An Introduction to Temporary Traffic Control Plans
What they are, when they’re required, and how they are an essential tool for road safety.
It’s a sunny Saturday afternoon in Southern California and you’re driving to the beach. You’re excited to get off the road and into the water, but in the distance you see a bright orange sign bearing the text, “ROAD WORK AHEAD.” Your excitement slowly turns to dread as traffic slows. But, before long, the road reopens, traffic speeds up, and you get to your destination.
No one likes road work, or, at least, the delays associated with it, but we know it’s an inevitable fact of life. What few people know, though, is that behind every work zone is a temporary traffic control plan. Similar to how builders need a set of plans a set of plans to construct a house, road crews need a temporary traffic control plan to route motorists around them while they work in the street. Check Engineering builds upon years of experience and expertise in traffic engineering to draft and design high-quality temporary traffic control plans that protect both road crews and the traveling public. Contact us today to learn how we can help with your temporary traffic control needs on your next project.
So, what is a temporary traffic control plan?
At its simplest form, a temporary traffic control plan is a document that details the placement of temporary traffic control devices on a street. These include signs, cones, barricades, temporary barriers (sometimes called “K rail”), crash cushions, traffic drums, flashing arrow signs, electronic message signs, and more. The ultimate goal of these devices is to safely guide road users—including vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians—around a defined work zone.
Work zones need to be established for variety of road activities, including:
Utility work: Crews may need to close off all or part of a street to safely replace utility poles; install or maintain substructure, such as gas, electric, telecommunications, or water; or trim trees away from power lines
Community events: Block parties and marathons, for example, require cars be blocked off and detoured from entering the event area
Road maintenance: When roads are slurry sealed, grind and overlayed, or completely replaced, traffic must be rerouted so that crews can work safely
Check Engineering’s engineers are experts at drafting and designing temporary traffic control plans for all of these activities. Contact us today for a free estimate to keep your project in the fast lane.
When is a temporary traffic control plan required?
Under normal traffic conditions, vehicles follow permanently installed striping and signs on the road to navigate a street—this is known as the “traffic pattern” of the street. When road work occurs, traffic must move out of this pattern to get around a work zone. A temporary traffic control plan is required whenever traffic is deviated from its normal traffic pattern.
In general, there are two types of temporary traffic control plans: site specific and generic. Generic plans, also called “typical applications,” serve as templates for common temporary traffic control scenarios. While generic plans may seem convenient, they often lack the detail necessary to address site-specific challenges. For example, work near trains, major shopping centers, intersections, and in densely populated and urban areas require special consideration that generic temporary traffic control plans simply do not address. For these reasons, contractors, utilities, and other agencies are increasingly turning to site-specific temporary traffic control plans for their needs. A site-specific temporary traffic control plan shows the work zone and temporary traffic control devices on a basemap that matches existing, real world road conditions. This provides ultimate clarity to road crews exactly where traffic control devices need to be placed since the plan is specifically tailored to a specific location.
Cities and counties often require a site-specific temporary traffic control plan as a condition to work in or on their streets. They may also require that the plan be submitted and reviewed by their engineers prior to issuing a permit. Even when a site-specific plan is not required by a jurisdiction, utilities and other agencies may opt to use them anyway to minimize their exposure to liability in the event of traffic collision.
Check Engineering drafts and designs traffic control plans for work in jurisdictions all over California. Every temporary traffic control plan is designed and drafted by a licensed engineer, meaning faster approvals and high quality deliverables every time. Send us a message today to get a free estimate on traffic control for your next project.
Traffic control plans: An essential tool for road safety
All traffic control plans must comply with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), which is a federally publish document governing the design and placement of all traffic control devices—both permanent and temporary—on roads open to public travel.
The section of the MUTCD on temporary traffic control is over 250 pages long and contains highly complex and detailed information, guidance, and standards. Failure to comply with these provisions may lead to unsafe road conditions. Therefore, a well-designed, carefully engineered traffic control plan is essential at ensuring the safety of both road crews as well as the traveling public.
To ensure your traffic control plan complies with the MUTCD—as well as City- or County-specific requirements—contact Check Engineering’s team of knowledgeable and experienced engineers today for a free estimate.