Best Practice

BEST PRACTICE:

G4−4: Performance−Based Lane Closures

DESCRIPTION:

The Illinois Tollway implemented performance−based lane closures to minimize the impact on traffic during either maintenance or construction on its 286−mile toll road system. The Tollway's policy is to not permanently reduce capacity when major work is performed on segments of its system. Short term closures are approved based on the Tollway's Performance−based Lane Closure Program to minimize the impact of such closures. The Performance−Based Lane Closure Guide uses recent traffic data to provide insights to the hours of the day and days of the week when traffic impacts of a lane closure are expected to be minimized. This allows the Tollway to effectively evaluate requests for planned short−term lane closures. Working in concert with the Tollway's manual on establishing lane closures, the Guide has proven to be much more effective than the previous 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. policy. The Tollway has reduced hours in some locations while allowing extended hours in others. This has given the Tollway the ability to provide a more efficient and safer driving environment for its patrons, while giving contractors and maintenance crews the maximum allowable time to complete their work.

The Tollway places a high premium on communication of road conditions and lane status to the media and its customers. The Tollway uses ITS (cameras, sensors) to monitor work zone traffic flow and behavior from its Traffic Operations Center (TOC), and is able to provide motorists travel time and incident information through a network of dynamic message signs and a large number of portable changeable message signs that are provided under construction contracts but are messaged direct from the TOC. The Tollway also issues e−mail alerts to the media and commercial trucking industry when incidents impact system performance.

REASON(S) FOR ADOPTING:

Traditionally, the Illinois Tollway had restricted lane closures for construction and maintenance activity to off−peak mid−day, weekend, and nighttime hours to minimize the impact the closures would have on the road system. In recent years, there have been some lane closures within these allowable periods that still resulted in significant backups. In anticipation of the demand for increased closures as the Tollway implemented the Congestion−Relief Program and to reduce motorist delays, the Lane Closure Guide was developed to try to achieve the goal of "no lane closure delays" during this program.

PRIMARY BENEFIT(S):

While some delays seem to be inevitable during a major construction project, since implementation of the Lane Closure Guide delays due to lane closures have been significantly reduced. The Lane Closure Guide has enabled the Tollway to identify windows of closures that previously would have been prohibited, thereby enabling its contractors to accelerate work schedules while also reducing "traditional" delays experienced by motorists. This has not only included increased hours in the reverse commute direction, but earlier starts for night−time closures and occasionally an extra hour (which is often critical) in the peak direction. These extra hours have allowed the Tollway to get a significant amount of required work accomplished with a minimal impact to the motorist. The Guide also indicated some sections where no work is allowed on Fridays anymore, or on some critical sections where all work now has to be done at night or on weekends. Tollway staff and contractors have embraced the more flexible work hours and have utilized them as much as possible.

MOST APPLICABLE LOCATION(S)/PROJECT(S):

This Guide is used any time a work zone contains a lane closure.

STATE(S) WHERE USED:

Illinois

SOURCE/CONTACT(S):

John L. Benda, General Manager of Maintenance & Traffic, Illinois State Toll Highway Authority
Phone: (630) 241−6800, ext. 3903
E−mail: jbenda@getipass.com