Fatalities/Injuries on or Near Public Access Construction Work Zones

According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), 842 people died in highway work-zone crashes in 2019 compared to 757 the year before. The 11.2-percent increase is the largest percentage increase of highway work zone fatalities since 2006. The data does not reflect the numerous fatalities/injuries to pedestrians or bicyclists. Injuries on public access construction zones whether vehicle, pedestrian or bicyclist; major, multiple vehicle pileup or seemingly minor incident involving an injury are all subject to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) for streets and highways. The MUTCD is incorporated in the Federal Highway Administration regulations and recognized as the national standard for traffic control devices used on all roads open to public travel (Section 1A.07). The major category of traffic control devices include regulatory, warning and guide signs (and pavement markings). The MUTCD consists of  9 parts that regulate, warn and guide road users along highways, county roads, city streets and bikeways open to public travel. Part 6 of the MUTCD is the governing document in the US and territories for construction, maintenance and repair of public streets, sidewalks, highways and in many instances parking lots. The MUTCD applies to anyone working within the public right-of-way e.g. landscapers, public utilities,  public works, construction companies for both major and minor repairs, short and long duration projects. Quite often many of the afore mentioned entities get complacent due to the location or duration of the work, speed and volume of traffic and/or past experience. Part 6 of the MUTCD requires [a] traffic control plan (TCP) for work affecting anyone within the public right-of-way. During the past twenty five years of my consulting career I have taught work zone classes and work zone inspection courses for numerous agencies including Local Technical Assistance Programs (LTAP),  the National Highway Institute (NHI), to name a few. Additionally I have investigated, opined and testified in court  involving work zone injuries and fatalities. The incredible range of cases include: a motorist killed as a result of striking a utility company's work truck parked on the shoulder of I.H. 75, a construction inspector struck and killed on I.H. 275, a bicyclist seriously injured as a result of striking a landscape trailed parked partially in a travel lane of a residential street, a doctor struck and killed in Columbus, OH during a hospital renovation project due to the lack of pedestrian sidewalk access. All of these incidents could have been avoided by following the MUTCD Part 6 (TCP) and other applicable standards.

Robert Burch, CHST