Targeted Work Zone Engagement Framework Guidance Document

Chapter 1. Introduction

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) developed the Targeted Work Zone Engagement Framework ("Framework") to support work zone personnel at State transportation agencies in enhancing the effectiveness of their work zone safety and mobility policies and procedures. In support of 23 CFR Part 630 Subpart J of the Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule, FHWA can apply this Framework to determine the stage at which a State transportation agency is operating with respect to identifying and eliminating work zone impacts. FHWA can then use these results to better assist agencies with identifying and assessing both their work zone safety and mobility impact mitigation needs as well as the best resources that States can leverage to implement improvements related to policies, procedures, and strategy deployments.

Why Is it Needed?

A range of information resources (notable practice summaries, examples of various agency work zone policies, recent process reviews, etc.) are available for review by an agency attempting to improve its policies and procedures. However, prior to the development of this Framework, limited guidance was available to assist agencies in determining how to improve their own work zone safety and mobility policies and procedures based on available data. In addition, there was not a comprehensive, cohesive decision and application framework that could be used by FHWA to:

1. Best determine which agencies need and could benefit from additional assistance.
2. Help those priority agencies in determining their strategic needs with respect to work zone safety and mobility improvements.
3. Provide strategic assistance on how to best implement improvements in those policies and procedures once they have been determined.

How Does it Work?

• Uses emphasis areas to allow FHWA to assist State transportation agencies in easily identifying goals and mitigation strategies to improve work zone operations with a specific focus.
• Helps agencies trying to assess how policies and procedures align with their desired emphasis areas.
• Recommends specific resources to best assist agencies in identifying, adopting, and evaluating strategies to improve work zone impact mitigation effectiveness.

What are the Benefits?

• Offers a comprehensive decision and application Framework for FHWA to best support agencies.
• Assists transportation agencies with determining their strategic needs with respect to work zone safety and mobility improvements.
• Provides strategic assistance on how to best implement improvements in those policies and procedures once they have been determined.

Guidance Document Organization

This document was developed to serve as a resource for FHWA personnel to easily and efficiently provide targeted assistance to State transportation agencies. As such, the document is organized as follows:

Chapter 2. The Targeted Work Zone Engagement Framework – Describes the intent of the Framework and provides examples of how each Framework Step might be used in a targeted engagement effort with an agency.

Chapter 3. Emphasis Areas, Goals, and Mitigation Strategies – Provides the reader with a full listing of the emphasis areas, goals, and mitigation strategies associated with the Framework.

Chapter 4. Resources – Provides the reader with a complete listing of available work zone resources based on the Framework Step(s) under which an agency's work zone program falls.