Objectives:
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Support enforcement activities approaching and through work zones
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Get the work zone safety message out to the public.
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Accelerate construction schedules
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Improve mobility through work zones
Action Items:
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Work with Maryland Highway Contractors Association (MHCA) on work zone legislation
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Work with Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) to secure funding and develop work zone safety messages
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Explore procedures to accelerate construction schedules and staging activities
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Work with Maryland State Police on enforcement activities
Overview:
The Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) has a Business Plan Goal for Highway Work Zone Safety to work with both public and private sector groups to improve safety and mobility through highway work zones. The MdQI Safety Subcommittee was formed to determine what the highway industry can do to help achieve this goal.
SHA offers two WZ Safety Training classes - the Temporary Traffic Control Traffic Manager's Training (TTCTM) Course and the Maryland Approved Flagger's Course. Within the last four to five years, more than 10,000 highway workers have taken the TTCTM Course and more than 65,000 highway workers have taken the Maryland Approved Flagger’s Course.
SHA has worked with various public and private agencies to reach approximately 80,000 highway workers statewide through the Train-the-Trainer program. SHA is working with the Maryland Highway Contractors Association (MHCA) to provide the Traffic Manager’s training course to contractors at a reduced fee, and working with public and private agencies to encourage compliance with NCHRP 350 Requirements mandated by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
SHA continues a comprehensive work zone safety inspection program where 90% of projects are receiving “A” or “B” ratings. In Calendar Year 2010, work zone safety inspectors performed more that 3,000 inspections; the average rating was “B+”. SHA hosted local and national Work Zone Safety press conferences and supported local law enforcement efforts. In the past five years, Maryland has seen a decrease in work zone fatalities.
FHWA Road Safety Audits:
A Road Safety Audit (RSA) is the formal safety performance examination of an existing or future road or intersection by an independent, multidisciplinary team. It qualitatively estimates and reports on potential road safety issues and identifies opportunities for improvements in safety for all road users. The FHWA works with State and local jurisdictions and Tribal Governments to integrate RSAs into the project development process for new roads and intersections, and also encourages RSAs on existing roads and intersections.
SHA's coordinator for Road Safety Audits is Morteza Tadayon, 410-545-5580.
