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Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) Concepts

MOT Training for Incident Responders in

Florida

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Highway Terminology

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Highway TerminologyStandardized names and terms to identify specific features of any street, road, or highway where an incident may occur.

– Reduce confusion– Improve the safety of responders– Make operations at the scene more

efficient

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Shoulders

• The pavement adjacent to travel lanes

• Referenced by:

– Inside or Outside

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Median• The center of the roadway

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Lane Referencing

• Numbered from outside to inside– Should not be referenced as the “slow

lane” or the “fast lane”

• Acceleration and deceleration lanes at interchanges will not be numbered except in the case of lane drops or adds

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2 13

2 31

Shoulder

Shoulder

Median

Inside

6-lane divided highway

Shoulder

Shoulder

Outside

Inside Outside23 1

2 31

Module 4Lane Drop Deceleration Lane

234 1

23 1

Inside Outside

ShoulderShoulder Shoulder Shoulder

23 1

23 1

Inside Outside

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Upstream and Downstream

• Upstream – Any area of a highway or any moving

traffic that is approaching the actual incident or activity area

• Downstream – Area that is past the incident scene

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Downstream

Upstream

IncidentIncident

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Incident Definition

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Differences in Definition

• Transportation provider definition

vs.

• Emergency responder definition

Source: FHWA, Incident Management Performance Measures

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Transportation Providers• Traffic Incident Management Handbook

defines an “incident” as “any non-recurring event that causes a reduction of roadway capacity or an abnormal increase in demand”

• The 2000 Highway Capacity Manual defines an “incident” as “any occurrence on a roadway that impedes normal traffic flow”

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Emergency Responders• Most law enforcement agencies and

emergency responders seem to define an “incident” as any event to which they are dispatched or requires a “response” or action by them.

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Types of Incidents

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Predictable

• Maintenance Activities

• Construction Activities

• Special Events

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Unpredictable

• Accidents (crashes)

• Stalled vehicles

• Spilled loads

• Weather

• Roadway failures

• Debris falling from trucks

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Incidents

• Create non-recurring traffic congestion– 60% of all congestion

• Cause secondary crashes

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Highway Standards

• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

• State Departments of Transportation

• Local Municipal Governments

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MUTCD

• Chapter 6I of the 2003 MUTCD

• “Control of Traffic Through Traffic Incident Management Areas”

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Major Provisions

• Classify incidents by expected durationClassify incidents by expected duration• Recommend interagency pre-planning and

management (“unified incident management”)

• “Fluorescent coral” background/black letters permitted for signs in incident traffic control zones

• Recommendations on use of Emergency Vehicle Lighting

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Incident Classification

•Level 1 – Minor–under 30 minutesunder 30 minutes

•Level 2 – Intermediate–from 30 minutes30 minutes to 2 hours2 hours

•Level 3 – Major–over 2 hoursover 2 hours

Source: TIM Handbook & MUTCD 2003 Chapter 6

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Temporary Traffic Control Zones

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Temporary Traffic Control Zones

Divided into four areas:

• Advance Warning Area • Transition Area • Activity Area• Termination Area

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Source: MUTCD 2003 Chapter 6

Advance Warning Area

TerminationArea

Shoulder Taper

Transition Area

Work Area

BufferSpace

BufferSpace

TrafficSpace

Activity Area(Hot Zone)

Advance Warning Area

TerminationArea

Shoulder Taper

Transition Area

Work Area

BufferSpace

BufferSpace

TrafficSpace

Activity Area(Hot Zone) Component Parts

of a Temporary Traffic Control

Zone

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Advance Warning Area

• First section that informs drivers about the incident area they are approaching

• Varies from a single sign or warning light on a vehicle to a series of warning signs– Examples: cones, flares, or emergency

vehicles far in advance of the actual incident (crash or fire scene)

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Transition Area

• Section of highway where road users are redirected out of their normal path – Usually involve strategic use of tapers.

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Taper

• When emergency responders use signs, cones, flares, or blocking vehicles to direct approaching traffic from the normal traffic lanes into a fewer number of open lanes

• Executed within the Transition Area of an incident scene

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Taper

Picture: Safe Parking…While Operating In or Near Moving Traffic, Texas FD

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Activity Area

• Section of the highway where the work activity takes place

• Comprises the Work Area, the Traffic Space and the Buffer Space

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Work Area

• Section of highway closed to road users and set aside for responders (workers), equipment, and material

• Usually delineated for road users by channelizing devices

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Work Area

Picture: Danger on I-95 – South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

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Traffic Space

• Section of highway in which road users are routed through the activity area

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Buffer Space

• The area that separates road user flow from the work space or an unsafe area

• Provides some recovery space for an errant vehicle

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Incident RespondersResponders arriving at a traffic incident within 15 minutes of arrival on-scene should:

– Estimate the magnitude of the traffic incident

– Predict time duration of the traffic incident– Estimate vehicle queue length– Set up the appropriate Temporary Traffic

Control for these estimates

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Highway Safety Principles

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Stopping Sight Distance

• The distance traveled from the time a driver first detects the need to stop until the vehicle actually stops

Perception/ Reaction

Braking

Total Stopping Sight Distance

Perception/ Reaction

Braking

Total Stopping Sight Distance

Perception/ Reaction

Braking

Total Stopping Sight Distance

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Perception/Reaction Distance

• Distance traveled by a vehicle from the instant the driver sees an object to the instant the brakes are applied

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What is the typical driver’s perception/reaction time

value?• 0.5 seconds• 1.0 seconds• 1.5 seconds• 2.5 seconds 2.5 seconds • 4.0 seconds

• Be prepared for drivers who do not react . . .

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Braking Distance• Distance traveled by a vehicle from

the instant the brakes lock up until the vehicle stops

Speed (mph)

Distance (ft)

60 34665 40570 47075 540

Source: AASHTO Green Book 2001

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Total Stopping Sight Distance(based on 2.5-sec Perception/Reaction Time)

Note: Commercial vehicles require much longer distances.Commercial vehicles require much longer distances.

60 Mph 65

Mph70

Mph

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Highway Safety Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and

Signaling Equipment

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Personal Protective Equipment “PPE”

• Section 6E.02 of the MUTCDSection 6E.02 of the MUTCD – Requires that workers shall wear bright,

highly visible clothing when working in or near moving traffic

– Fire/rescue personnel, EMS crews, law enforcement officials, and even tow truck operators

• PPE – General requirements Standard 29 CFR 1910.132 (OSHA)

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ANSI/ISEA Public Safety Vest Requirements

Source: Emergency Responder Safety Institute

Background Material

Minimum 450 in2Retroreflective/

Combined-Performance Material

Minimum Width 1.97 in Minimum Area 201 in2

The Vest shall have contiguous areas of retroreflective or

combined-performance material encircling the

torso – placed in a manner to provide 3600 visibilityANSI 207-2006 Standard

VestClass

II

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Highway Safety Vests

• All incident responders shall comply with this provision no later than November 24, 2008.

VestClass

III

Source: Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 226 / Rules and Regulations Part 634 – Worker Visibility Sec. 634.4

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Question?• At nightAt night – how far away can a driver

see you?

Source: ANSI/ISEA 107-1999 MADE EASY. A Quick Reference to High-Visibility Safety Apparel

Average Detection DistanceLow Beams and Dark Clothing

Low Beams and White Clothing

Low Beams and ANSI Vest II or III

Visib

ility o

f Ped

estri

an at

Nigh

t Average Detection DistanceAverage Detection DistanceLow Beams and Dark Clothing

Low Beams and White Clothing

Low Beams and ANSI Vest II or III

Visib

ility o

f Ped

estri

an at

Nigh

t

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Traffic Control Devices

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Traffic Control Devices• To promote highway safety by providing

for the orderly and predictable movement of all traffic and to provide guidance and warning as needed

• Examples:– Signs– Channelizing devices– Lighting devices– Shadow vehicles

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Warning Signs

• Warning signs are used to give notice of an unexpected condition or a condition that may be potentially hazardous to traffic.

Picture: KTC, Emergency Traffic Control for Responders-Training

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Examples of TIM Area Signs

Source: MUTCD 2003 Chapter 6 Figure 6I-1

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Warning Signs - Placement

• Right- or left-hand side of roadway• As near to the edge of the road as

possible, but no closer than 2 feet• Right angles, facing traffic• No obstructions• In advance of hills and curves

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Incorrect Placement

Source: Emergency Traffic Accommodation – A Guide for First Responders

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Correct Placement

Source: Emergency Traffic Accommodation – A Guide for First Responders

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Source: Emergency Traffic Accommodation – A Guide for First Responders

IncorrectPlacement

CorrectPlacement

IncorrectPlacement

CorrectPlacement

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Channelizing Devices• Their function is to warn road users of

conditions created by work activities in or near the roadway and to guide road users

• Channelizing devices include:– cones – tubular markers– vertical panels – drums – barricades– temporary raised islands

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Traffic Control Devices

• Florida Design Standard, Series 600 requirements:

– FDOT approved number shall be engraved on the device

– Traffic control devices must be on the Qualified Product List

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Cones

• Cones shall be predominantly orange

• Shall be made of a material that can be struck without causing damage to the impacting vehicle

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Cones

• One solution to carrying 28-inch traffic cones within the limited storage space on most responders vehicles is the “collapsible” cones.

• Four 28-inch tall Pop-UpR cones only occupy a 12-inch-high stack when stored.

Picture: Safe Parking…While Operating In or Near Moving Traffic, Texas FD

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Flares

• Work well at night to warn motorists of lane changes and merges due to the bright red light they emit as they burn

• The visibility of traffic cones can be increased under night conditions by deploying flares and cones together

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Flares

When flares are placed near a traffic cone, the light given off by the flare not only warns upstream traffic but illuminates the cone as well

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Flashlights

Specially-designed orange cones that fit over the end of a flashlight to improve their usefulness for traffic control.

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Emergency-Vehicle Light• Essential in the initial stages of a

traffic incident• Provide safety to emergency

responders and persons involved in the traffic incident, as well as road users approaching the traffic incident

• Example:– high-intensity rotating, flashing, oscillating

or strobe lights

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Emergency-Vehicle Light

• In multi-lane freeways

– Recommended to “shed” or turn off all forward-facing emergency lighting that affect traffic in the oncoming lanes

– To reduce rubbernecking and prevents secondary crashes

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Minimize Lights• Avoid glare to motorists

• Turn off unnecessary lights– Emergency vehicle lighting:

• Provides warning only and provides no effective traffic control

• Can be confusing and distracting to drivers

• Use amberamber instead of red

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Picture: USFA, Traffic Incident Management System

INCORRECT

CORRECT

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Arrow Panels

• Provide additional warning and directional information to assist in merging and controlling road users through or around a Temporary Traffic Control zone

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Arrow Panels• Nighttime use

– When advance warning arrow panels are used, the intensity of the flasher shall be reduced

• Location– For lane closures on multi-lane roadways,

an arrow panel should be located on the shoulder at the beginning of the taper

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Pictures: FDOT Road Rangers Basic Training

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Source: MUTCD 2003 Chapter 6 Figure 6I-1

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Shadow Vehicles

• Shadow Vehicles – Trucks or trailers that are used to protect workers or work equipment from errant vehicles

• Heavy Vehicle – 33,000 GVWR or greater, loaded at least 20,000 pounds (tanker truck)

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Shadow Vehicle• Once parked, it becomes a traffic

control device (TCD) placed as an element of the TCZ using the MUTCD as a guide. It is:– spotted parallel with traffic 100 to 100 to

250 ft250 ft upstream from the work area depending upon the speed limit, with wheels cut toward the shoulder

– not involved in incident mitigation efforts and not occupied by people!!!

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Work Area(Incident Area)

Shadow Vehicle

If Available

Work Area(Incident Area)

Shadow Vehicle

If Available

Work Area(Incident Area)

Shadow Vehicle

If Available

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END

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