Work Zone Mobility and Safety Program

Percent of Customers Satisfied with Work Zones

slide 1: Percent of Customers Satisfied with Work Zones

Missouri Department of Transportation Approach



slide 2: Tracker – Measures of Departmental Performance

2005 – Present

  • Eight Tangible Results
  • Work Zone Related Measures
    • Percent of Customers Satisfied with Work Zones
    • Work Zone Impacts to Traveling Public
    • Number of Fatalities and Injuries in Work Zones
Cover of the January 2013 Tracker Measures of Departmental Performance report.


slide 3: Percent of Work Zones Meeting Expectations for Traffic Flow and Visibility

Visibility and Mobility Worksheet (2005-2008)

  • Technical survey performed personnel with in depth knowledge of work zones.
  • Seven categories for Visibility
  • Two categories for Mobility (Traffic Flow)
  • 33 questions within the worksheet
  • Meeting 99% Expectations


slide 4: Percent of Work Zones Meeting Expectations for Traffic Flow and Visibility

Customer Surveys (2009-2011)

  • Upper Management was concerned if true expectations were being measured
  • Not true customer expectations: public
  • Nine question survey
  • Customers: traveling public and non-technical MoDOT personnel
  • Available through MoDOT Internet site and/or hard copies
  • By 2011, Work Zones meeting expectations were high: +95%


slide 5: Percent of Customers Satisfied with Work Zones

Customer Surveys (2011-Present)

  • With an increase of public input of work zones the non-technical MoDOT personnel input is reported separately
  • Now it is a true customer expectations
  • Five question survey
  • Available through MoDOT Internet site and/or hard copies


slide 6: Customer Survey Questions


  1. Did you have enough warning before entering this work zone?
  2. Did the signs provide clear instructions?
  3. Did the cones, barrels, or striping guide you through the work zone?
  4. Did you make it through the work zone in a timely manner?
    • If "No," please provide the reason for the rating.
  5. Were you able to travel safely in the work zone?
    • If "No," please provide the reason for the rating


slide 7


Screen capture of the Missouri Department of Transportation web page.  The screen capture highlights Work Zone Awareness Week, a traveller information map, and other transportation news and links.



slide 8


The first page of the online Missouri Department of Transportation Work Zone Customer Survey.



slide 9


The second and final page of the online Missouri Department of Transportation Work Zone Customer Survey.



slide 10: Customer Surveys


  • Data is collected into Cognos Connection database.
  • Obtain data from minutes (internet) to couple days (hard copy).
  • Information from Customer Surveys can be given to districts within 24 hours during week or on Monday after the weekend.
  • All concerns are sent to District Work Zone Coordinator within 24 hours. This provides districts opportunity to address issues.
  • Traffic division interprets and processes data from database. District have access to the data also.


slide 11: Customer Surveys


  • 2,834 customer surveys collected since 2010
  • Public Involvement
    • Availability on internet
    • Media information during Work Zone Awareness Week
    • Ask to rate work zone at the project via Static Signs
    • Survey cards at Welcome Centers and Flagging Operations
    • Mass Mailings on Project Specific (High-Profile) – 15% Return Rate


slide 12


Scanned image of a hard copy of the Missouri Department of Transportation Work Zone Customer Survey.       Screen capture of the Missouri Department of Transportation web page encouraging motorists to slow down and not "zone out" while driving through work zones.



slide 13

Outstanding Customer Service

Result Driver: Mara Campbell, Customer Relations Director
Measurement Driver: Dan Smith, Traffic Management & Operations Engineer

Purpose of the Measure:
Work zones are designed to allow the traveling public the ability to travel safely through the work area with minimal disruption. This measure tracks how well the department meets customer expectations in nine aspects of work zone design.

Measurement and Data Collection:
The Work Zone Customer Survey is located on the MoDOT website at: www.modot.mo.gov/workzones/comments.htm. This measure is updated quarterly.

Customers indicated whether they agreed that:

  • Signs provided enough warning
  • Signs provided clear instructions
  • Channelizers provided proper guidance
  • Travel through the work zone was timely.
  • The traveler felt safe in the work zone.

Improvement Status:
For Jan-Mar 2013, fifty customer surveys were received, which is an increase of 7 from same time last year.

Overall, customer satisfaction for first quarter 2013 saw a decrease of 13% from calendar year 2012 to 76%.

Customer satisfaction with safety saw an 18% drop from calendar year 2012. Predominately, the decrease came from a bridge project that used signals for one-lane, one-way traffic control.

Customer satisfaction with timeliness also experienced a 9% decrease this quarter.

Graph breaks out results of surveys rating customer satisfaction with work zones.



slide 14


Graph breaks out number of surveys received by calendar year and quarter.



slide 15: Concerns from Surveys


  • Queuing outside the work zone limits
  • Request of early warning of queues
  • Speed limit has been commented as being too low or too high
  • Why is there a work zone present and/or restrictions when workers are not present
  • Personnel procedures not being followed: flagging


slide 16: Use of Information


  • Nine customers reported of being upset of the timing of signals at a bridge on March 27. MoDOT and contractor worked on the timing on the 28th. One survey was received on the 29th thanking us on fixing the timing. There has not been a negative survey of the bridge since.
  • Another bridge project had 64 lane closures to bring in girders with many closures lasting 20+ minutes. The closures were advertised in paper, radio, and on roadway via CMS boards. No recorded customer surveys of the project.
  • 8-mile projects with multiple lane closures which would open and close 3-lanes to 2-lane periodically causing long delays. Customers request to keep two lanes open throughout the project and the district obliged. The district did not received a customer concern after the change.


slide 17

Work Zone Impacts to Traveling Public measure indicates how well significant work zones are performing.

Customer Surveys will capture the overall responses at significant work zones.

Work zone impacts to the traveling public:

Result Driver: Paula Gough, District Engineer
Measurement Driver: Julie Stotlemeyer, Traffic Liaison Engineer

Purpose of the Measure:
Work zones are designed to allow the public the ability to travel safely through the work area with minimal disruption. This measure indicates how well those significant work zones are performing.

Measurement and Data Collection:
Impacts of significant work zones are collected by MoDOT staff either driving through the work zone, visual observations or automated collection. Impacts may occur at any time during the life of the project and multiple times during a day. An impact is defined as the additional time added to your normal travel. The impact is categorized by three levels; minor, less than 10 minutes, moderate, 10 to 14 minutes, and major, fifteen minutes or greater. This measure is updated quarterly.

Improvement Status:
Work zones experienced major and moderate impacts to motorists. Although the number of work zones monitored has decreased, major impacts have decreased one-third and moderate impacts have increased. Motorists want to get through the work zone with as little inconvenience as possible. However, only 73 percent of customers are satisfied with timeliness through the work zone.

Graph depicts work zone impacts for first three quarters of fiscal year 2013.



slide 18: Questions

Daniel J. Smith, P.E.
Traffic Management and Operations Engineer
Office: (573) 526-4329
Daniel.Smith@modot.mo.gov

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