Measuring Work Zone Mobility Performance Using the National Performance Management Research Data Set (NPMRDS)
Case Study: Application to the Texas Department of Transportation GO I-10 Project

Publication No. FHWA-HOP-20-029

July 2021

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Technical Report Documentation Page

1. Report No. FHWA-HOP-20-029	2. Government Accession No.	3. Recipient's Catalog No.
4. Title and Subtitle Performance Using the National Performance Management Research Data Set (NPMRDS) Case Study: Application to the Texas Department of Transportation GO I-10 Project		5. Report Date July 2021
		6. Performing Organization Code:
7. Author(s) Alan Pate, Param Sankar, Filmon Habtemichael		8. Performing Organization Report No.
9. Performing Organization Name and Address Battelle 505 King Avenue Columbus, OH 43201		10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)
		11. Contract or Grant No. DTFH61-16-D-00049 / 693JJ318F000184
12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590		13. Type of Report and Period Covered
		14. Sponsoring Agency Code HOP
15. Supplementary Notes Jawad Paracha (FHWA – HOTO)
16. Abstract FHWA is engaging with State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and conducting research to understand work zone mobility performance measurement best practices, challenges, and opportunities. The information will be used to increase awareness on data, tools, and methods for systematic work zone performance measurement across all stages of project development including planning, design, construction, and post-construction. Topics of interest include use of probe data and mainstreaming performance measures into agency policies and processes, including work zone process reviews and incorporating work zones into transportation system management & operations (TSMO) initiatives. This case study is one of a series of resources on work zone mobility performance measurement. It demonstrates how the National Performance Management Research Data Set (NPMRDS) can be used to measure work zone mobility performance. The NPMRDS contains probe-vehicle-based speed and travel time data for major highways and roadways across the United States. A real-world road construction project (Texas DOT’s GO I-10 Project in El Paso, TX) is used to illustrate a simple, repeatable process that State DOTs can use to measure work zone mobility performance.
17. Key Words Work zone mobility performance measurement, NPMRDS	18. Distribution Statement No restrictions. This document is available to the public.
19. Security Classification (of this report) Unclassified	20. Security Classification (of this page) Unclassified	21. No of Pages 50	22. Price

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized

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Table of Contents

• Overview
• The National Performance Management Research Data Set and Work Zone Mobility Performance Measurement
• GO I-10 Construction Project Overview
• Case Study Analyses
  • Construction and Project Information
  • Analysis Type
  • Performance Metrics and Visualizations
  • NPMRDS Data Download
  • Performance Thresholds
  • Calculations and Results: Scenario 1 – Hypothetical Scenario as though the GO I-10 Project is Currently Underway
    • Corridor Performance Trends
    • Hourly Average Travel Time Trends
    • Travel Time Variability When Traffic Underperformed
    • Delay Trends
  • Calculations and Results: Scenario 2 – Post-hoc Work Zone Performance Measurement for a Longer Time Period
    • Overall Corridor Performance
    • Average Traffic Speed
    • Hourly, Daily, and Seasonal Travel Time Variability
    • Travel Time Reliability
    • Road-User Cost Estimation
  • Interventions/Actions
  • Reporting
  • Lessons Learned
• Conclusion
• Appendix – Example Ten-Step Process for Work Zone Mobility Performance Measurement using the National Performance Management Research Data Set
  • Step 1 – Gather Construction Information
  • Step 2 – Determine Analysis Type
  • Step 3 – Select Performance Metrics
  • Step 4 – Download NPMRDS Data
  • Step 5 – Establish Performance Thresholds
  • Step 6 – Perform Calculations
  • Step 7 – Interpret Results
  • Step 8 – Take Action/Intervention
  • Step 9 – Develop Report
  • Step 10 – Document Lessons Learned

List of Figures

• Figure 1. Chart. Example process for estimating work zone mobility impacts using the National Performance Management Research Data Set
• Figure 2. Map. Advanced, Work Zone, and Transition Areas of GO I-10 Project
• Figure 3. Graph. Scenario 1 - Average hourly travel times during the first six-month construction period in eastbound direction
• Figure 4. Graph. Scenario 1 - Average hourly travel times during the first six-month construction period in westbound direction
• Figure 5. Graph. Scenario 1 - Travel time variability during the first six-month construction period when traffic underperformed in eastbound direction
• Figure 6. Graph. Scenario 1 - Travel time variability during the first six-month construction period when traffic underperformed in westbound direction
• Figure 7. Graph. Scenario 1 - Delay trends during the first six-month construction period in eastbound direction
• Figure 8. Graph. Scenario 1 - Delay trends during the first six-month construction period in westbound direction
• Figure 9. Graph. Scenario 2 - Average traffic speed during baseline and work zone conditions in eastbound direction
• Figure 10. Graph. Scenario 2 - Average traffic speed during baseline and work zone conditions in westbound direction
• Figure 11. Graph. Scenario 2 - Distribution of hourly travel times during baseline and work zone conditions
• Figure 12. Graph. Scenario 2 - Daily variability of peak hour travel times during morning and afternoon peak hours
• Figure 13. Graph. Scenario 2 - Seasonal variability of peak hour travel times during baseline and work zone conditions
• Figure 14. Equation. Travel Time Index and Planning Time Index
• Figure 15. Graph. Scenario 2 - Travel time index during baseline and work zone conditions
• Figure 16. Graph. Scenario 2 - Planning time index during baseline and work zone conditions
• Figure 17. Graph. Scenario 2 - Aggregated delays in the baseline and work zone conditions
• Figure 18. Graph. Scenario 2 - Hourly aggregated delays in the baseline and work zone conditions
• Figure 19. Chart. Example process for estimating work zone mobility impacts using the National Performance Management Research Data Set
• Figure 20. Graph. Example of Performance Threshold
• Figure 21. Equation. Estimated Travel Time
• Figure 22. Equation. Average Corridor Speed
• Figure 23. Equation. Actual Travel Time

List of Tables

• Table 1. Analysis parameters for GO I-10 Scenario 1
• Table 2. Analysis parameters for GO I-10 Scenario 2
• Table 3. Scenario 1 - Underperforming instance counts and average travel times in eastbound direction
• Table 4. Scenario 1 - Underperforming instance counts and average travel times in westbound direction
• Table 5. Scenario 2 - Underperforming instance counts and average travel times in eastbound direction
• Table 6. Scenario 2 - Estimating the monetary cost of delays in the eastbound direction
• Table 7. Scenario 2 - Estimating the monetary cost of delays in the westbound direction

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List of Abbreviations and Acronyms

AADT	Average Annual Daily Traffic
Caltrans	California Department of Transportation
DOTD	Department of Transportation and Development
FHWA	Federal Highway Administration
MPO	Metropolitan Planning Organization
NHS	National Highway System
NPMRDS	National Performance Management Research Data Set
ODOT	Ohio Department of Transportation
TMC	Traffic Message Channel
TOC	Traffic Operations Center
TSMO	Transportation System Management & Operations
TxDOT	Texas Department of Transportation
WZAD	Work Zone Activity Data
WZDI	Work Zone Data Initiative