ATSSA/FHWA Work Zone Safety Grant focus - Winter 2008

He spent 35 years with FHWA in numerous positions both in the field and in FHWA headquarters. The experience was from dealing directly with the state DOTs (highway planning, design, construction and maintenance) to managing national programs in FHWA headquarters. His last assignment was with the Office of Transportation Operations as the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) team leader. This involved extensive involvement in interpreting the MUTCD to the general public, AASHTO, local officials, changing the MUTCD, revising 23 CFR 655, Temporary Traffic Control and numerous related matters. As a national expert on the MUTCD he identified and recommended needed research . Also he represented the FHWA/U.S. DOT internationally in Canada, Mexico, Europe, Africa and South America.

Some notable accomplishments were leading the FHWA MUTCD team efforts in the revisions of the MUTCD MILLENNIUM and the 2003 MUTCD editions. Also the first ever ADA SHOW N Tell at FHWA Turner Fairbanks Highway research facility in 2004.

Since retiring from FHWA in 2004 Ernie Huckaby started his own company MUTCD Consultant Services. This company provides consultant services to assist in coordinating manufacturers thru traffic control devices experimental and approval processes. Provide suggestions for new product development and information on the future direction of traffic control devices and concepts including ADA requirements. Provide services to understanding the MUTCD process as well as MUTCD training. His clients include private companies and National Associations (ATSSA, etc.) as well as Federal and State agencies.

He continues to make presentations on the MUTCD and is still active in ATSSA, NCUTCD GMI For up-to-date information on the Work Zone Safety Grant, visit ATSSA.com and click on WORK ZONE SAFETY GRANT or email Donna Clark, at DonnaC@atssa.com technical committee, several TRB committees as well as other professional organizations. He is a member of the board of directors of Motorist Information and Services Association. He has been the recipient of numerous awards including the ATSSA National Safety Award and ITE Washington DC Section Community Transportation Service Award.

Brett Graves: BIO

Brett Graves of SAIC has joined Morris Oliver under contract to help manage and administer the Work Zone Safety Grant Program. Brett brings over six years of project and program management experience supporting FHWA work zone safety and mobility related projects to the team. Specifically
Brett serves as day-to-day liaison between the FHWA task manager and grant research teams. Within this role Brett assists with program management, product review, tracking of research efforts, response to inquiries for technical assistance, and attends conferences to present, as necessary, on the FHWA Work Zone Safety Grant Program.

Brett is currently working onsite at the new FHWA Building on Tuesdays and Thursdays and will expand his onsite presence as needed based on Grant activity levels.

OBJECTIVES
The objective of the Work Zone Safety Grant Program is to develop guidelines and provide training to improve highway work zone safety.

STATEMENT OF WORK
ATSSA shall perform tasks within the following work areas: Highway Work Zone Worker Safety Training; Highway Work Zone Safety Guidelines Development; and Highway Work Zone Safety Guidelines Training.

AREA 1: Highway Work Zone Worker Safety Training

Traffic Control Technician
This 1-day course provides an introduction to temporary traffic control in work zones for individuals who work in the field installing and removing traffic control devices.

The Traffic Control Supervisor
This 2-day course designed for individuals who supervise traffic control technicians and other field personnel.

Flagger Instructor Training
This 2-day course is designed to prepare Traffic Control Supervisors to be able to present the 4-hour ATSSA Flagger Registration course to those wishing to become ATSSA-registered flaggers.

Design and Operation of Nighttime Temporary Traffic Control in Work Zones
This 1-day course discusses factors affecting the feasibility of nighttime work zones and their considerations, such as worker and equipment visibility, illumination requirements, glare avoidance and nighttime enhancements.

Traffic Control for Utilities
This 1-day utility course provides an introduction to temporary traffic control for utility workers and others whose actions may affect safety.

Traffic Control for Tree Crews
This 1-day work zone course provides an introduction to temporary traffic control for arborists and others whose actions may affect safety.

Safe and Effective Use of Law Enforcement Personnel in Work Zones
This 4- hour course provides awareness and guidance to law enforcement for their assigned roles in active work zones, whether on duty or off-duty.

Incident Traffic Control for Responders
This 4-hour course provides the basic principles of incident management and considerations for traffic control enforcement in work zones. This course is aimed personnel involved with traffic control, either by responding to an incident or enforcing traffic control in work zones.

For more information on course descriptions, locations or registration, please visit www.atssa.com or call 1-877-642-4637.

AREA 2: The Highway Work Zone Safety Guidelines Development

Products Being Developed

Deliverable #4 – Positive Protection Toolbox
Deliverable #7 - Brochure on Decomissioning High-Visibility Apparel
Deliverable #9 - Guidance Sheet - Work Zone Pedestrian Access Considerations
Deliverable #12 - Brochure on Highlights of Impacts Assessment Guide

Report on the ADA Show and Tell Event
The Maryland DOT’s Headquarters served as the host facility for the second American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Show and Tell Event on October 3, 2007. This event was a cooperative effort between the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) the US Access Board, the FHWA, the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the Maryland State Highway Administration. After welcoming remarks from these organizations, twelve “evaluators” from the handicapped community and twelve recorders assessed existing and prototypical work zone devices as to the devices’
effectiveness in conveying information regarding work zones.

The FHWA’s Work Zone Safety Grant (DTFH61-06-G- 00004) funded travel and lodging expenses for city, county and state traffic engineers from the following agencies:

City of Thornton, CO
Snohomish County, WA
St. Charles County, MO
King County, WA
Arizona DOT
Utah DOT
Kansas DOT
Texas DOT
Virginia DOT

These agency representatives were invited, as observers, to see how the handicapped evaluators assessed the various devices. Many of the invitees had leadership roles within the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NCUTCD) and could proved invaluable to the FHWA as they take steps to provide increased guidance for additional language that may be incorporated in future editions of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices. At the very least, these observers will look at what practices and guidelines their agencies have with respect to meeting the needs of the handicapped community as they traverse work zones.

After the evaluations, a debriefing session was conducted between the organizers, the manufacturers of the devices and the evaluators. This was extremely important as a dialogue began develop a better understanding to improve the existing and prototypical devices.

The manufacturers of the displayed devices will be given all the evaluators responses so they may incorporate design features to improve the devices in the hopes of providing better delineation for all pedestrians in work zones.

Based on the success for this event, ATSSA and the US Access Board will be developing a brochure to aid traffic engineers in designing better work zones at the local level. Additionally, our 2008 Traffic Expo in New Orleans will feature a “Power Talk” Session on this issue, moderated by a representative from the US Access Board.

AREA 3: Highway Work Zone Safety Guidelines Training

Traffic Control Design Specialist – 2 day course * *This is an ATSSA Copyrighted course

This course is for individuals charged with the evaluation, development and implementation of a traffic control plan (TCP). The intended audiences are engineers and/or anyone responsible for designing a TCP. Previous work zone experience is not required. Topics include introduction to work zone safety, applicable standards and guidelines, fundamental principles of temporary traffic control, human factors, the component parts of a traffic control zone, traffic control devices, constructability, and
development of a traffic management plan. Students will breakout into small groups for hands-on exercises. A certification program is available for this course.

For those individuals, who are already TCS certified, a one-day TCDS course is available.* *This is an ATSSA Copyrighted course.