National Guidelines for Work Zone Safety Approved

The Transportation Association of Canada’s (TAC) Chief Engineers’ Council has approved a national guide to assist Canadian agencies develop work zone safety plans.

The guide will be made available for sale in TAC’s Bookstore in the coming months.  It is expected a future webinar will also be provided on the Guide.

Recommended by the Road Safety Standing Committee, the guide will promote consistent work zone practices across Canada for different operating conditions, and provide additional tools to help facilitate clear and consistent communication to road users in work zones.

Consistent practices provide the foundation for supporting road user expectations and their ability to respond appropriately. The safety of work zones is expected to improve as these guidelines are gradually adopted and integrated into municipal and provincial practices on a national basis.

The Guide will be organized into five parts:

• Part A: Fundamental Concepts – fundamental concepts or work zone design and safety critical for understanding and applying the guide
• Part B: Transportation Management Plans – transportation management planning process
• Part C: Work Zone Road Safety Audits – proactive and systematic process to assess the planning, design, operations, and/or maintenance of a work zone
• Part D: Guidance for Temporary Traffic Control (TTC) Plans – common road safety considerations for TTC strategies, and guidance for handling modifications to typical TTC plans
• Part E: Temporary Traffic Control Layouts – guidance and typical layouts for work affecting pedestrian and cycling facilities, work within or near roundabouts, and work in the vicinity of at-grade railway crossings

MORR Transportation Consulting conducted the research work for this project.

Funding partners include Alberta Transportation; British Columbia Transportation and Infrastructure; Manitoba Infrastructure; New Brunswick Transportation and Infrastructure; Northwest Territories Department of Transportation; Newfoundland and Labrador Transportation and Works; the Ontario Ministry of Transportation; Prince Edward Island Transportation, Infrastructure and Energy; le Ministère des Transports, de la Mobilité durable et de l’Électrification des transports du Québec; Saskatchewan Highways and Infrastructure; Yukon Highways and Public Works; ATS Traffic Group; Peter Kiewit Infrastructure Co. and the cities of Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Montréal, Saskatoon, Toronto and Winnipeg.