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| FEDERAL-AID POLICY GUIDE January 31, 2002, Transmittal 30 |
23 CFR 630J |
| OPI: HIF |
SUBCHAPTER G - ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS
PART 630 - PRECONSTRUCTION PROCEDURES
Subpart J - Traffic Safety in Highway and Street Work Zones
Sec.
630.1002 Purpose.
630.1004 Background.
630.1006 Policy.
630.1008 Implementation.
630.1010 Contents of the agency procedures.
Authority: 23 U.S.C. 106, 109, 115, 315, 320, and 402(a); 23 CFR 1.32 and 49 CFR 1.48(b).
Source: 43 FR 47140, Oct. 12, 1978, and 64 FR 71284, December 21, 1999, unless otherwise noted.
Sec. 630.1002 Purpose.
The purpose of this subpart is to provide guidance and establish procedures to assure that adequate consideration is given to motorists, pedestrians, and construction workers on all Federal-aid construction projects.
Sec. 630.1004 Background.
Part VI of the manual on uniform traffic control devices (MUTCD)1 sets forth basic principles and prescribes standards for the design, application, installation, and maintenance of the various types of traffic control devices for highway and street construction, maintenance operation, and utility work. The manual cannot address in depth the variety of situations that occur in providing traffic control in work zones. Although agencies responsible for traffic control and work area protection have attempted to develop some guidelines, a coordinated and comprehensive effort to develop greater uniformity is desirable. National reviews have shown that more attention is needed to insure that the MUTCD is properly implemented on all highway projects.
[43 FR 47140, Oct. 12, 1978, as amended at 51 FR 16834, May 7, 1986]
Sec. 630.1006 Policy.
It is the policy of the Federal Highway Administration that each highway agency shall develop and implement procedures consonant with the requirements of this regulation that will assure the safety of motorists, pedestrians, and construction workers on Federal-aid highway construction projects. The procedures shall be consistent with the provisions of the MUTCD. Highway agencies should be encouraged to implement these procedures for non-Federal-aid projects and maintenance operations as well.
Sec. 630.1008 Implementation.
The FHWA Division Administrator shall review and approve the highway agency's implementation of its procedures at appropriate intervals. The FHWA shall take appropriate action to assure that the highway agency's procedures are being followed and achieve the results intended. Major revisions in established procedures shall be submitted to the FHWA Division Administrator for information.
Sec. 630.1010 Contents of the agency procedures.
The agency's procedures shall include, but not necessarily be limited to the following:
(a) Traffic control plan (TCP). (1) A traffic control plan is a plan for handling traffic through a specific highway or street work zone or project. These plans may range in scope from a very detailed TCP designed solely for a specific project, to a reference to standard plans, a section of the MUTCD, or a standard highway agency manual. The degree of detail in the TCP will depend on the project complexity and traffic interference with construction activity.
(2) Traffic control plans shall be developed for all projects and be included in plans, specifications, and estimates (P.S. & E.'s) and shall be consistent with part VI of the MUTCD.
(3) The scope of the TCP should be determined during planning and design phases of a project.
(4) Provisions may be made to permit contractors to develop their own TCP's and use them if the highway agency and FHWA find that these plans are as good as or better than those provided in the P.S. & E.
(5)(i) Two-lane, two-way operation on one roadway of a normally divided highway (TLTWO) shall be used only after careful consideration of other available methods of traffic control. Where the TLTWO is used, the TCP shall include provisions for the separation of opposing traffic except:
(A) Where the TLTWO is located on an urban type street or arterial where operating speeds are low;
(B) Where drivers entering the TLTWO can see the transition back to normal one-way operation on each roadway; or
(C) Where FHWA approves nonuse of separation devices based on unusual circumstances.
(ii) Center line striping, raised pavement markers, and complementary signing, either alone or in combination, are not considered acceptable for separation purposes.
(b) Responsible person. The highway agency shall designate a qualified person at the project level who will have the primary responsibility and sufficient authority for assuring that the TCP and other safety aspects of the contract are effectively administered. While the project or resident engineer may have this responsibility, on large complex projects another person should be assigned at the project level to handle traffic control on a full-time basis.
(c) Pay items. The P.S. & E. should include unit pay items for providing, installing, moving, replacing, maintaining, and cleaning traffic control devices required by the TCP. Suitable force account procedures may be utilized for traffic control items. Lump-sum method of payment should be used only to cover very small projects, projects of short duration, contingency, and general items. Payment for traffic control items as incidental to other items of work should be discouraged.
(d) Training. All persons responsible for the development, design, implementation, and inspection of traffic control shall be adequately trained.
(e) Process review and evaluation. (1) A review team consisting of appropriate highway agency personnel shall annually review randomly selected projects throughout its jurisdiction for the purpose of assessing the effectiveness of its procedures. The agency may elect to include an FHWA representative as a member of the team. The results of this review are to be forwarded to the FHWA Division Administrator for his review and approval of the highway agency's annual traffic safety effort.
(2) Construction zone accidents and accident data shall be analyzed and used to continually correct deficiencies which are found to exist on individual projects, and to improve the content of future traffic control plans.
(23 U.S.C. 109(b), 109(d), 315, and 402(a); 49 CFR 1.48(b))
[43 FR 47140, Oct. 12, 1978, as amended at 47 FR 21780, May 20, 1982]
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