and widening of a one-mile section 

of roadway (eight lane miles – three travel lanes and 

one auxiliary entrance/exit lane in each direction) 

• Project dates – March 30, 2002 to September 30,

2003 (estimated).

Figure 10 – Closure and recommended alternate routes for 

the I-670 project
FULL ROAD CLOSURE FOR WORK ZONE OPERATIONS 

23

Construction started on the existing I-670 section 

in March of 2002 to reconstruct and widen I-670 from

Third Street to Neil Avenue and included shutting 

down seven ramps. This section of I-670 consisted 

of two lanes in each direction and had over 30 years 

of wear and tear; specifications called for rebuilding

and expansion of the roadway to four lanes in each

direction. ODOT has a policy in place that states:

The Ohio Department of Transportation 

is committed to the continuous movement 

of traffic through all work zones by the 

elimination or reduction of delays. It is our 

goal to minimize the impacts on the traveling public resulting from the implementation 

of the work zone. Therefore, Districts shall 

analyze the projected effect of construction 

and force account projects on traffic flow 

and take the steps necessary to prevent 

traffic delays to the extent possible.

Based on the ODOT policy, the Mid-Ohio Regional

Planning Commission (MORPC) completed a computer

model that predicted where the traffic would go to avoid

the construction. The traffic study considered and 

modeled traffic that would use the existing alternate

detour routes in the corridor (including I-71, I-70, Route

315, and local city surface streets) during construction.

Since this section of I-670 is a major east-to-west carrier,

the model showed seven other east-to-west sections of

roadway that could see a major increase in volume.

Based on predicted increases in volume, the City of

Columbus planned to manage signal timing in real time

using the traffic control center. Even though traffic on

some of the roadways increased, the model showed

that four roadways would experience a major decrease

in volume of traffic and three other roadways would

experience a moderate decrease in volume of traffic.

ODOT started a strong and intense public relations

campaign six months prior to construction in order 

to inform motorists that a section of I-670 would be

closed. The campaign reached out to all potential

stakeholders in the community, from public officials 

to commercial business owners to residents and

motorists, using brochures, a 20-minute community 

television show, e-mail alerts, media coverage, and 

a website.

Why Use Full Road Closure? 

The reason for using a full road closure was primarily

to minimize the impacts of construction on the traveling

public, and was considered since there were many

existing alternate detour routes available near the 

project. This project had been in the planning process

since the mid-1980s and had been through several

review processes. The original intent of this project 

was to construct it using the traditional half-width 

construction method. ODOT prepared the design for

half-width construction and estimated that the time it

would take to complete the project under these 

plans would be at least four years because of the tight

area to perform the work while maintaining traffic. 

After further review, and a traffic study performed by

the MORPC, ODOT concluded that a full road closure

of I-670 could reduce project construction time and

improve work zone safety.

Benefits

Benefit Comment

Duration Predicted 63% time reduction

Worker and Improvement cited

Traveler Safety

Cost Potential for $8 to $10 million reduction

Quality Data not yet available

Public Sentiment Positive thus far

Table 6 – Columbus, Ohio I-670 Benefits Summary
Duration: As the I-670 project is currently underway

(through September 2003), the full scope of time 

savings realized through the use of full closure is yet 

to be determined. The low bid contract for the I-670

construction project included contractor incentives/

disincentives of $20,000 per day to encourage timely

completion. As of June 2003, the project was under

construction and on schedule to meet the expedited

contract completion date of September 2003. During

project planning it was estimated that the project 

duration would be reduced from four years to 18

months using full closure, for a total time savings of 

30 months, or 63 percent. 

Worker and Traveler Safety: Using full closure 

eliminates the exposure of workers to traffic and of

motorists to active work zones. Project personnel felt

that a much safer working environment was created for

the contractor by eliminating worker exposure to traffic. 

SITE DESCRIPTIONS AND FINDINGS - COLUMBUS

24

Under the appropriate conditions, a full closure can be 

an effective way to complete projects faster and improve

safety for highway workers and motorists.

Gordon Proctor, Director, Ohio Department of Transportation

Cost: Another benefit from using the full closure

method was a significant cost savings. The contractor

estimated a cost savings of $8 to $10 million from 

completely closing the roadway compared to using 

traditional part-width construction. The reason for this

dramatic difference is the high level of effort required

to maintain traffic through the work zone under 

half-width construction over a period of four years.

Also, under full closure construction, contractors have

more room to work, operate their equipment, and store

materials; the full access is conducive to efficiencies

that allow for lowered construction costs. 

Public Sentiment: The public relations campaign in

this project has been a key to success and key to 

the positive attitude and acceptance of the public as 

a whole. With the I-670 project still underway, a full

assessment of public sentiment was not available.

Thus far, based on e-mails sent to ODOT, public 

sentiment toward the use of full closure and the 

regular distribution of project information updates has

been very positive; citizens are particularly impressed

with the fast pace of construction. While the majority 

of comments have been positive, travelers and residents

have filed a few minor complaints such as potholes

needing repair, lost parking spots, and access issues

with local businesses. Because ODOT had established

open lines of communication (progress reports; 

ODOT contact list; a local traffic advisory committee

with representatives from neighborhoods, the City of

Columbus, ODOT, and FHWA) prior to beginning the

project, citizens were able to direct their complaints to

the appropriate personnel, resulting in quick resolutions

for most issues. 

Additional Benefits Cited – Workspace: From the

perspective of the contractor for this project, additional

construction space is the biggest advantage of 

completing the project under full closure. This section

of I-670 runs through a narrow space surrounded by

the downtown commercial district (see Figure 11),

making construction space a premium. The additional

space available to store equipment and materials, 

as shown in Figure 12, significantly increased the 

efficiency of the construction operation. Also, the 

roadway elevations were going to be lowered by 

several feet over the whole project, which would also

have made it difficult and costly to construct this project

using traditional maintenance of traffic strategies. 

This factor, combined with the contractor’s ability 

to have more workers on the job site, has enabled the

contractor to progress toward the goal of 18 months. 
FULL ROAD CLOSURE FOR WORK ZONE OPERATIONS 

25

Figure 11 – Traffic crossing over the I-670 under full closure

Figure 12 – Full closure increases available workspace for

equipment and material

Lessons Learned

• The key to the public relations campaign was 

catching everyone’s attention, informing them of

what to expect, and following through on what was

promised. The campaign let the public know how to

detour and where to expect delay on the roadway

network. The campaign prepared the public for the

worst-case scenario so that the public would expect

some delays.

• Coordination among several agencies was 

critical to project success. The City of Columbus 

is particularly active in coordinating efforts and 

achieving project success. The City had a manned

centralized traffic control center that managed the

signal timings of the alternate routes. The traffic 

control center viewed volume data and then in turn

made the necessary changes to signal timings. 

The law enforcement agency worked in conjunction

with ODOT to assist in deploying the full closure 

and directing motorists toward alternate routes.

Emergency management services coordinated 

with ODOT to obtain advance information on road

closures allowing them to quickly maneuver around

the closure to arrive at destinations in a timely 

manner during emergencies. Route closure information

was also distributed and displayed as part of the

public relations campaign to inform the general public

about the effects of the construction project. 

• As the project is currently active, there is potential

for more lessons learned.
SITE DESCRIPTIONS AND FINDINGS

Kennewick,Washington SR 395

Project Details

In the city of Kennewick, the Washington State

Department Transportation (WSDOT) rehabilitated

three intersections on SR 395 – at Clearwater Avenue,

West Kennewick Avenue, and Yelm Street – using 

partial and full road closure approaches. The 

rehabilitation was necessary because the intersections,

originally built with asphalt concrete, had developed

substantial ruts. These ruts were caused by continued

stress incurred by slow-moving trucks and warm 

temperatures. To fix these ruts, and to combat future

rutting, WSDOT decided to use a full-depth Portland

cement concrete pavement (PCCP) instead of the

commonly used asphalt concrete. The decision to 

use full-depth PCCP was based on a life cycle cost 

analysis with a 40-year design life for each intersection.

The life cycle cost analysis demonstrated that the

PCCP reconstruction provided the lowest 40-year

annualized cost. 

In the Kennewick, Washington area, intersection 

rehabilitation projects with PCCP have traditionally

resulted in traffic management problems, encouraging

a new approach to rehabilitation. Previously, 

intersection rehabilitation had taken several weeks to

complete and caused complete disruption of the 

intersection, resulting in numerous complaints from 

the public. Full weekend closure of the intersection

would allow for continuous construction, reducing the

overall impact on motorists. Prior to developing the

weekend closure approach, WSDOT reconstructed

leave legs and intersections under traffic. 

One disadvantage of PCCP is the cure time necessary,

which prolongs the need to divert traffic. To reduce

cure time WSDOT used high early strength PCCP to

allow the roads to be reopened in a timely manner. 

To help keep the project on schedule, the contractor

developed a critical path timeline based on hours

instead of days. During the closure local traffic was

detoured to adjacent streets while state highway 

traffic was detoured to surrounding highways. The

availability of detour routes for local and through traffic

made the use of full closure possible. The longest

detour was provided for truck traffic and was 13 miles,

which required good communication with truck 

drivers passing through the urban corridor. Car traffic

was detoured on the local streets and their longest

detour was approximately five miles. Although the

impacts from the use of full closure were concentrated

into a shorter time frame, the exposure of motorists to

the work zone was eliminated. Figure 13 shows the

intersections that were closed. 

Figure 13 – Intersections closed during the SR 395 

intersection rehabilitation project

26
FULL ROAD CLOSURE FOR WORK ZONE OPERATIONS 

27

Originally an agreement between WSDOT and the 

City of Kennewick called for two-day closures to 

complete intersection repair. However, a three-day 

closure was desired by contractors to deal with the

uncertainties involved with a weekend closure, and to

provide necessary pavement cure time. With three

intersections to be completed in this set of projects,

the City of Kennewick and WSDOT agreed that 

three-day weekend closures would be designated 

for the construction of each intersection. Leave legs

were reconstructed under traffic on the days 

preceding the weekend closure, with the intersection

proper being reconstructed during the full closure. 

The intersections of West Kennewick Avenue 

and Clearwater Avenue were done during the same 

weekend closure.

The construction process required the existing 

roadway to be excavated, the grade prepared for 

concrete, formwork placed in order to pour the 

concrete, and finally roadway preparation prior to

reopening for traffic. This process was performed 

on the intersection square and a portion of each

approach or leave leg of the adjoining city streets. 

The contract allowed each intersection to be closed 

at 7 P.M. Thursday evening and required it to be

opened by 6 A.M. the following Monday morning. 

The PCCP placement and curing proceeded well, 

with the roadway being opened substantially ahead 

of the 6 A.M. Monday morning target. For all three 

intersections, the roadway was opened to traffic by 

6 P.M. Sunday. 

Some corridor and project characteristics include:

• 30,000 average daily traffic

• 30 percent commercial vehicle traffic

• Rehabilitation of three intersections plus leave legs

• Project dates – September and October, 2000.

Why Use Full Road Closure? 

Complaints received and traffic issues that resulted

from previous intersection rehabilitation projects led 

the WSDOT team to explore methods to accelerate

construction. During past intersection projects, staging

requirements did not allow construction on adjacent

intersections, so traffic weaved through the construction

area, causing confusion and many complaints 

from the public. Past requirements also restricted the 

contractor and caused delays; construction time

stretched out over four months for four intersections.

The City of Kennewick and WSDOT developed the

idea of a three-day closure during the design phase 

for this set of projects. Full closure was used on three

intersections, with two being closed and rehabilitated

concurrently on the same weekend. 

Duration: All three intersections on SR 395 were 

completed ahead of the accelerated schedule, 

opening by 6 P.M. on Sunday. On average it took nine

days to finish each project, including the work 

performed before and during the closure. In the past,

rehabilitation on four intersections had taken four

months, or an average of 30 days per intersection.

Using full road closure resulted in an estimated 63-day

reduction of project duration for all three intersections.

Benefits

Benefit Comment

Duration Reduced 70%

Worker and Improvement cited

Traveler Safety

Cost Data not available

Quality Data not available

Public Sentiment Positive

Table 7 – Kennewick, Washington SR 395 Benefits Summary
SITE DESCRIPTIONS AND FINDINGS - KENNEWICK

28

Worker and Traveler Safety: During the full closures,

workers were not exposed to vehicles in the work

zone, and travelers did not have to travel through a

complex system of cones and barrels. State DOT 

personnel cited that complete closures allowed for 

a safer environment for state and contract workers. 

Public Sentiment: Based on comments from the 

public in Kennewick, the three-day total closure used

by WSDOT was generally favorable and enabled

crews to finish the work quickly and efficiently. WSDOT

has found that a well-informed public is more tolerant

of delay and inconvenience resulting from work zones.

Upon completing the project WSDOT received favorable

comments from both businesses and residents. 

Lessons Learned

This approach of reconstructing busy intersections 

by WSDOT saved time and resulted in minimal 

inconvenience for drivers. Full closure is in contrast to

the traditional method of constructing one approach 

at a time, completing the project in stages. By working

in stages, intersections tended to be under construction

for longer periods of time. The contractor attributed the

success of the Kennewick area intersection reconstruction

to the following:8

• Preliminary planning meetings with the City of

Kennewick to discuss potential construction impacts

and concerns

• Involvement of local business in pre-construction

meetings

• Construction feasibility meetings held with 

contractors

• Experience with PCCP intersection design and 

construction in Washington State

• Public information campaign including newspapers,

radio, and television news broadcasts

• Project information updates via the WSDOT web

page

• Distribution of flyers to local business on a weekly

basis

• Modifications to the traffic control plan allowing 

continuous work operations with increased safety 

for employees

• Construction of two intersections concurrently

(Clearwater Avenue and West Kennewick Avenue),

maximizing crew efficiency

• Detailed schedule developed including milestones

• Aggressive maintenance of the construction 

schedule

• Availability of key decision makers for both WSDOT

and contractor to resolve issues quickly.

8 Uhlmeyer, J. (2001) PCCP Intersections – Design and Construction in Washington State. Washington State Department of

Transportation.
FULL ROAD CLOSURE FOR WORK ZONE OPERATIONS 

29

Wilmington, Delaware I-95

Project Details

Interstate 95 through Delaware serves as a major

artery connecting the Northeastern corridor with the

Southern states. The route carries significant amounts

of personal vehicle and truck traffic, both commuter

and through traffic. The section was over 30 years 

old, had very little maintenance repairs, and was 

in poor condition.9 Population growth and economic

development along the Northeastern coast had

increased average daily traffic significantly.

Peak-period traffic levels have lengthened, leaving

very little time for non-peak type roadwork.

The project called for rehabilitation of pavement,

bridges, drainage system, lighting, and safety features.

Also to be repaired were 10 interchange ramps. The

existing 10-inch jointed concrete pavement was 

nearing the end of its useful life. The prime contractor

was George & Lynch Inc. Construction. Full-depth

reconstruction was used to maintain areas of critical

clearance under bridges. Rubbilization was used on

existing concrete pavement to save money and time.

Rubbilization is the process of breaking up and 

compaction of existing pavement; new asphalt is then

laid directly on top of the crushed concrete, which 

provides a good base. The rehabilitation project would

use a full closure approach. The southbound direction

of the project would be closed from April 3 to June 29,

and the northbound direction would be closed from

July 9 to October 13. Figure 14 shows the closure 

and alternate route used. An incentive/disincentive

package was developed based on four project phases,

lasting approximately 30-50 days each. DelDOT

placed a $25,000-per-day bonus or penalty for up to

10 days on each of these four phases. The contractor

had the possibility of earning an additional $1,000,000

in bonus money for early completion or paying

$1,000,000 in penalty for a late completion. 

Some corridor and project characteristics include:

• $23.5 million project

• 100,000 average daily traffic

• 11 percent commercial vehicle traffic

• Reconstruction of a 6.1 mile section of roadway

(24.4 lane miles)

• Project dates – April to October 2000.

A partnership was created between DelDOT and 

various stakeholders including: political leaders, 

community activists, business leaders, government 

officials, and the general public. The partnership

developed and instituted a program called the 

Five Elements of Mobility: (1) Public Information 

Figure 14 – Closure and recommended detour for the I-95

project

9 O’Neill, D. (2001) I-95 Reconstruction and the Five Elements of Mobility. Delaware Department of Transportation.
SITE DESCRIPTIONS AND FINDINGS - WILMINGTON

30

(2) Transportation Management Improvement (TMI)

projects (3) Integrated Transportation Management

Systems (ITMS) (4) Traveling together (5) Capital

Improvement Program (CIP) Coordination. The five 

elements were seen as a good effort to get the 

word out on project details and impacts, in order to 

implement congestion mitigation measures prior to

project deployment. Approximately $13 million was

spent on the partnership and five mobility elements

listed above.

Many improvements were made throughout the area 

to facilitate the full closure. Improvements included

retiming signals, adding and improving left-hand turn

lanes, adding capacity to ramps, ITS deployment, rail

station enhancements, and improved “Expresso” bus

service to downtown locations. Capacity improvements

were made to intersections predicted to see an

increase in traffic during rehabilitation. Improvements

to alternate routes increased the overall project costs;

however, the improvements remain effective in reducing

congestion on the road network. Rehabilitation projects

in the future will benefit from the initial investment made

by DelDOT in preparing for the full closure of I-95. 

The public outreach component of the I-95 rehabilitation

project was significant. Beginning two years prior to

project deployment DelDOT initiated a public outreach

strategy that resulted in a “survival guide” publication

advertisement space in local newspapers, outreach

events, and public meetings. Investments made on

alternate routes during the I-95 project will reap benefits

on future projects; one notable step was purchasing 

a radio station (1380 AM) that relates traffic and travel

information on a 24-hour basis. The outreach strategy

covered both in-state/local motorists and out-of-state

traffic. DelDOT personnel related the importance of

providing different information for each group based

on its needs. 

Why Use Full Road Closure?

DelDOT decided to pursue a full road closure strategy

to reduce project duration, therefore alleviating the

impact of rehabilitation on travelers. Given that an

alternate route existed with ample capacity, the heavy

traffic that normally travels along I-95 could be easily

rerouted. Providing exceptional service and mobility 

to both local and through travelers is important to

DelDOT personnel and key decision makers. 

A key determinant in using the full closure method 

was the availability of a parallel interstate route, I-495.

Prior to beginning the project it was estimated that the

level of service on I-95 along the 6.1 mile section was

D or F, and on I-495, it was A or B. The extra capacity

on I-495 was a key determinant in deciding to use 

full road closure. It was estimated that 35 percent of 

the traffic using I-95 was through traffic and could be

diverted to I-495. It was decided that local traffic using

I-95 could be diverted to I-495, then to the improved

local street network. 

Duration: In order to expedite the construction

process and minimize the impact on I-95 corridor 

traffic, DelDOT developed an innovative plan for 

rehabilitation using full closure. From the contractor’s

perspective this would minimize construction times,

Benefits

Benefit Comment

Duration Reduced 75%

Worker and Improvement cited

Traveler Safety

Cost Increased overall

Quality Smoother surface

Public Sentiment Positive

Table 8 – Wilmington, Delaware I-95 Benefits Summary
FULL ROAD CLOSURE FOR WORK ZONE OPERATIONS 

31

provide a safer and more efficient work area, and

reduce conflicts with traffic.10 Overall project duration

was reduced from two years to 185 days, resulting 

in a reduction of exposure for both travelers and 

workers of 75 percent. Reduced duration was key on

such a highly traveled route connecting major cities

(see Figure 15).

Worker and Traveler Safety: Safety is difficult to 

quantify; however, project personnel cited the

improved safety of separating construction activities

from through traffic as a major component of the 

decision to use full closure. It is possible that crashes

increased on alternative routes; however, no data are

available. 

Cost: As part of the maintenance of traffic planning,

regional models of New Castle County were used to

identify diversion alternatives associated with various

maintenance of traffic options. From the regional 

models, intersections and roadways predicted to 

experience severe increases in traffic were identified.

10 O’Neill, D. (2001) I-95 Reconstruction and the Five Elements of Mobility. Delaware Department of Transportation.

Figure 15 – I-95 North closed for construction

The resulting congested sites were then examined 

further to determine capacity-related improvements

that could accommodate projected trip diversion. 

Prior to beginning the mainline project, capacity

improvements were made on alternative routes and

intersections such as sequencing lights, additional 

turn lane capacity, and improved ramps. According 

to project personnel the overall cost of the I-95 full 

closure was more expensive compared to traditional

maintenance of traffic projects. Included in the

increased costs are improvements made to alternate

routes, some of which have long-term value, and 

the extensive two-year public outreach campaign 

necessary to inform residents and travelers.

Maintenance-of-traffic costs were reduced as a result

of eliminating the need for a temporary PCC barrier.

Project personnel estimate that MOT costs were

reduced from approximately 10 percent of total project

budget to two percent.

Quality: Project personnel noted that allowing the 

contractor full access to the roadway resulted in 

a long-term pavement section that was built to the 

highest standards of efficiency. A smoother surface,

with a notably quieter ride, resulted from the need for

fewer joints. The 40-year design includes regularly

scheduled maintenance and overlays; it is yet to be

determined if the durability of the roadway is improved

through the full closure approach.

Public Sentiment: Positive comments were received,

with very few complaints during the I-95 project. As

noted by project personnel, the success of the project

has “raised the bar” on future projects, requiring 

innovative thinking and strategic planning with the

public in mind. The overall success of the I-95 project

has created a new level of appreciation and respect

for the DelDOT team as a whole. 
SITE DESCRIPTIONS AND FINDINGS - WILMINGTON

32

Additional Benefits Cited – Investment for 

the Future: Many of the congestion mitigation initiatives

that were implemented during the early stages of the 

I-95 rehabilitation were permanent improvements to 

the traffic network. Traffic management initiatives

implemented during the project have continued to 

provide benefits following project completion. ITS

implementation, ramp and intersection improvements,

and emergency access ramps have greatly benefited

the entire network in reducing congestion. The

“Expresso” bus service that was implemented during

the project transported citizens from selected stops

directly downtown. The Expresso service initially

planned for deployment only during the construction

period was continued for two years after project 

completion based on its popularity. The route was later

discontinued during annual route adjustments, due to

low ridership.

Lessons Learned

• Pre-qualification of contractors was critical to 

project success on the I-95 full closure. Contractors

were required to qualify twice during the process.

Initially a first cut of contractors was made based 

on capability to complete the project, including 

the availability of resources such as manpower,

equipment, and asphalt production. Qualifications

were again solicited from the remaining contractors,

as contract specifications became available.

• Including public relations personnel as part of the

project team is important and allows the public to

remain informed as the project moves forward. 

With the complexity of closing a major north/south

route, the public relations component is critical to

project success. Having begun the public outreach

campaign two years prior to project implementation,

information was far-reaching and comprehensive. 

• One of the keys to the success of the I-95 closure

was having a champion with technical project

knowledge who was able to convince the public,

elected officials, and senior DOT personnel.

Typically the public will interface with a spokesperson

for projects; however, during the I-95 closure project

personnel intimately familiar with technical aspects

of the project were able to connect with the public

during meetings and call-in radio shows. It is felt

that this contributed greatly to public acceptance

and cooperation using the full closure approach.

• Early involvement of construction personnel reduces

potential roadblocks to project success, resulting in

smooth construction with fewer disruptions. During

the planning and design phases, the construction

group provided input that would alleviate change

orders and revisions after construction had started.

Much of the success of the I-95 project is attributed

to the construction group.
FULL ROAD CLOSURE FOR WORK ZONE OPERATIONS 

33

Alternative Strategies

Limited Capacity Closures

A limited capacity closure refers to removal or suspension

of a portion of traffic operations directionally from a

segment of roadway for the purpose of reconstruction

and/or maintenance activities. Traffic can be suspended

based on vehicle type (e.g., removing automobiles,

allowing trucks to continue) and/or destination (e.g.,

removing through traffic while maintaining local traffic). 

I-75 Detroit, Michigan

I-75 in Detroit was rehabilitated using a limited capacity

closure. I-75 carries a large number of commercial

vehicles to and from the Canadian border through

Detroit. Realizing the importance of maintaining 

commercial trucking operations during the project,

Michigan DOT decided to allow one northbound lane,

operating on the southbound side, to remain open for

truck traffic. The lane served as an express route from

I-75 to downtown Detroit. Entry and exit ramps along

the route were closed, limiting access to the facility

during construction operations. 

Considerations:

Limited capacity closure projects require a significant

amount of public information and outreach. Media 

outlets were used to disseminate details on the project,

and information about alternate routes was available.

As part of the Fix Detroit 6 program the I-75 project

details were provided in a flyer included in the Detroit

Free Press Sunday paper. The flyer related information

on six projects. More than 850,000 Fix Detroit 6 flyers

were included in the paper at a cost of over $80,000.

Benefits:

• As a result of this strategy, congestion was reduced

on alternate routes due to availability of a primary

route to commercial vehicle traffic. 

• Michigan DOT personnel noted that while it is not

known whether the number of accidents has 

gone down, in general the severity of accidents 

has been reduced through the use of the limited

capacity closure.

• Increased access to the roadway allows for full-width

construction to take place, improving quality and

reducing the number of joints needing potential

future maintenance.

Nighttime/Off-peak Closures

Many projects have utilized nighttime or off-peak 

closures to facilitate construction or maintenance 

operations. As defined in this report, a nighttime or 

off-peak closure is removal or suspension of traffic 

from a segment of roadway during the night or off-peak

traffic periods for the purpose of reconstruction and/or

maintenance activities. Often the work performed

under nighttime closures requires complete access 

to the road such as bridge work or utilities repair.

I-40 Wilmington, North Carolina

During a bridge rehabilitation project near Wilmington,

North Carolina, engineers utilized a nighttime closure 

to set bridge girders. I-40 was fully closed for 6 hours,

from 12:01 A.M. to 6:00 A.M. The detour required 

vehicles to travel about 10 miles. The space needed 

to perform the necessary work was only about 300 feet

of roadway; however, alternate routes would not allow

for a quick detour off and back onto the road. Given

the type of work being performed, no alternative to

nighttime closure was available.
ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES

34

Considerations:

• NCDOT engineers and inspectors monitored traffic

at both ends of the full closure to ensure that traffic

was detoured smoothly and congestion did not

reach unacceptable levels.

• Stakeholders included highway patrol, emergency

services, media, local police, and NCDOT traffic

services.

• Despite needing full access to only a small 

portion of the road (300 yards), the detour route 

was approximately 10 miles long due to a lack 

of alternatives.

Benefits:

• Work crews were able to safely install bridge 

girders with no traffic conflict to hinder the 

extensive procedure.

• Traffic volumes during the 12:00 A.M. to 6:00 A.M. 

time period are very light, allowing traffic to be 

re-routed with minimal consequences.

• Nighttime closure allowed crews to complete 

the necessary work while reducing the disruption 

of traffic to one extended period of time, instead 

of several short closures.

Ramp Closures

Ramp closure, as defined in this report, requires the

removal or suspension of traffic from a ramp or series of

ramps for the purpose of rehabilitation or construction.

Closing a ramp can eliminate the need for complex

traffic control that addresses both traffic entering the

facility and traffic already on the facility.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma initiated a policy to facilitate reconstruction

and improve public relations during reconstruction

activities. The policy allows for existing ramps to be

closed for rehabilitation projects based on the potential

for congestion or safety concerns. 

Considerations:

• The Oklahoma Department of Transportation must

conduct a public hearing for the surrounding 

neighborhoods to notify the public of the upcoming

closures and to address the concerns expressed 

by the public. Typically, this is done just prior to

closing the ramps.

• In the future, ODOT plans to conduct public hearings

during the planning and design phases to ensure

that all local concerns are addressed and that no

economic hardship to the local economy will be 

produced from the ramp closures.

Benefits:

• Ramp closures typically facilitate and accelerate

reconstruction. This in turn reduces motorist delay

and improves safety. 

• Ramp closures also serve to increase public 

awareness of construction projects and work zones,

and often provide new ideas on different approaches

to reduce impacts.

Intermittent Closures

As defined in this report, intermittent closures are the

removal or suspension of traffic from a segment of

roadway for specified time increments, typically 5 to 

30 minutes, while roadwork takes place. Examples 

of project types conducive to intermittent closures

include utility work or bridge girder placement. 

Ohio Turnpike

Many agencies including the Ohio Turnpike

Commission use intermittent closures, in the form of

rolling roadblocks, to perform structural steel setting,

utility crossing work, or to shift traffic into a new 

configuration. Performing rolling roadblocks requires

police officers to control each lane of traffic and 

on-ramps, and maintenance staff to serve as the 

“last vehicle through.” Rolling road blocks are used 
FULL ROAD CLOSURE FOR WORK ZONE OPERATIONS 

35

to create a 10- to 12-minute traffic-free work window.

Typically this requires that traffic be shut down 

approximately 10 miles prior to the work zone. The

entire closure lasts 20 to 25 minutes. About 10 minutes

are needed to clear the roadway, leaving 10 to 12 

minutes for work to take place. 

Considerations:

• Rolling roadblocks have the potential to create 

significant traffic backups.

• Significant manpower is generally required to

deploy a rolling roadblock.

• Work should be conducive to night work, as rolling

roadblocks during the daytime have potential to

create unacceptable congestion. 

Benefits:

• Traffic is slowed and controlled, allowing for noninterrupted work to take place for 10 to 12 minutes.

• Rolling roadblocks allow traffic to remain in motion,

making recovery easier than completely stopping

traffic.

• Rolling roadblocks can also serve as a useful

approach to make significant shifts in lane 

configurations. 
36

Summary of Findings

The purpose of this report is to raise awareness

among designers, construction engineers, and 

managers of the applications and benefits of full road

closure during rehabilitation and construction 

activities. Based on interviews with project personnel

(when available) and literature reviews, six projects

using a full road closure approach are described,

including benefits, recommendations for success, 

and lessons learned. Factors related to cost, safety, 

mobility, duration, quality, and public sentiment during

the application of full road closure are described. 

The goal of this examination is to provide transportation

agency staff with a better understanding of the 

reasons for the use of full closure, and the benefits

associated with the approach. Table 9 presents a

summary of the rationale for using full road closure

and the benefits of this action for the six projects

described in this report.

Study Sites Rationale for Full Road Closure Benefits

I-84 To quickly restore badly rutted pavement, • Reduced construction duration to two weekends, an

Portland, Oregon complete the project prior to the winter rainy 85% reduction.

season, and allow for the late season use of • Saved approximately $100,000.

2 weekends, of available funding. • Achieved a smoother/quieter ride through a reduction

directional closures in total number of joints and seams.

• Likely improved safety.

I-65 To expedite construction to reduce the impacts • Reduced a 90-day project to 107 hours.

Louisville, Kentucky on travelers. • Achieved a safer working environment for the 

contractors and increased productivity.

2 weekends, • Resulted in a higher-quality end product. 

directional closures

M-10 To reduce construction time in order to • Reduced project duration by 71%.

Detroit, Michigan complete the project in one construction • Reduced maintenance of traffic cost by 75%-90%.

season, and potentially increase safety. • Cited a safer environment for workers and travelers.

2 months,

bi-directional closure

I-670 To minimize the impact of construction on • Expected to reduce project time from four years to 

Columbus, Ohio travelers. 18 months.

• Estimated cost savings of $8 to $10 million.

Expected duration • Expected to increase productivity due to increased 

of 18 months, workspace.

bi-directional closure

3 intersections on To minimize the time and disruption associated • Reduced project duration by 70% on average for 

SR 395 Kennewick, with replacing several intersections. each intersection.

Washington • Eliminated the need for confusing traffic patterns

that would have resulted from maintaining traffic 

2 weekends; through the intersections.

2 intersections on 1 • Achieved positive public sentiment and support for 

weekend and 1 on the use of full closure.

the second weekend

I-95 To minimize overall project completion time, • Reduced project duration by 75%.

Wilmington, reducing impacts to both local and through • Believed to increase the safety of both workers and 

Delaware traffic. travelers.

• Improved public appreciation for DelDOT services.

7 months, 

directional closure

Table 9 – Project Sites Summary Table
Benefits

The six projects examined for this study all experienced

numerous benefits as a result of using a full closure

approach.

• All projects reported a reduction in project duration.

According to the study, the average duration 

reduction resulting from the use of full road 

closure was 76 percent, compared with part-width

construction using traditional maintenance of traffic

(see Figure 16). Full closure essentially eliminates 

worker exposure to traffic and moves traffic away

from the work zone. Reductions in project duration

also reduce the time period that motorists are

exposed to the congestion and safety impacts 

related to the road project. A measure of this benefit

for the six projects is captured in Figure 17.

• Based on estimates from project personnel, two

projects realized significant cost savings through 

the use of full closure.

• Five projects studied cited improved traveler and

worker safety as a benefit and factor in the decision

to utilize full closure.

• Three projects reported a better-quality product

achieved through the use of full closure.

• Two project sites reported that no complaints were

received about the project, with positive comments

frequently being made by the public. All projects

reported that public sentiment was positive.

• The increased workspace and flexibility in project

staging offered by full closures often led to greater

efficiency.

• Project personnel felt that worker productivity

improved due to less distraction from traffic.

• All project sites noted that the impact of 

construction on travelers was reduced. Congestion

observed on alternate routes during the closures

was often less than expected.

Estimated Time Saved

PROJECT SITE

Figure 16 – Estimated time saved: Project days for full road

closure vs. estimated days with traditional maintenance 

of traffic PERCENT DURATION REDUCTION

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%

OR 

I-84

KY 

I-65

MI 

M-10

OH 

I-670

WA 

SR-395

DE

I-95

85%

95%

71%

63%

70%

75%

Estimated Exposure Reduction Using Full Closure

PROJECT SITE

Figure 17 – Reduction in work zone exposure (in days) DAYS SAVED

1000

800

600

400

200

0

OR 

I-84

KY 

I-65

MI 

M-10

OH 

I-670

WA 

SR-395

DE

I-95

27.3

85.5 130

914

63

545

FULL ROAD CLOSURE FOR WORK ZONE OPERATIONS 

37
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

38

Considerations

• City/county agencies and personnel often need to

be convinced of the feasibility of implementing a 

full closure strategy and the potential benefits that

can be realized, compared to traditional means of

performing rehabilitation under traffic.

• Full closure projects are typically done on an 

accelerated schedule. Contractor and supplier 

ability to provide adequate amounts of resources

(materials, equipment, crew) to maintain an 

accelerated pace should be assessed prior to 

letting a project as a full closure. 

• Meeting the project completion deadline is 

particularly important when using full closure since

this is often highly publicized as the date when the

road will re-open. Therefore full closure projects 

may carry additional deadline pressure for those

involved. This can accelerate decisions and limit 

the time for researching options when issues arise.

• Impacts to business or entertainment venues can 

be a factor. Many of the project sites planned 

closures around events and considered impacts to

businesses during the planning process. This type

of planning helps to ensure a successful project.

• Full closure projects are often scheduled on a 

24-hour work basis, so there is potential for impacts

to local residents, including noise and light pollution.

• Increases to traffic densities on alternate routes

must be assessed, planned for, and managed.

Depending on available alternate routes, there is 

a potential need for capacity improvements and

operational enhancements that may require 

additional funding and coordination during the 

planning and programming phases.

Lessons Learned

• The use of full road closure requires significant 

lead time for increased planning and outreach with

regard to the potential effects of road closures.

Project personnel need to consider all possible

stakeholders to ensure that their needs are met

throughout project duration.

• The availability of adequate alternate routes is the

most critical factor in pursuing a full road closure

approach. For the study sites, projected congestion

impacts typically went unrealized as demand during

the project was less than expected as a result of

information dissemination.

• A solid traffic management plan is vital to the 

success of the project. This includes an appropriate

amount of signage in advance of the closure to

inform travelers of alternate routes. 

• The public outreach component was noted as the

key factor in the success of full closure projects by

several sites. Public relations serves to inform the

public of alternate routes, reduce the overall volume

of traffic, and encourage patience on the part of

travelers leading to increased satisfaction with 

project performance. Useful, accurate information

exchange with all stakeholders is the goal of a 

successful public outreach campaign, and reduces

complaints during the project.

• State agencies are typically not allowed to specify

city or county roads as detours. However it was

found that non-state roads might handle much of 

the diverted traffic. Two sites related that after about

two weeks traffic redistributed on its own and 

balanced the increased load on the network, at

which time a fair assessment of overall traffic flow

could be made.
Conclusion

Agencies across the country are successfully using 

full closure in work zones. This cross-cutting study 

has examined some applications of full closure in 

work zones and the resulting benefits, issues, and 

lessons learned associated with the strategy. The

approach has enabled state agencies to significantly

reduce the impacts of rehabilitation projects, while 

not compromising quality, productivity, safety, and 

sometimes cost. Many agencies have already begun

to experience these potential benefits and pass those

benefits on to others.

While a full closure approach may not be appropriate

for every work zone, there are many situations where

transportation agencies can effectively use full 

closure. Although the need exists to better quantify

benefits, the qualitative benefits are apparent. Project

personnel from several sites using a full closure 

strategy indicated that using full closure in work zones

has resulted in positive public sentiment, increased

productivity, reduced project duration, increased 

safety and/or a shortened risk period, and in some

cases significant cost savings. With increased 

consideration and application full closure will help

reduce the overall impact of work zones as deteriorating

roads are rehabilitated and improved to meet 

ongoing and future mobility needs. 

39

FULL ROAD CLOSURE FOR WORK ZONE OPERATIONS 
40

Other Selected FHWA Work Zone Publications

• Work Zone Best Practices Guidebook

(FHWA-OP-00-010) (2000)

• Best Practices Fact Sheets 

• Fact Sheet 1: 

Oregon's QuickFax Service

(FHWA-OP-00-022) (2000)

• Fact Sheet 2: 

Customer Driven Construction in Illinois

(FHWA-OP-00-023) (2000)

• Fact Sheet 3: 

Work Zone Safety Awareness Week

(FHWA-OP-00-024) (2000)

• Fact Sheet 4: 

Delaware's Survival Plan for the I-95 Shutdown

(FHWA-OP-00-025) (2000)

• Fact Sheet 5: 

Innovation During Bridge Rehabilitation 

Improves Mobility

(FHWA-OP-01-008) (2001)

• Fact Sheet 6: 

Work Zone Best Practices Guidebook

(FHWA-OP-01-009) (2001)

• Fact Sheet 7: 

Compendium of Work Zone Research,

Development and Technology Transfer

(FHWA-OP-02-054) (2002)

• Shorter Duration, Safer Work Zones, More Satisfied

Travelers: Successful Applications of Full Road 

Closure in Work Zones (FHWA–OP-03-086) (2003)

• Intelligent Transportation Systems in Work Zones: 

A Cross-Cutting Study (FHWA-OP-02-025) (2002) 

• Informed Motorists, Fewer Crashes: Using 

Intelligent Transportation Systems in Work Zones

(FHWA-OP-01-043) (2001) 

• Positive Protection: Reducing Risk, Protecting

Workers and Motorists (2003) 

Joint publication with AASHTO, ARTBA, AGC,

ATSSA, LHSFNA

• Creating Safer Work Zones: Five Brochures

(FHWA-SA-03-007) (2003)

• A Snapshot of Summer 2001 Work Zone Activity

(EDL #13793) (2003)

• Compendium of Work Zone Research,

Development, and Technology Transfer Projects

1997 to 2002 (FHWA-OP-02-053) (2002)

• Methods and Procedures to Reduce Motorist Delays

in European Work Zones (FHWA-PL-01-001) (2000)

To obtain a copy of a publication, visit our website at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/workzones.
Federal Highway Administration

Work Zone Program

Room 3408, HOTO-1

400 Seventh Street, SW 

Washington, DC 20590

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/workzones

EDL# 13795 FHWA-OP-04-009