Best Practice

BEST PRACTICE:

G1−4: Restricting the Length of Active Work Zones

DESCRIPTION:

The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) has developed a policy that restricts the length of active work zones within a project. This policy limits the length of lane closures on a project to one mile. The maximum is sometimes increased on a project by project basis. This policy does not allow the contractor to be working on the entire section of the project with little or no progress being made. The contractor is allowed to have more than one operation working at one time, but the distance between operations must meet the active work zone length as stated above.

REASON(S) FOR ADOPTING:

MDOT adopted this policy to prohibit lengthy lane closures on construction projects. With restricted lengths of lane closures on construction projects, the delay to the traveling public is reduced.

PRIMARY BENEFIT(S):

The primary benefit is travel delays are reduced because the length of lane closure is reduced.

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

This policy is applicable to all types of facilities and all types of projects, but is typically applied to those on major arteries. There have been a few exceptions granted to extend the length to three miles on a few projects throughout the State, based on engineering judgment.

STATE(S) WHERE USED:

Mississippi

SOURCE/CONTACT(S):

Brad Lewis, Assistant State Construction Engineer, Mississippi DOT
Phone: (601) 359−7323
E−mail: blewis@mdot.state.ms.us