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Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU)

Fact Sheets on Highway Provisions

WORK ZONE SAFETY PROVISIONS

Year 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Authorization:          
Work Zone Safety Grants $0 $5 M $5 M $5 M $5 M
National Work Zone Safety Clearinghouse $0 $1 M $1 M $1 M $1 M

Several provisions in SAFETEA-LU address safety in highway construction work zones.

Work Zone Safety Grants [1409]

Under the Work Zone Safety Grants program, the Secretary will make grants to nonprofit and not-for-profit organizations to provide training to prevent and reduce work zone injuries and fatalities.

Grants may be used for:

  • construction worker training to prevent injuries and fatalities
  • development of guidelines to prevent work zone injuries and fatalities
  • training for State and local governments, transportation agencies, and other groups implementing these guidelines

The funds are contract authority, available for 4 years and subject to the Federal-aid highway obligation limitation. The Federal share is 80 percent and funds may not be transferred.

National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse

Under this program, the Secretary will make grants to a national nonprofit foundation for the operation of the National Work Zone Information Clearinghouse to be used for assembling and disseminating, electronically or otherwise, information relating to the improvement of work zone safety. Program funds are contract authority, available until expended and subject to the Federal-aid highway obligation limitation. The Federal share is 100 percent and funds may not be transferred. [1410 & 358(b) of P.L. 104-59]]

Worker Injury Prevention and Free Flow of Vehicular Traffic

The Secretary is to establish, within one year from SAFETEA-LU's enactment, regulations requiring highway workers to wear high visibility garments. [1402]

Temporary Traffic Control Devices

Projects may not be approved on Federal-aid highways or under the Federal Lands Highway program unless proper temporary traffic control devices to improve safety in work zones will be installed and maintained during construction, utility, and maintenance operations on the portion of the highway to be improved by such projects. Installation and maintenance of the devices must be in accordance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

The Secretary of Transportation, after consultation with appropriate Federal and State officials, is to issue regulations establishing the conditions for the appropriate use of, and expenditure of funds for, uniformed law enforcement officer, positive protective measures between workers and motorized traffic, and installation and maintenance of temporary traffic control devices during construction, utility, and maintenance operations. [1110]


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