Work Zone Mobility and Safety Program
Photo collage: temporary lane closure, road marking installation, cone with mounted warning light, and drum separated work zones.
Office of Operations 21st Century Operations Using 21st Century Technologies

Performance Measurement Examples

Performance Measurement

Agencies have developed numerous methods to measure and monitor work zone performance and have also implemented web-based resources to inform the public about the performance of roadway projects and the transportation system as a whole.

Measuring and Monitoring Work Zone Performance

State-Specific Examples

  • Measuring Work Zone Mobility Performance Using the National Performance Management Research Data Set (NPMRDS)
    Case Study:  Application to the Texas Department of Transportation GO I-10 Project (HTML, PDF 2MB)
    This case study demonstrates how the National Performance Management Research Data Set (NPMRDS) can be used to measure work zone mobility performance. The NPMRDS contains probe-vehicle-based speed and travel time data for major highways and roadways across the United States. A real-world road construction project (Texas DOT’s GO I-10 Project in El Paso, TX) is used to illustrate a simple, repeatable process that State DOTs can use to measure work zone mobility performance.
  • A Policy-Driven Approach for Work Zone Mobility Performance Management (HTML, PDF 2MB) - The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) uses a policy-driven approach to systematically determine any negative impacts that work zones may have on mobility, and eliminate, minimize, or mitigate those impacts to the greatest extent practicable. The objective of the department's effort is to enhance work zone mobility and safety while delivering a positive road user experience.
  • Comprehensive Work Zone Mobility Performance Management Across Project Stages (HTML, PDF 819KB) - The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) uses its Performance Measurement System (PeMS) to estimate work zone impacts, plan closures, manage performance during construction, and evaluate effectiveness of work zone management practices post-construction.
  • Missouri DOT I-64 (US 40) Full Closure Performance Tracking - Missouri DOT (MoDOT) used full closure to complete the $535 million reconstruction of Highway 40 (Interstate 64) in St. Louis in two years, rather than the originally estimated six to eight years, and at lower cost. MoDOT established incentives for the Contractor that included timely completion and re-opening of the road, and tracking and meeting performance indicators for regional mobility. MoDOT also completed an in-depth evaluation of the impacts from and satisfaction with the closure approach.
  • Missouri DOT Tracker - Tool to assess how well Missouri DOT (MoDOT) delivers services and products to its customers. The Tracker is divided into 18 performance measures, based on MoDOT's Mission and Value Statements. Several of the measures relate directly to work zones, such as ratings from an online survey MoDOT uses to gain driver feedback on visibility and traffic flow in its state highway work zones.
    • Fact Sheet: "Tracking Work Zone Performance in Missouri" (HTML, PDF 393KB)
  • Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada FAST Dashboard - The Freeway and Arterial System of Transportation (FAST) Dashboard is Southern Nevada's freeway performance monitoring and management system. It enables the Nevada DOT to evaluate operational issues related to work zones, incidents, special events, and daily recurring congestion, and the effectiveness of activities to manage the impacts. It also enables the public to view real-time and historical travel time and performance information in a wide variety of user-selectable and user-customizable displays.
  • Ohio DOT Crash Analysis (HTML, PPT 1MB) - The Ohio DOT (ODOT) "Real-Time Work Zone Crash Data Analysis" compares historic, pre-construction crash data verses crashes occurring when a work zone is in effect. The ODOT database breaks the work zone into half-mile segments, sorts the crashes into their proper segment, and performs a "before-after" comparison of the pre-construction and construction crash frequencies for each half-mile segment. ODOT examines areas that show elevated work zone crash frequencies to make improvements in current work zones as well as in future work zone management practices.
  • Oregon DOT Performance Monitoring
    • Dynamic Work Zone Traffic Management (PDF 340KB) - May 2010 ITE Journal article that describes how Oregon DOT has recognized the benefits of using smart work zone technology, including how real-time and near-real-time traffic data collected using this technology can be used by construction and management personnel to monitor the status and performance of a work zone.
  • Texas DOT Performance Monitoring - The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has identified key work zone safety and mobility performance measures to target as part of a work zone monitoring program within a district, region, or across the state.
  • Virginia DOT Work Zone Safety Checklist (PDF 237K) - Provides a consistent and helpful way to review and document temporary traffic control inspections of construction, maintenance, utility, and permit work zone operations. The checklist enables work zone deficiencies to be noted and detailed information provided to allow rapid and thorough correction of the problem.
  • Utilizing Probe-Vehicle Data for Work Zone Mobility Performance (HTML, PDF 1.1MB) - The Virginia Department of Transportation uses probe-vehicle-based performance measures to estimate work zone related delay and queuing at the State, district, corridor, and project levels.
  • Washington State DOT Performance Measures Library - Library listing online performance measurement and strategic planning mechanisms for 51 state, commonwealth, and federal district transportation authorities and other notable performance reporting by city, county, and regional entities.
  • Wisconsin DOT: State DOT Performance Measurement for Highway Design and Construction - Synthesis of published performance measures in the areas of highway design and construction, developed as a means to help gauge current State DOT practices in this area.

Other Examples

  • Synthesis of Work Zone Performance Measures (PDF 2.4MB) - Institute for Transportation at Iowa State University at Iowa State University report that identifies and summarizes how agencies collect, analyze, and report different work zone performance measures and how they communicate performance to the public.
  • Webinar on Work Zone Fatality Reduction Strategies - Held on May 23, 2012
    • Recording
    • Transcript (HTML, PDF 110KB)
    • Introduction Presentation, by Tracy Scriba, FHWA (HTML, PDF 476KB)
    • California Presentation, by Joe Jeffrey, Road-Tech Safety Services (HTML, PDF 467KB))
    • Florida Presentation, by Stefanie Maxwell, Florida Department of Transportation (HTML, PDF 3.2MB)
    • North Carolina Presentation, by Steve Kite, North Carolina Department of Transportation (HTML, PDF 319KB)
  • AASHTO/FHWA Domestic Scan on Work Zone Assessment, Data Collection, and Performance Measurement (NCHRP 08-04) - Results of March 2010 scan looking at how 14 State agencies are planning for, monitoring, and managing work zone performance.
    • Final Report (PDF 3.8MB) - Provides detailed information about what was learned during the scan, key findings and recommendations, and an implementation strategy.
    • Summary Report (HTML, PDF 66KB) - Summarizes the scan findings, recommendations based on the findings, and potential ways to disseminate the scan results.
    • Brochure - Shares information on practices found during the scan and provides the key findings, challenges, and recommendations from the scan.
    • Webinar recording - Provides an overview of the findings and recommendations from the scan as well a presentation on some of the Ohio Department of Transportation's practices that were encountered during the scan.
  • Talking Operations Webinar on Work Zone Performance Measurement - Scroll down to the May 28, 2009 section of this page for links to the presentations, recording, podcast, and transcript from this webinar.
  • U.S. and International Approaches to Performance Measurement for Transportation Systems (PDF 1.9MB) - Includes the outcomes of plenary and breakout sessions on performance-based contracting and measuring project delivery and the use of data and tools to support performance measurement.
  • Work Zone Data Examples - Examples illustrating how states are collecting and analyzing work zone data.
  • Assessing the Effectiveness of TMP Strategies (HTML, PDF 629 KB) - Findings of research to identify and assess the feasibility and usefulness of and possible approaches to assessing the effectiveness of TMP strategies.

Transportation Performance Reporting

  • RITIS: A Probe-data Source for Enhancing Operations and Planning Capabilities (HTML, PDF 1.6 MB) - This publication provides an overview of the work zone performance monitoring application of the Regional Integrated Transportation Information System (RITIS) to improve planning and management of work zones.
  • Florida Transportation Performance Reporting - A central location for reports and information about the performance of Florida's transportation system and of Florida DOT (FDOT). FDOT focuses on five performance measures – transportation system safety, customer and market focus, production performance, transportation system performance, and organizational performance.
  • Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) Dashboard - Web-based tool that provides policymakers and citizens access to information about ITD's progress in meeting long-range goals. The nine performance measures correlate directly with ITD's three primary goals – improving safety, enhancing mobility, and supporting economic vitality. Several of the measures relate to work zones, such as percent of highway projects developed on time, and construction cost at award (as a percentage of the construction budget).
  • San Diego TransNet - Provides construction updates, project information, public meeting and hearing notices, and answers to frequently asked questions for projects in the San Diego area. The site also includes a feature called the TransNet Dashboard, which provides detailed information for tracking project timelines, milestones, budgets, and expenditures.
  • Virginia DOT Dashboard - Web-based system that provides current information on project status. The Dashboard reports on project advertisement schedules for bidding, project budgets and schedules, and work orders and rates project status according to the red, yellow and green colors of a traffic signal. Virginia DOT focuses on addressing problems when projects are in the yellow zone.

PDF files can be viewed with the Acrobat® Reader®.