FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, September 27, 2000
Contact: TaMara McCrae
Tel.: 202-366-0660
FHWA 58-00

FHWA Announces Availability of Work Zone Guidebook

Striving toward a goal of "No Delays and No Crashes in Work Zones," Federal Highway Administrator Kenneth R. Wykle today announced a guide to improving safety and mobility in highway work zones. It is called Work Zone Best Practices Guidebook.

"Substantial increases in funding from TEA-21 (Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century) will help meet critical highway needs, including a higher level of safety and service and an improved ride," Wykle said. "The best practices illustrated in our guidebook can help make the most of this funding by reducing construction delays and preventing crashes."

The guidebook is a tool designed to save lives, reduce injuries and enhance mobility in highway construction work zones. It assists construction workers by providing descriptions and points of contact for work zone best practices in every stage of a project, from planning and design through construction and maintenance. Transportation experts from around the country were surveyed for the guidebook, and their names appear as points of contact.

National surveys indicate that American motorists experience their greatest frustration when encountering a work zone related delay. This frustration, in part, leads to almost 800 deaths and 37,000 injuries a year to both motorists and workers.

The guidebook was produced by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and the FHWA. The FHWA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation, works with states and communities across the nation to build, maintain and operate America's roads and bridges and ensure a strong intermodal transportation system.