TMP Evaluation and Performance Module 9

Assessing TMP Performance2 Module Outline Why Assess TMP Performance? Performance Assessment – Project and Program Levels Evaluation during Construction Post-Construction Assessment Role of Process Reviews Feedback Process - Using the Results

Assessing TMP Performance3 Why Assess TMP Performance? All the efforts of WZ planning, impacts assessment, coordination, design, TMP development…culminate in one thing:  How does the TMP work in the field?  Are conditions as expected?  Do major issues arise?  Are there many complaints or “bad press”? If we don’t assess performance, we don’t really know and can’t really improve

Did I expect this  But instead got this 

Assessing TMP Performance5 Performance Assessment Performance assessment includes:  Identification of measures  Collection of data and observations  Synthesis and analysis of data at multiple levels  Application of the analysis results

Assessing TMP Performance6 Identifying Measures Based on agency goals and objectives Reflect “realities” of project constraints Tied to alternatives available and what can be influenced  When work should occur  How much roadway to use  Countermeasure strategies employed Requires a “suite” of measures

Assessing TMP Performance7 Project-Level Performance Example Measures:  WZ Safety Performance Traffic crash statistics Worker fatalities and injuries Speed/speed variance  WZ Mobility Performance Delay Speed Travel time Queue length  Exposure

Assessing TMP Performance8 Project-Level Performance (cont.) Example Measures:  Construction Efficiency and Effectiveness On-time completion Cost-efficiency/effectiveness Quality of work  Efforts made to address impacts  Public Perception Calls/comments received – pro and con Customer satisfaction indexes User perceptions about the safety and mobility of the work zone

Assessing TMP Performance9 Synthesize and Analyze Data for Program-Level Assessment Data collection and analysis involve a combination of existing/available sources including:  Previous results of impacts assessment and any travel planning and forecasting models  Field observations  Crash records  TMP and TMP evaluation findings  Interviews  Surveys

Assessing TMP Performance10 TMP Evaluation During Construction

Assessing TMP Performance11

Assessing TMP Performance12 Objectives During Construction Address and resolve any pre-construction coordination issues Assess the impact of any proposed changes prior to the start of work Update TMP (if needed) Implement the TMP Actively monitor and manage WZ impacts during construction Revise the TMP and implement appropriate revisions, if necessary Document any findings, lessons for use in performance assessments

Assessing TMP Performance13 Implement TMP Inspection of TTC and TO components of the TMP Consult with appropriate stakeholders on an ongoing basis to:  Keep the stakeholders informed  Seek their input on and knowledge of regional issues  Improve inter-agency and intra-agency coordination and response to WZ issues Communication with the public, as part of the PI component  Construction staff may have the lead in coordination and implementation of PI strategies

Assessing TMP Performance14 Monitoring TMP During Construction Monitoring performance (safety and operational) of the work zone and the TMP during Construction is important to see if:  Actual conditions in the field are similar to the predicted impacts used in planning and design  Strategies in the TMP are effective in managing impacts If performance requirements are not met, what can be changed to improve performance?  DOT and/or contractor should revisit the TMP and consider alternate strategies and/or approach(es)  TMP changes must be approved by the DOT

Assessing TMP Performance15 What to Expect Yes, monitoring the TMP is challenging  Tight budgets and staffing constraints Yet, agencies doing it note the importance of monitoring TMPs and make considerable efforts  Increases effectiveness of TMPs and future designs  Can save on future costs Variety of strategies ranging from simple to complex  Sharing best practices among regions  Documenting observations from project engineers in the field or deploying mobile trailers with sensors  Deploying ITS, using TMCs, buying data from a 3 rd party

Assessing TMP Performance16 Example TMP Monitoring Conditions/Policies Construction staff will monitor and collect data on WZ crashes to identify problematic trends and implementing appropriate adjustments For all significant projects, monitor queue length at beginning, middle, and end of each shift for the first week of every phase change (or during daily TCC inspection) and compare to plans Project manger will submit a quarterly report on:  TO summary  Incident summary  Public comments  Personal observations

Assessing TMP Performance17 Performance AspectSample Considerations Safety Average number of total crashes for that corridor/locality increased since construction started Obvious safety issues related to the TMP, such as, inadequate lane widths, tight turning radii, etc Recurring congestion Are queues within acceptable limits Non-recurring congestion Is incident related congestion within acceptable limits? Is the work zone incident response/management plan meeting pre-established response and clearance times? Community and environmental impactsAre there any complaints from the residential and business communities regarding construction related disturbance, access issues, etc? Are user costs as a result of the work zone impacts within acceptable limits? Combined impacts Has the project construction zone adversely impacted adjacent construction zones or has it been impacted by other projects? Project impacts Have there been delays in the delivery of materials to the work zone? Have the management strategies reduced these delays? Monitor WZ Safety and Mobility Impacts During Construction

Assessing TMP Performance18 RIDOT Monitoring Example Require construction staff to document all monitoring activities  Made this clear during training sessions for construction staff Occasionally include a line item in contracts requiring the contractor to monitor TMP implementation Developed a set of performance monitoring TMP strategies Include a post-construction WZ performance assessment section in their TMP template  Completed by the RIDOT TMP Implementation Manager  Documents lessons learned  Provides recommendations on how to improve the TMP process and/or modify guidelines

Assessing TMP Performance19 Michigan Monitoring Example Monitoring plan is in TMPs for significant projects Plan includes crash analysis of before and after a project and makes comparisons with another similar work zone Delay and queue measurements are done by staff in each region  Combination of portable trailer with a sensor, field staff observations, and drive-throughs by student interns  Weekly during peak and off-peak periods, with frequency reduced if conditions are stable  Completed monitoring forms go into MDOT’s project records system where designers can reference them for future projects  Delay and queue data also entered into a database for periodic analysis  monitoring showed that most projects met or exceeded their goal of < 10 minute delay

What to Consider When TMP Changes are Proposed During Construction Much has happened prior to now...

Assessing TMP Performance21 “The benefit of the TMP shines when ODOT can use the document to respond to requests made by contractors to modify the original traffic control plan in some way during construction. “ODOT can use the information and decisions recorded in the TMP to determine if the integrity of the TCP, promises made to stakeholders, traffic safety and operation can all be maintained if the contractor’s request is implemented.” –Oregon DOT State Traffic Control Plans Engineer

Assessing TMP Performance22 Changes to a TMP Can... Affect the MOT decisions made by the DOT during project development Increase work zone impacts  Queues & delays  Potential for crashes Reduce the effectiveness of the TMP Regularly hearing about this issue from States – good MOT planning is negated by changes at construction

Assessing TMP Performance23 If changes are proposed... How will revised impacts be assessed? Who will update the impacts assessment? Are any increased impacts acceptable? What are the critical issues to address in the TMP? e.g.,  Alternate route availability  Effects on businesses and residents  Changes to lane closures Who will update the TMP, as needed? Who will pay for these activities? Who will pay for any changes in cost to TMP implementation?

Assessing TMP Performance24 Responsible Persons Both the DOT and the contractor must designate a responsible person:  At the project-level  Who is appropriately trained  Who has primary responsibility and sufficient authority for implementing the TMP and other safety and mobility aspects of the project They need to review TMP changes

Assessing TMP Performance25 Your Experience to Date Do your TMPs include performance monitoring? What do those monitoring requirements look like? Do you review the TMP before you do a TTC inspection? TMP changes during construction  How are they reviewed?  How have they affected MOT/traffic flow?

Assessing TMP Performance26 Performance Assessment Post-Construction

Assessing TMP Performance27 Objectives Post-Construction Finish documentation of results and lessons learned Review findings Consider findings in light of findings from other projects Provide recommendations on how to improve the TMP process and/or modify guidelines/specs for future projects

Assessing TMP Performance28 Document WZ Performance Findings Summary of the following information:  Observed and/or measured impacts  Compare actual impacts versus the impacts  Effectiveness of TMP and management strategies  Best practices  Innovative approaches/techniques/technologies used  Lessons learned  Recommendations for policy or procedural change

Assessing TMP Performance29 Example Post Construction Conditions/Policies Recommend formal report on all Level III (e.g., significant) projects and others as appropriate identifying TMP successes and failures General rating of the TMP by field personnel  Revisions required  Comparison of actual conditions to predicted  Cost to implement

Assessing TMP Performance30 WisDOT Example Collect TMP best practices throughout the State Shares these for use on future projects Statewide review team looks at a selection of projects and reports findings on TMP practices annually at conferences and training sessions December held session to review upcoming projects over the next 2 years and how to best coordinate them  Each region had opportunity to share best practices and lessons learned from their TMPs  Intend to hold similar sessions on an annual basis to help plan for each year’s upcoming construction season

Assessing TMP Performance31 Michigan DOT Example End of construction season - MDOT statewide WZ unit collects info from Region staff to:  Determine compliance with its WZ policy and TTC standards  Assesses which strategies are working and which are not Report created and results shared  Future WZ training  MDOT public WZ LISTSERV - created to share developments on MDOT’s WZ policy

Assessing TMP Performance32 Process Reviews Required at least every 2 years Multi-disciplinary team In depth review of complete process or specific problem areas  Different than Traffic Control Reviews Results used to improve processes or procedures TMP assessment results should be reviewed

Assessing TMP Performance33 Feedback Process Project-Level Procedures to Assess and Manage Impacts on Individual Projects Agency implemented policy for the systematic consideration and management of WZ impacts Processes and procedures to implement and sustain WZ policy

Assessing TMP Performance34 Feedback Process Areas of concern  Project specific? Provide information back to designers for future consideration  Standard detail for projects statewide? Revise standard Revise specifications Revise Work Zone Policy

Assessing TMP Performance35 Your Experience to Date Has your WZ process review included a review of how TMPs are working?