[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 23, Volume 1]
[Revised as of April 1, 1999]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 23CFR630]
[Page 160-161]
TITLE 23--HIGHWAYS
PART 630--PRECONSTRUCTION PROCEDURES--Table of Contents
Subpart J--Traffic Safety in Highway and Street Work Zones
Source: 43 FR 47140, Oct. 12, 1978, unless otherwise noted.
Sec. 630.1002 Purpose.
The purpose of this subpart is to provide guidance and establish
procedures to assure that adequate consideration is given to motorists,
pedestrians, and construction workers on all Federal-aid construction
projects.
Sec. 630.1004 Background.
Part VI of the manual on uniform traffic control devices (MUTCD) \1\
sets forth basic priniciples and prescribes standards for the design,
application, installation, and maintenance of the various types of
traffic control devices for highway and street construction, maintenance
operation, and utility work. The manual cannot address in depth the
variety of situations that occur in providing traffic control in work
zones. Although agencies responsible for traffic control and work area
protection have attempted to develop some guidelines, a coordinated and
comprehensive effort to develop greater uniformity is desirable.
National reviews have shown that more attention is needed to insure that
the MUTCD is properly implemented on all highway projects.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The MUTCD is available from the Superintendent of Documents,
U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. It is
incorporated by reference at 23 CFR 655, subpart F.
[43 FR 47140, Oct. 12, 1978, as amended at 51 FR 16834, May 7, 1986]
Sec. 630.1006 Policy.
It is the policy of the Federal Highway Administration that each
highway agency shall develop and implement procedures consonant with the
requirements of this regulation that will assure the safety of
motorists, pedestrians, and construction workers on Federal-aid highway
construction projects. The procedures shall be consistent with the
provisions of the MUTCD. Highway agencies should be encouraged to
implement these procedures for non-Federal-aid projects and maintenance
operations as well.
Sec. 630.1008 Implementation.
The FHWA Division Administrator shall review and approve the highway
agency's implementation of its procedures at appropriate intervals. The
FHWA shall take appropriate action to assure that the highway agency's
procedures are being followed and achieve the results intended. Major
revisions in established procedures shall be submitted to the FHWA
Division Administrator for information.
Sec. 630.1010 Contents of the agency procedures.
The agency's procedures shall include, but not necessarily be
limited to the following:
(a) Traffic control plan (TCP). (1) A traffic control plan is a plan
for handling traffic through a specific highway or street work zone or
project. These plans may range in scope from a very detailed TCP
designed solely for a specific project, to a reference to standard
plans, a section of the MUTCD, or a standard highway agency manual. The
degree of detail in the TCP will depend on the project complexity and
traffic interference with construction activity.
(2) Traffic control plans shall be developed for all projects and be
included in plans, specifications, and estimates
[[Page 161]]
(P.S. & E.'s) and shall be consistent with part VI of the MUTCD.
(3) The scope of the TCP should be determined during planning and
design phases of a project.
(4) Provisions may be made to permit contractors to develop their
own TCP's and use them if the highway agency and FHWA find that these
plans are as good as or better than those provided in the P.S. & E.
(5)(i) Two-lane, two-way operation on one roadway of a normally
divided highway (TLTWO) shall be used only after careful consideration
of other available methods of traffic control. Where the TLTWO is used,
the TCP shall include provisions for the separation of opposing traffic
except:
(A) Where the TLTWO is located on an urban type street or arterial
where operating speeds are low;
(B) Where drivers entering the TLTWO can see the transition back to
normal one-way operation on each roadway; or
(C) Where FHWA approves nonuse of separation devices based on
unusual circumstances.
(ii) Center line striping, raised pavement markers, and
complementary signing, either alone or in combination, are not
considered acceptable for separation purposes.
(b) Responsible person. The highway agency shall designate a
qualified person at the project level who will have the primary
responsibility and sufficient authority for assuring that the TCP and
other safety aspects of the contract are effectively administered. While
the project or resident engineer may have this responsibility, on large
complex projects another person should be assigned at the project level
to handle traffic control on a full-time basis.
(c) Pay items. The P.S. & E. should include unit pay items for
providing, installing, moving, replacing, maintaining, and cleaning
traffic control devices required by the TCP. Suitable force account
procedures may be utilized for traffic control items. Lump-sum method of
payment should be used only to cover very small projects, projects of
short duration, contingency, and general items. Payment for traffic
control items as incidental to other items of work should be
discouraged.
(d) Training. All persons responsible for the development, design,
implementation, and inspection of traffic control shall be adequately
trained.
(e) Process review and evaluation. (1) A review team consisting of
appropriate highway agency personnel shall annually review randomly
selected projects throughout its jurisdiction for the purpose of
assessing the effectiveness of its procedures. The agency may elect to
include an FHWA representative as a member of the team. The results of
this review are to be forwarded to the FHWA Division Administrator for
his review and approval of the highway agency's annual traffic safety
effort.
(2) Construction zone accidents and accident data shall be analyzed
and used to continually correct deficiencies which are found to exist on
individual projects, and to improve the content of future traffic
control plans.
[43 FR 47140, Oct. 12, 1978, as amended at 47 FR 21780, May 20, 1982]