Companion Guide to Video August 2012

www.fhwa.dot.gov/federal-aidessentials

Are drivers experiencing frustration, crashes and 

congestion with your road construction or 

maintenance project? If so, your temporary 

traffic control plan might not be operating to 

minimize these impacts to the travelling public. 

To ensure safe and orderly movement of traffic 

through the construction zone, local public 

agencies, or LPAs, need to implement an 

effective traffic control plan. 

The safety of those working in or 

travelling through a work zone 

depends on proper setup and 

operation of the traffic control. 

All work zones require a traffic control plan. The 

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, also 

known as the MUTCD, contains the minimum 

requirements for traffic control in work zones. 

Work zones that do not meet these 

requirements might experience more crashes 

and traffic delays. 

The temporary traffic control plan is developed 

during project design and submitted with your 

plans, specifications and estimate package for 

inclusion in the contract. Sometimes your 

contractor will suggest changes based on 

different construction phases, and you will have 

to approve a final plan. 

As the LPA, your responsibility is 

to inspect the project to ensure the 

traffic control plan is functioning as 

intended. 

LPAs use the Work Zone Traffic Control Review 

to confirm the setup and effectiveness of the 

project’s temporary traffic control. You do this by 

conducting periodic reviews throughout the life 

of the project and making appropriate 

adjustments. 

Let’s answer a few basic questions about 

planning to conduct the review. 

1. The first question is: Who will conduct the 

review?

The FHWA suggests using a diverse project 

team with a wide range of expertise for valuable 

insights to conduct the review. The primary 

traffic control review project team should include 

the project manager, a traffic control supervisor 

and the contractor. You can include additional 

members who have unique perspectives, such 

as representatives from other construction 

sections, traffic, safety, maintenance and 

design.

2. The next question is: When will the review 

be scheduled?

Consider these factors as you determine when 

to schedule your review. 

Project Construction and Contract Administration

Safety and Operations

Work Zone Traffic Control Reviews

Implementing an effective temporary traffic control plan is a vital 

component of project construction
Federal-aid Essentials for Local Public Agencies

Plan an initial traffic control review soon after the 

project begins, night inspections if traffic control 

devices are left overnight, and in-progress 

reviews throughout the project, especially when 

construction phases change.

Determine whether the review will be announced 

or a surprise. Unannounced reviews might be 

more representative of the quality of the traffic 

control and allow you to better assess the 

effectiveness of the temporary traffic control for 

your project.

If night work is being performed, 

conduct the review after dark to 

assess the effectiveness of the 

traffic control plan under night-time 

conditions. 

Also take into account the impact inclement 

weather might have on the effectiveness of the 

traffic control plan. Severe weather can lessen 

the benefit of traffic control devices, require 

longer stopping distances, impede visibility, and 

make work zone access points more dangerous.

3. The final question is: What documents 

should you gather for the review?

Prior to the work zone visit, get a copy of the 

current temporary traffic control plan for the 

team to review. Also, check to see if your State 

department of transportation, or State DOT, has 

developed a checklist that conforms to 

regulations and guidance documents to make it 

easier for you to conduct the work zone review.

So now you are ready to conduct the Work Zone 

Traffic Control Review. The review’s purpose is 

to assess the overall effectiveness of traffic 

movement as it approaches and moves through 

your project’s construction zone. 

Let’s use an example to clarify what actually 

happens during the review. 

Suppose you have a project that is just 

beginning on a major local roadway. You decide 

to conduct an unannounced inspection to see if 

the traffic control plan is working. Since your 

agency does not have its own work zone 

inspection form, you download examples from 

your State DOT’s Web site and from a national 

work zone safety site, and review them. 

You also decide that a team approach to 

conduct the review will be more effective. You 

form a diverse and experienced review team 

that includes members from the traffic and 

safety section, a maintenance supervisor, 

another project manager, and the State DOT. 

Prior to arrival at the construction site, the team 

assembles at the project office to get a copy of 

the traffic control plan and to check flagger 

certifications. You instruct the team to document 

observations about problems team members 

experience while driving through the work zone, 

as well as the reactions of other drivers.

You select an inspection report form including 

specific areas of the plan to review, such as:

• Proper signage and its placement

• Channelizing devices are the right size 

and dimensions and are placed 

correctly

• Work zone barriers with impact 

attenuation devices

• Appropriately attired flaggers with

proper equipment using recommended 

flagging methods

As the team approaches the work zone, they 

check to make sure the advance warning signs 

match those in the traffic control plan, are 

properly spaced, and are in serviceable 

condition. 

The team observes that the “right lane closed 

ahead” sign is in poor condition and needs to be 

replaced, documenting the problem on the form. 

As the vehicle approaches the lane closure, they 
Federal-aid Essentials for Local Public Agencies

check the spacing of the cones and the length of 

the taper. A flagger is observed slowing down 

traffic, so the team checks that the flagger is 

wearing high visibility safety attire and is using 

the appropriate stop-slow paddle that’s visible. 

As the vehicle exits the work zone, the team 

observes that traffic is flowing smoothly. 

The team returns to the work zone and reviews 

findings with the project engineer and the 

contractor. Prior to concluding the meeting, the 

team identifies the person responsible to correct 

deficiencies and when they must be corrected. A 

follow-up inspection is scheduled to ensure the 

corrections are made. Finally, you, as the review 

leader, send a copy of the inspection report to 

appropriate personnel and also file a copy with 

the project records.

As the project owner, LPAs are responsible to 

review and adjust the work zone traffic control, 

which helps to ensure the safe and efficient 

movement of the traveling public and the safety 

of workers. Please check with your State DOT 

for further guidance on conducting the work 

zone traffic control review.
Federal-aid Essentials for Local Public Agencies

The content of this 

document is not a 

substitute for 

information obtained 

from State departments 

of transportation, 

appropriate FHWA 

Division Offices, and 

applicable laws. 

Scenarios have been 

simplified for emphasis 

and do not necessarily 

reflect the actual range of 

requirements applicable 

to the scenario or this 

topic. This document

was created under 

contract number

DTFH63-12-F-00025 by 

the Federal Highway 

Administration, U.S. 

Department of 

Transportation, and is 

offered to the public to 

heighten and focus 

awareness of Federal-aid 

requirements within the 

local public agencies 

community and 

reinforces the 

importance of these 

necessary policies, 

procedures, and 

practices.

This companion resource 

is the script content for 

the video production of 

the same name. 

Web Resources

• Regulations, policies, best practices and updates related to work zone safety 

and mobility

http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/

• Resources on crash data, expert contacts and training

http://www.workzonesafety.org/

• Additional resources related to work zones, including training

http://www.atssa.com/

• Link to the MUTCD, including Part 6 on temporary traffic control device 

requirements

http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/

• FHWA regulation requiring MUTCD as national standard

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi/t/text/textidx?c=ecfr&sid=7bb75a978907be70297ca611437838ab&rgn=div5&view=text

&node=23:1.0.1.7.30&idno=23

• FHWA regulation covering temporary traffic control devices

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi/t/text/textidx?c=ecfr;sid=ac50c6fdef0382eaaf0e2aeffd84f2fc;rgn=div6;view=text;node=2

3%3A1.0.1.7.21.10;idno=23;cc=ecfr

• FHWA regulations for work zone safety and mobility

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi/t/text/textidx?c=ecfr&sid=290fc6120445390597f08cbae47b02d8&rgn=div6&view=text&

node=23:1.0.1.7.21.9&idno=23